Duplicate Google listings can be a frustrating issue for businesses, as they create confusion among potential customers and damage your online reputation. In this article, we’ll address how to detect and handle duplicate Google listings so your business is accurately represented online.
Step 1: Spot duplicate listings
To begin addressing duplicate Google listings, begin by searching for your business on Google and scanning through the results to look for any listings with similar or identical name, address, and phone number (NAP) as yours. This will help determine if there is an issue with duplicate content on Google.
Google Maps can also be used to search for your business and identify any duplicate listings. Simply click the “See all” button under “Your business on Google” section, and check for any listings with similar or identical NAP information.
Step 2: Claim and Verify Your Listing
This is the final step to taking control of your online presence.
If you come across a duplicate listing that you haven’t claimed yet, the initial step is to claim and verify it. To do this, go to Google My Business and search for the duplicate. Click on “Own this business?” link and follow instructions to prove you are indeed its owner.
Once you have verified the listing, you can update its NAP information to match your primary listing and delete any duplicate data.
Step 3: Consolidate or delete duplicate listings
If you have multiple listings that have been claimed, it is necessary to merge or remove the duplicate listings. To do this, go to Google My Business and select the “Duplicate locations” option from the menu.
From here, you can select the listings that you wish to merge or remove. If they all share the same NAP information, merging them into one listing should be easy; if not, then selecting which listing to keep and discard the others requires some thought and consideration.
Step 4: Monitor and maintain your listings
Once you have resolved any duplicate Google listings, it is essential to monitor and maintain them in order to guarantee they remain accurate and up-to-date. Regularly review your listings for any changes or inaccuracies, and guarantee your NAP information remains consistent across all online listings.
Dealing with duplicate Google listings can be a time-consuming task, but it is essential for ensuring your business accurately represents online. By following these steps, you can identify, claim and merge or remove duplicate listings to improve your online reputation and attract more customers to your business. It’s also important to monitor and maintain these listings over time in order to guarantee they remain accurate and up-to-date.
