Can I have two Google Business Profiles for two towns?
When can I have two Google Business Profiles?
You can have two profiles when you run two real locations. Each location must have a storefront that staff operate during business hours. Customers must be able to visit each one.
Google’s help pages say a business must make in-person contact with customers during its stated hours. Two real shops in two towns meet this rule. Each shop can have its own profile, its own address, and its own local phone number.
When can I not have two profiles?
You cannot have two profiles if you work from one base and travel to both towns. This is the most common case for trades, cleaners, and other service businesses.
Google gives this advice for service businesses: create only one Business Profile for the metropolitan area you serve. Google may suspend your account if it finds multiple profiles for the same business in the same metropolitan area.
These setups are also not allowed:
- A profile at a P.O. Box address. Google suspends these profiles.
- A profile for a lead generation agent or company.
- A profile for a location that does not exist. Google disables these profiles.
How do I cover a second town with one profile?
Use the service area setting. You do not need a second profile.
- Sign in to the Google Account that manages your profile.
- Open your Business Profile on Google Search or Google Maps.
- Select Edit profile, then Business information, then Location.
- Add the second town to your service area. You can set the area by city, postal code, or other area.
- Save the change.
Google allows up to 20 service areas on one profile. Google also recommends that you do not extend your overall area farther than 2 hours driving time from your base. For some businesses, a larger area may be right.
If you have no storefront, you must hide your business address. Your profile then shows only your service area.
How do I set up the second profile the right way?
Follow these steps if you open a real second location.
- Confirm the new location has a real address, not a P.O. Box.
- Confirm staff work there during the hours you list.
- Create a new profile at business.google.com/add. Do not edit the first profile.
- Use a phone number for that location. Google recommends an individual phone number or store page for each location, not a remote call centre.
- Use a page on your website that is specific to that location.
- Verify the new profile with one of the options Google offers.
Use the same business name on both profiles. Do not add the town name to the business name. Google can reject edits that change the business name in a way that misrepresents the business.
What if I move to a new town?
Do not rename your old profile. Google says that if your business has relocated, you must mark the existing profile as permanently closed. You then create a new profile at the new location.
What is the risk if I break the rules?
The risk is larger than one lost profile. Google says that if an account is restricted, all Business Profiles associated with that account are suspended. A fake second profile can put your real profile at risk.
A fake second profile also hurts your reputation with customers. A customer who drives to an address that is not a real shop will not trust your business.
How do I rank in the second town without a second profile?
Build the town into the rest of your online presence. A profile alone does not carry your local presence.
- Make a page on your website for each town you serve.
- Write real content on each page: the work you do there, the area you cover, and examples of real jobs.
- Ask customers in that town for reviews. Follow Canadian rules when you message customers: under CASL, you need consent before you send a commercial electronic message.
- Keep your business name, address, and phone number the same on every directory.
Do not post reviews for yourself. Do not offer fake reviews. The Competition Bureau treats misleading online reviews as a deceptive marketing practice. Google can also restrict profiles that break its content policies.
Questions people also ask
Can I use a virtual office or a friend's address for the second town?
No. Google needs a real location where your business meets customers during its stated hours. If Google finds that your business does not exist at the address, it can disable the profile.
Can two people on my team manage both profiles?
Yes. You can add users to a profile, or to a location group that holds several profiles. You need each person's email address and you select a role for each person.
Should I use a second Google Account for the second profile?
No. A second account does not change the rules. Google looks at the business and its metropolitan area, not only at the account.
Do I need a different phone number for each location?
Yes, use a number that is specific to each location. Google recommends an individual phone number or store page for each location, not a remote call centre.
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