Google Business Profile: Multiple locations

Chains or businesses with several locations can also be  managed from Google My Business.

Grocery stores, gyms, franchises or companies with multiple branches have their own space on Google My Business. Chains can be uploaded in bulk, their profiles personalized and be managed from the platform. 

This serves as a window that let’s chains reach more customers or build existing customers loyalty. If someone already knows your brand, they will try to find you wherever they are and thanks to Google My Business, they will be able to find you on Google Maps or Search. 

What you can do with chains on Google My Business

First, Google My Business helps save time. If your company has 10 or more different locations, with this platform you can take some actions in bulk, that is, you don’t need to make changes one by one manually.

Import multiple locations – Create several listings on google Business Profile at the same time

If you want to create several listings on Google My Business for businesses with 10 or more locations, you can do it in bulk.

How?

By importing your locations to Google My Business.
Follow these steps:

STEP 1

Open Google My Business and insert one of your locations 

This is the first step to access Google My Business dashboard from where you can import your locations.

STEP 2

Open Google My Business dashboard and select import locations

Select add location and select import from the drop-down menu.

Then you will see three templates that you can download:

❇️ Template

❇️ Sample Spreadsheet

❇️ Attributes Reference spreadsheet

Download all three of them and first have a look at the spreadsheet to add your locations to the template.

STEP 3

Add the data of each location

This is the information you have to add for each business. It’s convenient that you fill out all the columns. With this file, you will create all the listings that will display on Google and Google My Business. If you are thorough and complete all the information, you will save time by not having to make changes one by one when it is approved by Google.

▶️ Store Code: Include the reference code for each store. They have to be unique for each store and it’s the best way to differentiate listings once they are created on Google My Business.

▶️ Business Name: The name of the business that will appear on google, don’t add the location. For example – Safeway. Don’t use this field to add the location next to the brand name, for example. Safeway – Corona street. The location will be specified in the address field.

▶️ Address, phone, hours, website, photos… As easy as following the instructions and checking how to do it on the sample spreadsheet.

Once the document has been completed, go to Google My Business, click Add location, then click import locations and select the file to upload. The next step will be verifying all the locations of your chain or brand.

Import attributes

Google My Business allows chains upload attributes in bulk. Here is where you can use the last Attribute reference spreadsheet.

There are two types of attributes:

✅ Factual Attributes: like Wifi, outdoor seating, accessibility, for children, families, LGTBQ community, etc…

✅ Subjective Attributes: like whether your business is popular with locals or the customer service is good. These types of attributes are defined by users’ opinions and not by the owners or managers. 

The factual attributes are the ones that the owner can upload in bulk the same way they did with the previous information. In this case, the attributes are either yes or no. 

*There are more than 300 attributes, so take it easy  when you fill out the spreadsheet.

How to give management permissions to my chain’s Google My Business listings

The next question is:

Now that I have created my business listing. How can I give permissions so other people can manage them?

Method 1 – Give permission one by one on each listing

You can give permissions individually to each listing:

Go to your listing/left-side menu/users/invite new user

If your chain has many different locations and a different person is going to manage each listing. This is the recommended method. If this is not the case, keep reading.

If this is not your solution, you can group locations belonging to the same chain on Google My Business.

Coming back to the Safeway store example. Imagine that in each region, Google My Business is going to be managed by the same person. In Colorado there must be around 100 or so and doing it manually doesn’t sound like an option. In this case, you use location groups.

Method 2: Give permissions to a location group

Go to Google My Business dashboard, click manage locations, then click create location group and then enter the name of the group: For example, Denver.

You will see all the locations that you can start adding to the new group.

Check the box next to each location you want to transfer.

Then, from the Actions drop-down menu, select Transfer Location. Select a location group to transfer the location to and click Transfer.
This way you will have your business grouped under the criteria of your choice.

❇️ In our case, we would choose Denver location

From that moment, when you come back to the Google My Business dashboard you will be able to select by location group.

And, how do I give permissions to other users?

Go to the location group that you have created. Next to name you will see this symbol . 

If you click it, you will see the location group details where you can add new administrators.

Google My Business try to make business’ life easier. It will take some time to fill out the spreadsheets but it will be faster than doing it one by one.

If you don’t have your businesses on Google, start today and let your customers find you.

Isabel Romero , 26 May 2020