Google+ for Multiple Business Locations

Roberto Mejia
by Roberto Mejia on June 29, 2012 in Visibility
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If your business has multiple locations you want Google to know about each and every one of them. That way, when someone searches online for a product or service you provide Google will let them know that you have what they need at a store just down the street.

So, how do you make sure each location is listed and ranks highly on local search results?

First, you need to create a Google+ page for each individual location. All of the locations can be set up using a single Google account but they each represent a separate page. You can enter each location manually, but if you have more than 10 locations it is easier to use the bulk upload function. With bulk upload you create a spreadsheet listing the information for all of your locations. Then you upload the spreadsheet and Google will create the multiple pages for you. The spreadsheet can contain many different details about each location but at a minimum must have eight columns of information:

  • Name of business
  • Address
  • City
  • State
  • Zip code
  • Country code (US)
  • Phone number
  • Business category

On your own website, it is important to you want to also have a separate page for each location. If your locations are essentially carbon copies of each other each location page might also be very similar; however, each would list the specific address and any locally important search terms. You can then link the page for each location to the corresponding Google page and vice versa.

Make sure that the address and contact information for each location is consistent with the other citations of your business listed around the web. For instance, the information on each Google+ page you create should exactly match what is on the location pages on your own website, right down to the spelling and the use of abbreviations - is it on Main Street, or Main St.?

Your Google+ listings should contain an abundance of information. Include details such as hours of operation, parking directions and fax numbers. Even if the information may be rarely needed it is better to have a complete profile that can answer any questions. Uploading photos is also a very worthwhile task.

Reviews are important to Google and each location is treated as a separate entity when it comes to customer reviews. Though reviews must be authentic - your search ranking can be penalized if there is evidence of false reviews or spam - you can encourage regular customers to give you a hand by going online and posting a review for that location.

Incorporate keywords into each location's Google+ page similar to how you would optimize your own website. For instance, you may include the name of the neighborhood that locals would use to describe that part of town or include the names of brands you carry or specific services you provide.

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Roberto Mejia

Roberto Mejia

While specializing in web development and inbound marketing, Roberto Mejia prides himself in always learning and improving as much as possible.