GMB: 2 Businesses, 1 Location. VERY confused!

[Craig McBreen]

My client has a Blinds business and a Closet business. The names are very similar (franchise names) but they are two different services.

Website: We might create 1 website to represent the 2 businesses since they are similar home services. Do you think that is a good idea?

I’m confused by GMBs rules:

1. GMB states if the businesses are unique you can create a GMB for each business.

2. BUT they have the same phone number and are SABs (which could result in a hard suspension).

3. I've read Google frowns upon having two businesses, e.g. “Rainbow Blinds” and “Rainbow Closets” at the same location.

So, if I can't list them individually, and they frown upon having two businesses as one what do we do?

Thank you!

 

[Conor Treacy]

With the two different businesses, do they keep two separate sets of books and two separate invoice/charging methods? If so, then they truly are separate businesses at the same address and should be OK to do. It gets tricky when they're two businesses physically sharing the same office/floor space with products mingled between them (windows and roofing company with a showroom floor for example).

I remember in the past there was something about each business needing to have its own separate entrance and signage when it came to physical locations, but I think all of those statements are removed from the guidelines at this point.

 

[JoyHawkins]

You said "but they are two different services." . If they are two different services, they don't qualify for 2 listings. If they are different companies, they do. So if they have separate tax registrations, separate company vans, separate branding (websites, business cards), you can have 2 listings.

If they share the same phone number they will likely get merged or Google will just suspend one when you set them up.

 

[Craig McBreen]

You said "but they are two different services." . If they are two different services, they don't qualify for 2 listings. If they are different companies, they do. So if they have separate tax registrations, separate company vans, separate branding (websites, business cards), you can have 2 listings.

If they share the same phone number they will likely get merged or Google will just suspend one when you set them up.

Hi @JoyHawkins and thanks!

Sorry, I misstated that. They are actually two different businesses. Both franchises: One closets, the other blinds. But the names are VERY similar and they have the same phone number, so it might look like one business.

1. I might just create one GMB listing e.g. "Rainbow Blinds and Rainbow Closets of Arizona" or something like that. Do you think combining both biz's into one name in GMB (and linking to one website) will cause any issues? (Currently, it's just listed as a Blinds business, so we'd just be adding closets to the name.)

2. If I chose to go with two GMB listings, would changing the phone # of one business fix this?

BTW, the owner is okay going either way on this (one GMB or two).

Thanks for your advice! Never had an issue like this before so appreciate the advice.

 

[Craig McBreen]

With the two different businesses, do they keep two separate sets of books and two separate invoice/charging methods? If so, then they truly are separate businesses at the same address and should be OK to do. It gets tricky when they're two businesses physically sharing the same office/floor space with products mingled between them (windows and roofing company with a showroom floor for example).

I remember in the past there was something about each business needing to have its own separate entrance and signage when it came to physical locations, but I think all of those statements are removed from the guidelines at this point.

Thanks, @Conor Treacy. They are two different businesses. Each is a franchise: One closet installs, the other blind installs.

But the names are VERY similar, and they have the same phone number, so it might look like two services instead of two businesses.

As I mentioned to Joy, I might create one GMB listing e.g. "Rainbow Blinds and Rainbow Closets of Arizona" or something like that. The current GMB is the Blinds business, so we'd just be adding closets to the name.

Just cautious because I know how touchy GMB can be.

 

[JoyHawkins]

If you can separate the phone numbers and make sure they are listed that way everywhere else online too, then you could do 2 listings. If that's not possible, I'd stick with one. If the names are similar and they are at the same address, the likeliness of the listings merging is very high even if you manage to get them both live.

 

[Conor Treacy]

The only other extra part would be the name of the combined single location business as to whether someone may report it for being keyword-stuffed rather than the actual name of the business. That's going to be a hit-or-miss situation though.

 

[Craig McBreen]

The only other extra part would be the name of the combined single location business as to whether someone may report it for being keyword-stuffed rather than the actual name of the business. That's going to be a hit-or-miss situation though.

Thanks, @Conor Treacy based on this do you recommend:

1. Creating one GMB listing e.g. "Rainbow Blinds and Rainbow Closets of Arizona"?

2. Or create a separate GMB for each (if I can get a 2nd phone #)?

Thanks!

 

[Craig McBreen]

If you can separate the phone numbers and make sure they are listed that way everywhere else online too, then you could do 2 listings. If that's not possible, I'd stick with one. If the names are similar and they are at the same address, the likeliness of the listings merging is very high even if you manage to get them both live.

Hi @JoyHawkins

What's the risk of the combined listing being reported because it might look keyword-stuffed as Conor mentions below?

Also, thank you for the help. Sterling Sky is an amazing resource!

 

[JoyHawkins]

What's the risk of the combined listing being reported because it might look keyword-stuffed as Conor mentions below?

I would suggest making sure the listing has a lot of photos showing both names and you should be fine.

 

[Conor Treacy]

1. Creating one GMB listing e.g. "Rainbow Blinds and Rainbow Closets of Arizona"?
2. Or create a separate GMB for each (if I can get a 2nd phone #)?

If you can get two numbers - then I'd create two listings.

On either option, as @JoyHawkins said, lots of photos.

 

[AdvoAd]

I don't want to crash this thread, but I have a similiar situation/question: Client is a law firm operating in two different practice areas. They have a separate brand/website for each practice area, but it is one company and the people and offices (incl. phone numbers) are the same for both. Do they qualify for two listings?

It seems obvious that the answer is no, but I am not so sure after reading the GMB-policy on two or more brands at the same location....

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

 

[Professor M]

I don't want to crash this thread, but I have a similiar situation/question: Client is a law firm operating in two different practice areas. They have a separate brand/website for each practice area, but it is one company and the people and offices (incl. phone numbers) are the same for both. Do they qualify for two listings?

It seems obvious that the answer is no, but I am not so sure after reading the GMB-policy on two or more brands at the same location....

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

have you looked into practitioner listings

 

[AdvoAd]

have you looked into practitioner listings

Yes, but I'd prefer to use the brands in order to get a keyword-rich title. Also, most of the lawyers are employed and therefore don't quality for a practicioner listing.

 

[Professor M]

Yes, but I'd prefer to use the brands in order to get a keyword-rich title. Also, most of the lawyers are employed and therefore don't quality for a practicioner listing.

employed lawyers can have a practitioner listing, there is nothing in the rules saying otherwise.

brands need to be different companies with different staff at least, otherwise, they can be suspended.

 

[AdvoAd]

employed lawyers can have a practitioner listing, there is nothing in the rules saying otherwise.

brands need to be different companies with different staff at least, otherwise, they can be suspended.

Interesting remark regarding the employed lawyers. In the english guideslines it says "support staff should not create their own Business Profiles". In the German guidelines this has been translated as "employees must not have their own Business Profile"...

 

[JoyHawkins]

lso, most of the lawyers are employed and therefore don't quality for a practicioner listing.

Interesting remark regarding the employed lawyers. In the english guideslines it says "support staff should not create their own Business Profiles". In the German guidelines this has been translated as "employees must not have their own Business Profile"...

That is a terrible translation lol. Professor M is right, they totally qualify for listings and that's the route I would go since the practice would only be allowed 1 listing per location.

 

[rutkap]

Sorry to pile on late here but I have never had a problem if they have 2 different websites, 2 different phone numbers and you can provide lots of photos of things like product displays, business cards, brochures, etc. all showing seperate logos/branding/contact info.

One thing I always do is update the map positioning on both of these just in case. Put one to the front of your building and one to the back. Or left and right. this way that if someone is looking on maps, both have the opportunity to show up. you may need to make the edits on google maps but it is worth the extra 30 seconds to make those changes.

 

[Kevin Marshall]

@Craig McBreen I used to work for a company that had three separate businesses at the same address and same suite number. They all had different GMB listings and different phone numbers. Google never gave us any problems. The only difference from your situation is that they all had distinct business names and their own phone numbers. It sounds like you might be okay if you can get separate phone numbers for each business.