Google Local Duplicates: The Different Types & How to Deal with Them

[Linda Buquet]

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If you read me a lot, you've heard me say more than once: "Duplicates, the bane of my existence!"

When I worked with Dentists, it seemed like dealing with "Dr dupes" took most of my time. (Practitioner listings technically aren't dupes, but they cause the same problems, I explain below the quote.)

There are all types of different Google local duplicates, and the each type requires different handling.

So I love this post from Joy Hawkins that covers some of the main scenarios. She covers dupes for storefronts, SABs and practitioner listings, but missed what I think is the main one, so I cover it below.

<a href="http://www.joyannehawkins.com/the-proper-way-to-deal-with-duplicates-in-google-my-business/">The Proper Way To Deal with Duplicates in Google My Business</a>

There are so many different scenarios that could exist in the Google My Business (GMB) world when it comes to duplicate listings. The approach you take with them could mean the difference between ranking and not ranking.

Before doing anything listed below, always make sure you check both listings to see if there are reviews that need to be moved.

Above is just a snippet, so head over to read the rest. There is some important info.

Joy covers various types of practitioner listing problems but didn't cover the biggest type of problematic dupe, valid practitioner listings, which for Dentists, I fondly referred to as Dr dupes.

Now I know technically they aren't duplicates. But I still call them duplicates for the following reasons AND because just like every other duplicate they usually cause a ranking problem.

The rule has always been one listing per business per location. Practitioners all at the same location being allowed to have their own additional listing, is an exception to the rule.

I call those practitioner dupes, because it's still multiple listings for the same business at the same address the same phone number and the same website.

(I'm talking just the standard classic example of a typical dental practice with three additional listings for the 3 Drs that work there. There are many other possible variations.)

So anyway, not to belabor the point, but if you are struggling with multiple Dentist, Dr, attorney, Realtor or insurance agent listings at the same location, below is a strategy I came up with 3 years ago that works.

All the consultants that have tried this strategy on hundreds of clients over the past 3 years, tell me it solves the problem. I even showed it to Google Local management and they agreed it's a good solution.

<a href="http://www.localsearchforum.com/google-duplicates-merges/864-overcoming-google-practitioner-duplicate-listing-problems-dentists-attorneys.html">Overcoming Google Practitioner Duplicate Problems</a> - MINIMIZE THEM!


What do you think?

Any other type of duplicate problems we didn't cover??

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