Two Business Listings (1 old, 1 new) For Same Business

[Aly Kurtz]

I work for an agency that helps to manage GMB profiles for some of our clients. One of my clients in particular just acquired a business that they merged into one of theirs.

Previous Business: Pocono Barns & Sheds
Google Maps

Take over by: G & B Sheds
Google Maps

There are two GMB profiles. The client requested that we merge these but Google will not allow this. I don’t want these two GMB profiles competing with each other and suggested marking Pocono Barns as closed but the business owner would rather not as he wants to be sure that anyone looking for Pocono Barns is redirected to the G & B Sheds website.

Is there a way to work around Google refusing to merge these? What other suggestions would you have as far as how to handle this situation?

Thanks!

 

[Phil Rozek]

@Aly Kurtz, did you contact GMB support, and ask them to merge the 1st page into the 2nd, and were you told "no"? Definitely contact them, if you haven't done so already.

One thing I'd do while you work it out with Google is add a blurb to the homepage about the re-brand. Front n' center. Consider also adding something like "Formerly Pocono Barns & Sheds" to the homepage title tag, at least temporarily.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

@Aly Kurtz Contact GMB support and ask them to "Move" the previous listing into the new one. That is likely the only option other than marking it as closed. It's not a sure shot but it's worth a try.

 

[Aly Kurtz]

@Phil Rozek @Colan Nielsen I did contact Google to begin with but was told that they could not merge them and my only option was to mark the business as closed. I will give it a second attempt today and see if they will "move" the previous listing into the new one. Maybe that will have more success.

Thanks!

 

[Phil Rozek]

@Aly Kurtz, another arrow in the quiver: consider renaming the old listing to "G & B Sheds," so it's a duplicate, and then get the duplicate removed later. When you rename a listing, a search for the old name usually pulls up the new listing. That, plus the on-site tweak I suggested, should cover your bases until Google does its thing.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

@Aly Kurtz, another arrow in the quiver: consider renaming the old listing to "G & B Sheds," so it's a duplicate, and then get the duplicate removed later. When you rename a listing, a search for the old name usually pulls up the new listing. That, plus the on-site tweak I suggested, should cover your bases until Google does its thing.

I believe Google will go back in the naming history and see what's going on and won't merge them if they aren't merging them now. They've done that to me quite often. Maybe they only consider information within a year or so and eventually you'll be able to do it. But I'm not sure that will work.

However Aly, Phil's recommendation on changing the name is spot on. At that point, when people search for the old business name, the listing will still show up even though it's the new name. If you didn't acquire the location or aren't staffing it, then hide the address. I'm sure you also acquired the website and put on the homepage about the purchase. Make sure that website stays as the website for that listing so people understand. I'd also write up a blog post on your actual site about the acquisition optimizing it for the old business name.