What to do with Business Name Change

[MichaelW]

Hi,

The Business has changed it's name and has a new GMB Page. I marked the old GMB page as closed.


However the business still trades at the same address and phone number with same type of business.


Previous clients that knew it by it's old name might now think it's closed if they come across the GMB page.


Should I have marked it as permanently closed? Please any advice.

thanks
Michael.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Michael,

Unfortunately you are stuck between a rock and a hard place. There is no perfect solution here.

Ideally you should have just changed the name on the old page but that probably would have resulted in the same outcome. Google likely would have created a new page and marked the old one closed.

The old one MUST be closed because you can't have 2 listings for the same business at the same location. And even if it was allowed it would hurt your ranking.

Another ranking problem comes from having a closed listing at that location. See this:
<a href="http://www.localsearchforum.com/google-local-important/27109-can-closed-google-local-listings-kill-ranking-important-new-troubleshooting-tip.html">Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Tip</a>

As for potential customer impact - if there is a move at least instead of a permanently closed message you can get a relocated message on the listing with a link to the new one. But there isn't a tag that says name changed or rebranded.

You could contact phone support and see if by chance there is anything they can do, somehow link to the new listing? But I'm not aware of anything that can be done for name changes.

My best advice to businesses? Don't change your name and don't ever move.
The Google Gods won't handle it very well.

 

[Dustybones]

@ Linda...Tell that to some orthodontists! A common email or call we get on a regular basis is, "Hey, We're moving our location on Thursday. What do we need to do?"

My best advice to businesses? Don't change your name and don't ever move.

 

[MichaelW]

Thanks Linda, this is what I suspected. I'll maybe call them and see if they can do something.

In the meantime maybe Google could consider the option for 'Name Changed'.