Keeping your business information accurate and up-to-date on Google is crucial for local SEO and ensuring customers can find you. This includes your business address, which, if incorrect, can lead to lost opportunities and frustrated clients. If you’re moving your business, updating your address on Google Maps and your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a multi-step process that requires careful attention to detail. This article will guide you through the essential steps.
Table of contents
Step 1: Prepare for the Change
Before you even touch your Google Business Profile, it’s wise to update your address elsewhere first. This includes your website, other online directories (like Yelp, Facebook, etc.), and any official documentation. The reason for this preparatory step is that Google often cross-references information. If there’s a discrepancy, changing your Google Business Profile address might trigger a re-verification process, potentially leading to a temporary loss of visibility in local search results while Google tries to confirm the new location.
Step 2: Access Your Google Business Profile
To begin the update process, you need to sign in to the Google Account associated with your business. Once logged in, there are a couple of ways to access your business profile:
- Search for your business: Simply type your business name into the Google search bar. If you’re logged in, your business profile management options should appear directly in the search results.
- Type “my business”: As an alternative, typing “my business” into the Google search bar will also bring up your business profile management interface.
Once you’ve located your profile, look for the ‘Edit profile’ or ‘Info’ section, which is where you’ll find your current business details.
Step 3: Update Your Address
Within your business profile’s editing section, navigate to the address field. Here, you will input your new business address. This includes the street number, street name, city, state, and ZIP code. If you are moving to a different city or state, ensure all these components are updated accordingly.
After entering the new address, Google will likely prompt you to save the changes.
Step 4: Verification of Your New Address
This is often the most critical and time-consuming part of the process. Google’s primary goal is to maintain the accuracy of business information for its users, so it will almost certainly require you to verify your new address. This helps ensure that the physical location of your business matches the information displayed on Google Maps.
Common verification methods include:
- Postcard by mail: This is a very common method. Google will send a postcard containing a unique verification code to your new business address. Once you receive it (which can take a few days), you’ll need to log back into your Google Business Profile and enter this code to complete the verification.
- Phone or text: In some cases, Google might offer verification via a phone call or text message to a number associated with your business.
- Email: Less common for address changes, but sometimes available, where a code is sent to an email address associated with your business.
- Video verification: Google might ask for a video to verify your business location and operations.
Follow the specific instructions provided by Google carefully. Until the new address is verified, it may not be fully displayed or active on Google Maps, and your business’s visibility in local searches could be affected.
Step 5: Await Google’s Review and Approval
After you’ve submitted your address changes and completed the verification process, there’s typically a waiting period. Google needs to review and approve the new location. This process can take a few days. During this time, it’s important to monitor your Google Business Profile for any notifications or requests for further information.
Important Considerations:
- Consistency (NAP): Ensure your Name, Address, and Phone (NAP) information is consistent across all online platforms. Inconsistencies can confuse search engines and customers.
- Temporary Loss of Visibility: Be prepared for a potential temporary dip in local search visibility during the re-verification process.
- Patience: Google’s verification and review processes can take time; Patience is key.
By following these steps, you can effectively update your business address on Google, ensuring your customers always have access to your most accurate location information.
