Duplicate Listings can occur for a variety of reasons: you may have created a second page not realizing one already existed, someone else may have created an additional page, or a Local Guide contributor may have created a page through an attempt to engage with your business.
However, regardless of how it happens, duplicate listings can have a negative impact on your brand, and they are something you will want to manage. Therefore, Google has a process to allow you to manage these duplicate listings. This is done primarily by merging a duplicate page with an existing page that you manage.
Requirements for merging pages on Google:
- We can only merge duplicate, unclaimed Google Maps listings into claimed Google Business Profile listings that you own.
- We cannot merge duplicate claimed listings, and we cannot merge a duplicate unclaimed listing into a claimed Google Business Profile listing that you do not own.
- If you do not own the page in question, you can request ownership by following the instructions in Google’s Request ownership of a Business Profile help article.
Important notes to consider:
- When a duplicate listing is merged on Google Maps, it will redirect to the verified listing managed through your Google Business Profile account.
- Any reviews that were on the unclaimed listing will be merged onto the claimed listing, but insights will not be merged.
- The unclaimed listing will no longer be searchable on Google.
How to suppress duplicate listings on Google:
Yext can suppress duplicate listings on Google for any Enterprises that are currently live on Google Business Profile and have bought the Managed Duplicate Suppression add-on. If you fit these criteria, reach out to your Client Success Manager with the relevant information about the duplicate listing, and they can help you submit a merge request.
If you do not have Managed Duplicate Suppression and you identify a duplicate listing on Google, you can escalate this to Google directly:
- Open the location you want to report in Google Maps.
- Click Suggest an edit. A dialog box appears.
- Click Close or remove.
- Select the Duplicate of another place option.
- Select the duplicate location from the available options. If the correct location is not provided, select None of the above.
- Click Submit to confirm your suggested edit.
For full instructions, visit the Remove or report duplicate locations help article on Google.