Why it hurts
- Reviews get split between two listings, so neither looks as strong.
- Customers ring the old number or go to the old address.
- Google's guidelines allow one profile per business per location, and duplicates can draw a review of both.
Decide which one to keep
Usually the one with the most reviews and the longest history, even if its details are out of date. Details can be edited. Reviews are much harder to move.
Getting rid of the duplicate
- If you manage both, open the duplicate and look for the option to mark it as a duplicate or remove it, or contact support asking to merge them.
- If you don't manage the duplicate, request ownership of it first, or use Suggest an edit on Maps and report it as a duplicate.
- Give support both listing links, say which one to keep, and explain why the other exists.
- Once it's sorted, check that the reviews and details look right.
After a move
If you've moved premises, update the address on your existing profile instead of creating a new one. A new listing at the new address starts from zero reviews and leaves the old one behind as a duplicate.
Stopping it happening again
Keep one person responsible for the profile, keep the login details somewhere safe, and check Maps for your business name every few months for anything you didn't create.
Rather not do this yourself? Our Google Business Profile management handles the profile, the posts and the reviews every week, for one monthly fee.