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One Listing Is All You Need—But Many Businesses Have More Than One
Ever searched for your business and found two (or more) Google listings that look similar?
One might be outdated.
Another might have a slightly different name or address.
Sometimes, you didn’t even create them.
👉 These are duplicate Google Business Profiles (GBPs)—and they can quietly destroy your local SEO if left unchecked.
In this post, you’ll learn:
- What causes duplicate listings
- Why they hurt your visibility and rankings
- How to find, report, or merge them properly
- How to protect your main profile long term
1. What Is a Duplicate Listing (and How Does It Happen)?
A duplicate GBP is any additional listing that shows up on Google Maps for the same business, with overlapping:
- Name
- Address
- Phone number
- Website
🚩 Common causes:
- A listing was auto-generated by Google or a third-party app
- You moved and didn’t fully close your old profile
- You created multiple profiles (e.g., one for SEO, one for Ads)
- An agency or employee unknowingly made a second account
- A “ghost listing” was created when people tagged your location
2. Why Duplicate Listings Hurt Your Rankings
Google’s local algorithm looks for trust, accuracy, and consistency.
Duplicates create confusion—and confusion reduces trust.
Here’s how they damage your local SEO:
- 📉 Splits your ranking signals (reviews, clicks, keywords) across two profiles
- ❌ Lowers authority—Google doesn’t know which listing to trust
- 🧭 Confuses customers with different info, hours, or reviews
- 🚫 Can trigger a soft suspension or block your profile from showing at all
💡 One clean, optimized listing is better than two poorly performing ones.
3. Signs You May Have a Duplicate Listing
🔍 Search for your business name and city in Google Maps.
Look for:
- A second pin with your name
- A similar listing with no owner or outdated details
- A different business name, but same address or phone
🧠 Tip: Use tools like PlePer or BrightLocal’s Local Search Grid to audit citations and possible duplicates.
4. How to Fix Duplicate Listings (Step-by-Step)
There are two ways to resolve duplicates: merge or remove.
✅ Scenario A: You Control Both Listings
If both profiles are verified and under your account:
- Choose the primary listing you want to keep
- Go to the secondary listing
- Mark it as permanently closed or request a merge through Google Support
- Copy any useful reviews, photos, or text before deletion (if possible)
🚫 Scenario B: You Don’t Own the Duplicate
If the duplicate is unclaimed or managed by someone else:
- Go to the listing on Google Maps
- Click “Suggest an Edit” > “Close or remove” > “Duplicate of another place”
- Paste the link of the correct listing
- Submit and wait (Google may take 3–5 days)
Optional: Contact Google Business Profile support for faster help.
5. What Happens When You Merge Listings?
Google typically:
- Keeps the more complete or active profile
- Transfers reviews, media, and insights if possible
- Redirects the old link to the active one
- May trigger re-verification (especially if info conflicts)
📌 Always back up your listing content and settings before requesting a merge.
6. How to Prevent Duplicates in the Future
Prevention is better than cleanup.
✅ Use one consistent business name, address, and phone (NAP) across all listings
✅ Don’t let multiple staff or vendors create new profiles
✅ Update your info properly when moving (don’t create a new listing—edit the current one)
✅ Monitor your presence regularly using GBP and citation tools
✅ Claim all legitimate listings and mark old ones as closed
Final Thoughts: Clean Profiles Rank Higher
Duplicate Google listings are one of the most common—and most overlooked—reasons why good businesses disappear from local search.
They create confusion for Google and your customers, cost you leads, and split your SEO strength.
At GBP Support, we help Canadian small businesses audit, clean up, and protect their Google presence so one strong profile gets all the attention.
👉 Book your free discovery call and we’ll identify any duplicate listings that may be hurting your visibility—and fix them before they do more damage.