Google Places for Local SEO

[Arianittt]

I am a webmaster at a company with over 50 clients, and I have to list the businesses of our clients in Google Places.

Most of our clients are architecture agencies and construction companies, so they are unfamiliar with these things, and that's why I have to list their businesses on Google Places.

It would be easier for me to manage all the places for these different businesses if I create the places with one gmail account.

Can I use one gmail account to list the businesses for all our clients?

[DeanAndrews]

Hi Sherry

Simple answer - Yes you can manage all your clients with one account.

The clients still have to verify the Google places listing either by phone or post card.

I normally do is setup the account and if Google wants to verify by phone I give the client a quick call first to let them know that they will shortly receive an automated call.

Call your client back to collect the verification code and your done.

[Arianittt]

Thanks for the answer.

The clients know that I have to manage the locations of their businesses on Google Places, and they will send me the verification code that they will get by post card so I can verify the listing.

If I create the 50 places with one gmail account, will there be a problem then when the clients want to create a Google+ Local page for their company?

Must they have access to the account with which was the company listed?

[DeanAndrews]

Good Question.

Google+ allows page management however I'm unsure about Google+ Local.

If I'm reading this correctly - https://support.google.com/places/bin/answer.py?hl=en-GB&answer=17104 then it may be a problem.

Anyone else got experience in this area?

[Andy.Drinkwater]

Honestly guys, I would setup one account for each and I wouldn't try to administer them from one account either. It could cause huge problems further down the line.

Just sent them a Google account up and manage each of them manually. Of course, have a spreadsheet at hand to track logons etc

Andy

[DeanAndrews]

The original question was just referring to Google Places and not Google+. I manage twenty plus Google Places account without any issues, however I also agree with Andy. If in the long term the client wants to take control of the Google+ then his idea is better.

[Gyorgy]

Use a different Google account for each client!

We had 50+ clients in one Google account and the nightmare started when some of them didn't renew the contract. Migrating listings is a pain in the ***, because the listing will have a significant drop in impressions and you can't just pass it to a different Google account.

It takes roughly 4-6 weeks to migrate, re-verify and then recover from the migration and the client will blame you when they disappear for a few weeks, especially when most of the traffic comes from Places.

Having different companies in the same Google Places account was a rookie mistake and I wouldn't do it again.

[TheeDigital]

It's up to you, but I have to agree that using different emails might be the best way especially if you think you might be losing the accounts later on.  
Handing them over might be an issue in the future if you only use one account.  Who wants an angry and nasty client, after all?