Google My Business: Multiple businesses operating from same address

[Ria_]

Hi guys,

This seems to be quite common (especially now with "hotdesking" becoming increasingly popular), but I've never had to do local SEO for a business like this before so was just wondering on best practice for a business who shares the same brick-and-mortar location with multiple other businesses.

For Google My Business verification, it does seem you just have to get there first. With Google unverifying the first account tied to that address if you attempt to verify another - I don't want to do this, due to the relationship between my client and the verified business in question.

Any suggestions?

[GlobeRunner]

In the past, for these situations, we've had to get the location to set up suite numbers for each business. That way the address is correct, and then there is a suite number for each one. What we prefer to do is to get the USPS (postal service) to also set up and have those suite numbers in their system, as well. So, that way it's official.

You'll also need to post the suite numbers on the outside of the business, as well.

[Ria_]

This is great advice, and I will definitely bear it in mind for similar situations in future. Unfortunately, for this particular business there are no dedicated "suites" as such. It seems like it's a clinic version of hot desking, with multiple doctors each running their own private business occupying the available clinic rooms within the building.

I appreciate it's quite a specific SEO dilemma, but I'm sure it must affect other industries. Especially now with the growing start-up generation. Even recently I visited an "enterprise hub" where businesses were able to use the address as their listed address whilst renting "hot desks" or "hot suites" by the day, changing desk or suite on a daily basis to whichever in the building is available. I wonder what _their _local SEO strategy looks like....

/thinkingoutloud

[Caro-O]

I recently added a 'shared address' business to Google and for the first time I noticed an option to 'Add a missing place'. Perhaps that could work for you. I started by searching the address in Google Maps, then using the facility that comes up on the left. You'll probably see "At this location" and a list of businesses already there.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Ria!

I want to be sure I'm understanding exactly what you are describing. I'm concerned that what you are talking about may fall under Google's ineligible model guidelines which state:

An ongoing service, class, or meeting at a location that you don't own or have the authority to represent. Please coordinate with your host to have your information displayed on the page for their business within their "Introduction" field.

What are the specifics of this. Does the client have:

1. A unique phone number?

2. A dedicated set of rooms?

3. It's own forward-facing front desk?

4. 9-5 (or similar) hours of operation?

[abgeneration]

Hi,

Try to register your client as a department in an existing business. They can share same address.

[TomVolpe]

Hi Ria,

The place falls under the multiple practitioners - single location scenario.

Multi-Practitioner Practices For practices with multiple public-facing doctors, it is acceptable to create local pages for each doctor, in addition to the practice’s local page. If this is the case, do not include your business name in the name of the practitioners’ pages. And try to differentiate between these pages with either a different phone number or suite number for each doctor, when possible. - See more at: http://www.searchinfluence.com/2016/04/google-my-business-for-doctors-visibility-authority-seo/#sthash.mRhgvMae.dpuf

According to Mike Blumenthals' site - the Google instructions for this have vanished! so you can get his take on the same thing here.

"

Individual practitioners (e.g. doctors, lawyers, real estate agents)

An individual practitioner is a public-facing professional, typically with his or her own customer base. Doctors, dentists, lawyers, financial planners, and insurance or real estate agents are all individual practitioners. Pages for practitioners may include title or degree certification (e.g. Dr., MD, JD, Esq., CFA).

An individual practitioner should create his or her own dedicated page if:

• He or she operates in a public-facing role. Support staff should not create their own pages.
• He or she is directly contactable at the verified location during stated hours.

A practitioner should not have multiple pages to cover all of his or her specializations."

http://blumenthals.com/blog/2016/04/10/google-my-business-guidelines-mia/

Hopefully that'll help you deal with your client more confidently

Ray pp Tom.

[Ria_]

This is fantastic! Thank you

[Ria_]

I noticed this too very recently! I've added the location via that method, as well as through Google Maps Editor through a different account.

[Ria_]

He seems to have used a single phone number throughout his previous clinics, though he works from a main one (which is the one he wants to be locally optimised for), he frequently works from other clinics too - with the same landline contact number.

Not sure about dedicated set of rooms or forward-facing front desk - I've put this forward to him. As well as his regular working hours, if any. I've actually tried to follow your advice from your "new clients" blog post, Miriam, but it seems as if the difficulty is getting all the questions answered in one go haha. Oddly, I seem to get a quicker response when it's one question at a time.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Ria,

Yeah, it's so important to get all these questions answered before you start work. Sounds like you need some answers before you can interpret which of Google's guidelines apply. Good luck!

[Kevin-Moore]

Hi Tom,

This has been extremely helpful!

Good work man,