Canadian marketer from UA LLM | SEO | Growth Hacking
Managing multiple Google My Business accounts (officially known as Google Business Profiles) is a crucial skill for social media marketers and local SEO professionals in 2025. With over 80% of consumers using Google to research local businesses, a business with several locations or an agency handling many clients must keep each Google listing optimized and consistent. This comprehensive guide will explain what managing Google My Business (GMB) accounts entails, why it’s important in 2025, who benefits from it, and how to do it effectively – especially by using the right tools. We’ll also include expert tips and an FAQ section to address common questions. Let’s dive in!
“Google My Business” (GMB), now called Google Business Profile (GBP), is a free tool from Google that allows businesses to control how they appear in local search results and on Google Maps. Each business location can have its own profile with information like name, address, phone, hours, photos, reviews, posts, and Q&A. Managing Google My Business accounts means overseeing one or more of these business profiles to ensure they are accurate, updated, and optimized across all locations or clients.
In practice, managing multiple GMB accounts involves maintaining consistent branding and information for each profile, regularly posting updates, responding to customer reviews/questions, and monitoring performance – all across numerous listings. For example, a company with 10 storefronts might have 10 separate Google Business Profiles to manage. This can get complex without a proper system. Google’s platform does let you manage multiple businesses from a single dashboard, which helps ensure your company is represented consistently everywhere. You can even create location groups (business groups) in the Google Business Profile Manager to organize and update multiple locations in bulk. The goal is to save time and keep every listing on-brand.
Managing multiple Google My Business profiles can be streamlined with the right approach. Each profile needs accurate information and consistent branding to build customer trust.
Key tasks involved in managing multiple GMB accounts include: ensuring all profiles have correct contact info (NAP data), uploading new photos, creating Google Posts (updates/offers/events) for each location, answering customer Q&A, and handling reviews on each profile. When done manually for many profiles, these tasks can be time-consuming and error-prone. That’s why businesses often turn to centralized management methods or software tools to handle it. Using a specialized tool, you can simplify everything – from centralizing your management and assets to maintaining brand messaging consistency across multiple locations, scheduling posts, and even improving local SEO performance. In short, managing multiple GMB accounts means having a systematic way to keep every Google listing active, consistent, and fully optimized for local search.
Managing your Google Business Profiles diligently is absolutely vital in 2025 due to the high impact of local search on consumer behavior. Local SEO and consumer trust go hand in hand with an optimized Google listing. Consider these facts:
● Virtually everyone uses Google for local search. Recent studies show 99% of people have used the internet to look up a local business in the past year, and 4 out of 5 users conduct searches with local intent. Google Search and Google Maps are by far the most frequently used tools for finding local business information (used by more than half of consumers), vastly outranking other platforms. If your business isn’t fully leveraging Google Business Profile, you’re essentially invisible to a huge segment of potential customers.
● Complete profiles inspire more trust and engagement. Customers are 2.7× more likely to trust a business if they find a complete Business Profile on Google Search/Maps. A listing that has up-to-date info, responses to reviews, and fresh posts signals that the business is active and attentive. It’s no surprise that in a BrightLocal survey, managing Google Business Profiles was rated the #1 most valuable local SEO service (52% of local marketers cited it). An optimized GMB account can directly influence whether a customer chooses your business or a competitor.
Google Search and Google Maps are the most frequently used tools for local business searches, as shown above. This means well-managed Google Business Profile listings are essential for visibility.
● Improved local rankings and performance. Google’s local algorithm takes Business Profile data into account for “Map Pack” rankings. Active management of multiple GMB accounts (adding posts, encouraging reviews, updating info) can improve your chances of appearing in local search results. Verified and optimized profiles receive tens of thousands of views per year on Google, translating to real-world visits and sales. In fact, businesses with optimized Google listings are more likely to be considered reputable and drive 78% of local mobile searches into an offline purchase. Managing your profiles well thus has a direct ROI.
● New AI-driven search experiences rely on Business Profile data. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons management is crucial in 2025 is the rise of AI in search. Google is increasingly integrating generative AI and overview panels that pull information directly from Google Business Profiles. For example, Google’s AI-generated answers (in Search Labs and future updates) pull in data like business hours, locations, and services from GBP listings. “Google Business Profile will only become more integral to optimization for local search,” notes one marketing expert, as Google’s AI features compile profile info into answers. If your multiple locations have incomplete or incorrect data, AI and voice search results might disseminate those errors. Keeping all your Google listings updated ensures Google’s AI presents your business accurately to users.
● Consistency builds trust across locations. For multi-location businesses, managing all GMB accounts uniformly helps maintain a consistent brand image. A customer who sees one branch with outdated info and another with recent posts might feel the brand is disorganized. Consistency in postings, responses, and information across all profiles signals professionalism and builds customer confidence.
In summary, 2025 has raised the stakes for local business visibility. Active GMB account management is no longer optional – it’s a cornerstone of local digital marketing. You’ll reach more customers, earn their trust, and rank higher in search by prioritizing your Google Business Profiles.
“One of the best ways to boost your local presence is by setting up and optimizing a Google Business Profile for each of your business locations. A complete profile – with address, phone, hours, and more – provides valuable context about each location and increases your chance of appearing in the Local Pack map results.”
Neil Patel, Co-founder of NP Digital
Neil Patel, a well-known digital marketing expert, highlights that every location you operate should have its own GBP listing. He stresses that filling out each profile thoroughly is key to dominating local search. This approach ensures each branch of your business can be found in its local area and can attract customers nearby.
“As Google continues to integrate AI into local search, your Google Business Profile data (hours, location, reviews, etc.) is increasingly feeding into search answers. That makes it more vital than ever to keep those profiles consistent and up-to-date across the board.”
Tyler Phillips, Creative Marketing Manager
Tyler Phillips, who has written about GBP management, notes that the future of local search (with AI-driven summaries and voice search) will rely heavily on the information in your Google listings. If you manage multiple profiles, you must ensure all of them have accurate info – one neglected listing could mean customers get wrong answers from Google’s AI. He suggests using the right software and protocols to handle all locations efficiently and securely.
These expert perspectives underscore an important theme: managing multiple GMB accounts isn’t just an operational task, but a strategic advantage if done well. Ensuring each profile is optimized can significantly boost local visibility and customer trust, especially as technology evolves.
Finally, let’s address some frequently asked questions about handling multiple Google My Business (Google Business Profile) accounts:
Google provides a tool called Business Profile Manager (formerly Google My Business dashboard) that lets you manage multiple locations from one Google account. The best practice is to use the “Businesses” tab in that dashboard to create a location group (business group) and add all your ocations to it. This way, you log in once and see all your profiles listed. From there, you can make updates to each or even some updates in bulk. For example, if you want to change holiday hours for all 10 of your locations, you can do it in one session. Additionally, larger organizations can use an Organization Account (for agencies or franchise systems) where an umbrella account has access to many profiles without owning them. This is useful if different people or teams need to collaboratively manage the profiles. In summary, you do not need separate Google logins for each location – one account can own or manage multiple profiles. Use location groups and the Google dashboard to keep them organized. It’s also worth noting that within Business Profile Manager, you can utilize features for bulk management if you have a lot of locations (see next question).
Yes. Google offers a bulk verification process for businesses with 10 or more locations. Instead of verifying each listing one by one (via postcard or phone), you can submit a bulk verification request to Google. Typically, you need to be the business owner or franchisor and fill out a form with details of all locations (often via spreadsheet). Google will then verify all listings in bulk once they approve your request, saving you time. To do this, you must first create all the location profiles (you can add them via a spreadsheet upload in Business Profile Manager). After that, you apply for bulk verification by providing proof that you manage all those locations (like business documents or a letter). Once approved, all the profiles become verified at once. This process is immensely helpful for, say, a retail chain opening 50 new stores – you don’t want to receive 50 postcards! Bulk verification bypasses that. Keep in mind it can take a bit of time for Google to review and approve bulk requests, and they may contact you for additional information. But overall, it’s the best way to handle verifying a large number of profiles simultaneously. If you have fewer than 10 profiles, you’ll need to verify each individually (or gradually as you add them).
Google Business Profile allows you to add additional users to each listing with specified roles. There are two main roles besides the Primary Owner: Owner (can do everything, including adding more users) and Manager (can do most edits but cannot add users or remove the listing). To add someone, you’d go to the Users section of the profile in Business Profile Manager and invite them by email. For example, if you hired a social media manager to update your profiles, you can add them as a Manager to each of your location profiles. They will then see those listings in their account and can help update info, publish posts, reply to reviews, etc. If you’re working with a marketing agency, the recommended approach is to use an Organization account for the agency. Agencies can create an Organization in Google (essentially an ID for their company) and you can grant that organization access to your profiles. This way, multiple people from the agency can manage the listings without each needing to be added individually. It’s more secure and scalable. As the business owner, you would remain the Primary Owner of all profiles, and you can revoke access to others at any time. Bottom line: you don’t need to share your Google account login. Use the built-in user management to give proper access. That ensures accountability (actions are logged under each user) and safety (you can remove a user if they no longer work for you or if the agency contract ends).
This can be confusing – basically, an Owner (or Primary Owner) has full control: they can edit all info, respond to reviews, add other users, and even remove the profile or transfer ownership. A Manager can do almost everything except sensitive actions like adding/removing users or deleting the profile. Managers can post updates, edit business information, upload photos, and respond to reviews just like an owner would. The idea is to give employees or agencies Manager access so they can handle day-to-day management, while you (the business owner) retain Owner status to control who else can manage the listing. There is also a Site Manager role with very limited capabilities (mostly obsolete now). In summary, use Owner for the primary person in charge, and Manager for team members or partners who help run the profile.
Yes – creating and managing a Google Business Profile is completely free of charge. Google does not charge businesses to claim their location and use the Business Profile features. You can update your info, post updates, and respond to reviews all for free. (The only thing Google might charge for are paid services like Google Ads or certain promotional features, but the core profile management is free.) Keep in mind, however, that while Google’s platform is free, third-party software tools (like the ones we discussed above) are usually paid if you choose to use them for convenience. But you are not required to use any paid tool – you can manage multiple listings through Google’s own interface without any fees. Many businesses find that the efficiency gained from paid tools is worth it, but it’s not a necessity if your budget is zero. Even agencies: they do not pay Google to manage clients’ profiles, they just use their agency accounts or tools to do so. So yes, Google My Business (Google Business Profile) is a free tool by Google for everyone.
Yes. Google allows businesses to create and manage multiple Business Profile listings, typically one for each physical location or distinct business. In fact, many multi-location businesses have dozens of profiles – for example, one for every store or franchise outlet. There isn’t an upper limit on the number of profiles you can have; Google’s guidelines simply say each location should have its own profile, and you shouldn’t create multiple profiles for the same exact location. If you run completely separate businesses, those can each have a profile as well. The key is that each profile needs to represent a unique business entity or location.
Aside from using management software, there are a few best practices:
● Keep a master spreadsheet of key info● Use Google’s bulk features● Leverage templates● Monitor notifications● Rotate focus if you have many profiles● Maintain brand consistency● Use Google’s API if tech-savvy
Yes. While Google’s own dashboard doesn’t allow post scheduling, many third-party tools (like Planable, Buffer, or Birdeye) let you schedule posts in advance across multiple profiles simultaneously. This ensures consistent publishing without needing to log in and update each profile manually.
A suspension means your listing is temporarily removed from Google Search and Maps. This often happens if your profile violates Google’s guidelines (e.g., incorrect business categories, keyword stuffing, or duplicate listings). To resolve it, review the suspension notice, correct any issues, and file a reinstatement request. If you manage multiple accounts, regularly auditing all profiles helps prevent widespread suspensions.
● Definition 1 – Strategic EfficiencyManaging multiple Google My Business accounts in 2025 is not just about updating business hours or posting announcements. It is the systematic coordination of brand information, customer engagement, and local SEO signals across numerous profiles. By using the right tools—like Planable and other specialized platforms—businesses and agencies can centralize their workflows, maintain consistency, and save significant time while ensuring no location is overlooked. Strategic efficiency means transforming profile management from a repetitive task into a streamlined process that directly supports visibility and growth.
● Definition 2 – Digital TrustbuildingEqually important, effective management is about building and sustaining digital trust. Every accurate listing, timely post, and thoughtful review response contributes to how customers perceive a brand’s reliability. In the AI-driven search landscape of 2025, Google’s algorithms increasingly rely on Business Profile data to inform users. Therefore, keeping multiple accounts optimized is no longer optional—it is the foundation for ensuring that both search engines and potential customers encounter a credible, consistent, and trustworthy business presence.
Robert Goldenowl: Experienced marketing professional with a proven track record in conducting comprehensive marketing research and implementing strategic project promotion systems.
With a deep understanding of how search engines and language models interpret, prioritize, and present information, Robert specializes in optimizing content and brand positioning across both traditional and AI-powered platforms like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and more.
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