How to Add a Second Location to Your Google Business Profile

Expanding your business to a second location is a major milestone—and properly representing both locations online is critical for attracting customers through local search. One of the best tools for this is Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business or GMB). Whether you’re opening a second storefront, clinic, or office, setting up a new GBP listing ensures both locations are visible on Google Maps and in local search results.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through how to add a second location to your Google Business Profile and ensure it’s optimized to attract customers.

Step 1: Use the Same Google Account for All Locations

To keep things streamlined and secure, always manage all your business locations under one Google account. This account should already be associated with your original GBP listing.

Why this matters:

• Centralized access and control
• Shared management across your team or marketing agency
• Easier performance tracking via Insights

Pro tip: In the Business Profile Manager, you can create a location group (formerly known as a business account). This helps you organize and manage multiple locations efficiently, especially if you plan to expand beyond two locations in the future.

Step 2: Add Each Location Individually

Once you’re logged into the correct Google account, follow these steps to add your second business location:

1. Go to your Google Business Profile dashboard.
2. Click the “Add business” button and choose “Add single business”.
3. Enter the following for the new location:
   • Business Name (same brand name, but optionally with a location tag such as “Smith Dental – East Side”)
   • Address (must be a real, physical address)
   • Phone Number (a unique number per location is ideal)
   • Website URL (use a location-specific landing page, if possible)
   • Business Hours
   • Category and Attributes

Best practices for entering information:

• Keep your business name consistent to maintain brand recognition.
• If needed, add geographic identifiers (e.g., “Main Street Branch”) for clarity without keyword stuffing.
• Use local phone numbers for better trust signals in local search.

Step 3: Verify the New Location

After submitting the information for the new location, Google will prompt you to verify the listing.

Verification options include:

• Postcard by mail (most common)
• Phone call or text
• Email verification
• Video recording or live video call

Until you complete this step, the listing will not appear publicly or allow full editing capabilities.

Important: Wait for verification to complete before adding photos, services, or making major edits. Premature updates may not save properly and could lead to delays or re-verification.

Step 4: Optimize Each Listing Separately

Each location should have its own fully optimized profile. Treat the second location as if it’s a new business from an SEO perspective.

What to optimize:

• Business Categories: Make sure the primary and secondary categories reflect what each location offers.
• Business Description: Tailor this to highlight what’s unique about each location while keeping core brand messaging consistent.
• Photos and Videos: Add images that showcase the storefront, interior, staff, services, and ambiance for each location.
• Services and Products: List location-specific offerings. For example, one office may offer walk-ins while another requires appointments.
• Attributes: These include features like wheelchair accessibility, women-led, or free Wi-Fi.
• Website Link: Link each listing to a dedicated location landing page on your website (e.g., yourdomain.com/location-city).

This approach not only improves visibility but also builds trust with customers who want to see specific details about the location they plan to visit.

Step 5: Monitor and Maintain Each Listing

Adding the location is only the beginning. Ongoing updates and active engagement are essential for staying relevant in local search.

Keep each listing up to date by:

• Regularly updating business hours, including holidays and special closures.
• Responding to customer reviews—both positive and negative—promptly and professionally.
• Uploading new photos seasonally or after a renovation or event.
• Using Google Posts to share promotions, events, or news at each location.

Use the “Locations” tab in your GBP dashboard to monitor and update all listings in one place. This view allows bulk actions for businesses with multiple profiles and can save time for your team.

Step 6: Follow Google’s Guidelines for Multi-Location Businesses

Google enforces strict quality guidelines for business listings. Failing to comply can lead to account suspensions or listings being removed altogether.

Key rules to follow:

• No duplicate listings: Each business location should have only one profile.
• Physical presence required: Virtual offices, coworking spaces, and P.O. boxes are not eligible unless staff are regularly on-site during business hours.
• Consistent naming: Don’t stuff keywords into your business name. Follow your actual registered business name or brand.

You can review the full Google Business Profile guidelines to ensure compliance.

Bonus Tip: Leverage Reviews and Local SEO for Each Location

Once your second listing is verified and optimized, build credibility by generating reviews specific to each location. Ask happy customers to leave feedback on the correct listing to improve its visibility and ranking.

Additionally, invest in local SEO:

• Add schema markup to your website’s location pages.
• Create city- or neighborhood-specific content to boost local relevance.
• Ensure your business information (NAP: name, address, phone number) is consistent across directories and citation sites.

Conclusion: Why Managing Multiple Locations the Right Way Matters

Whether you’re opening your second location or scaling to five or more, managing your presence through Google Business Profile is one of the most effective ways to connect with local customers. A properly verified and optimized second location:

• Increases your visibility in local search results
• Improves your chances of appearing in the Google Map Pack
• Helps potential customers choose the nearest or most convenient branch

With consistent effort and adherence to best practices, your multi-location business can thrive online and offline.

Need Help Managing Your Google Business Profile?

If you’re overwhelmed with optimizing and maintaining your business listings, 7ten Marketing specializes in local SEO and Google Business Profile management for multi-location companies. Reach out today to make your second (and third) location just as successful as your first.