In the world of Local SEO, we despair if a Dentist tells us that he or she is relocating their practice to a new address. There is a lot that could go wrong when a business moves, but Google is slowly getting better at solidifying the process.
Here is a step-by-step guide to what you should do if your Practice is moving.
Make sure you check all the places that your address is listed on your website and update them to list the new address instead.
If you are moving to a new office, it’s likely that there was a business that occupied that location before you. Find out who that is, and make sure you mark their business listing as closed. Use these steps to find the listing for the other business.
Once you have the listing(s), you can submit the edit in MapMaker to mark the business closed. It is helpful to include comments in your edit stating that this business has recently closed and a new business is moving in. This will help the Regional Leads approve your edit faster since it’s likely that Google’s Street View will still show the old business.
Keep in mind that duplicate listings are common with Google Maps, so the previous business might have more than one listing for you to edit. You also might find several businesses using your new address and suite number. I’ve seen cases where businesses that left more than five years ago still had listings on Google Maps that were not marked closed yet.
Log in to your Google My Business dashboard and update the address there. Make sure you not only update the address but also look at where the pin marker is.
It does not always automatically move. Google may ask you to re-verify your information by sending a new postcard to your new location.
Once your address is updated on your Google Plus business page, embed a map of your actual business location on your website. In addition to providing an accurate location marker, this will enable your visitors to see all the Google reviews about your business, too.
The data providers are listed as the top directories on Whitespark’s Top Local Citation list. Update these in the order listed, since the ones closest to the top matter more.
If you’re a dentist, your profile on Whatclinic is extremely important. Although the niche directories hold a lot of weight, people often forget about them because they aren’t on any “top 50” directories lists.
BrightLocal put together a really great starting list for many common industries. I would still suggest taking it a step further and looking for niche directories that rank on the first five pages for either your brand name or a search for the keyword you’re trying to rank for.
If you’re worried about Street View being wrong for your new location, consider hiring a Google trusted photographer to do an inside tour. Dental Design are now currently offering this service – please click here for more information https://dental-design-products.co.uk/services/360-degree-tour/
When you have an inside tour for your business, this replaces Street View when someone searches your business name and sees your knowledge panel. Instead of “see outside” (showing Street View), it will show “see inside.”
After you move, there are a couple of items you should do monthly for the first few months:
Keep in mind that you might experience a moderate ranking drop when you move (though I personally don’t think it’s as drastic any more, now that Google keeps the same page and reviews for most cases).
I always advise businesses to get these items done as quickly as possible after they move (in the first few weeks) to decrease the likelihood of a ranking drop.