Duplicate Business Profiles can confuse customers and split your local visibility, so fixing them is a stability task, not an “SEO tactic.” Google also warns that when duplicate profiles are merged, reviews are combined but replies to reviews may be lost so treat this like a controlled migration. This checklist helps you (1) identify the duplicate type, (2) choose the correct action (merge vs remove vs report), and (3) avoid the common blockers that turn a 30‑minute task into a 3‑week mess.Duplicate prevention is a critical pillar in our multi-location local SEO operations playbook.
Step 0: classify the “duplicate” (5 minutes)
Before doing anything, determine which situation you’re in:
- Type A (true duplicate): Two profiles represent the same real business at the same real location. This is a merge candidate.
- Type B (spam/fake): A listing exists that isn’t your real business. Do not merge report/remove instead.
- Type C (account clutter): A duplicate appears in your dashboard/account governance but may not be prominent on Maps. Clean it up to prevent future errors.
Step 1: find every duplicate (10 minutes)
Run this exact search workflow:
- Search Google Search for your business name.
- Search Google Maps for your business name.
- Search variations:
- Abbreviation version (e.g., “ABC Plumbing” vs “A.B.C. Plumbing”).
- Old brand name (if rebranded).
- Old address + old phone (if moved).
- If you have multiple locations, repeat per city and per phone number.
Red flags
- Same business name + same address appearing twice.
- Same phone number across two listings.
- One listing has reviews and the other is empty (classic “someone created a new profile by mistake”).
Step 2: choose the correct action (merge vs remove vs report)
Use this operator rule:
Merge
Choose merge when the duplicate has value you want to preserve (reviews/history) and clearly represents the same business at the same location. This is also how you consolidate ranking signals and stop review fragmentation.
Remove / close / clean up
If the duplicate has no reviews and no meaningful history, removal/cleanup can be faster than a merge (depending on ownership and listing state).
Report (don’t merge)
If the listing is fake/spam/malicious, report it; merging can transfer bad information into your primary profile.
Step 3: pre-merge validation (the step that saves weeks)
Google states that duplicates must represent the same business and generally should have the same information for a merge to succeed. Before you request anything, align what you can:
- Business name format should match.
- Address must be the same real-world location (if it’s an old vs new address case, you may need a move/update path instead of a merge depending on Google’s decision).
- Phone and primary category should be consistent where possible.
Step 4: execute the merge (safe workflow)
- Choose the primary profile you want to keep (usually the one with correct NAP and strongest review history).
- Submit the merge request using Google’s duplicate-resolution process (Google indicates merge/duplicate actions can be initiated via reporting/suggesting edits in Maps as part of the duplicate resolution flow).
- After the merge decision:
- Verify reviews are consolidated (expected behavior).
- Check whether review replies were lost (Google warns this can happen).
- Re-check accuracy: hours, address/service areas, categories, and website URL.
Optional screenshot insert: “Merge duplicates / keep reviews overview” (example from reputable tutorial)
Step 5: ownership conflicts (the #1 blocker)
If the duplicate is owned by someone else (ex-employee, old agency, franchise conflict), you may need to request access/ownership before the situation can be fully resolved. When access is denied or the owner is unknown, follow the official duplicate/ownership issue workflow and document evidence (photos, signage, business paperwork, screenshots).
Step 6: prevent duplicates from coming back (process, not luck)
- Train staff: never create a second profile to represent a new service; update services on the existing profile instead.
- Governance: keep one account structure and remove unnecessary managers.
- New location process: always search Maps first and claim existing listings before creating anything.
Do the duplicate scan today, classify each duplicate type, and take the correct action (merge vs remove vs report). Once your listing ecosystem is clean, the next performance lever is scaling location authority without keyword cannibalization across multi-location pages.Learn how to build franchise authority without cannibalization.