If you have ever searched for your business on Google Maps and found two or more listings, you are not alone. Duplicate listings are a common problem for local businesses, especially those that have moved, rebranded, or had multiple people manage their online presence over the years. The short answer to whether they affect SEO is yes, and often significantly. Duplicates can split your reviews, confuse customers, dilute ranking signals, and even trigger suspensions. Here is what you need to know.
How AAMAX.CO Cleans Up and Strengthens Local Listings
Resolving duplicate listings can be frustrating, especially when Google's processes are unclear. AAMAX.CO is a full-service digital marketing company offering Web Development, Digital Marketing, and SEO Services worldwide, and they help businesses audit, consolidate, and optimize their Google Business Profiles. Their team identifies duplicate and inaccurate listings, works through Google's support channels, and builds consistent citations across the web as part of their local search engine optimization work, restoring clarity and ranking strength.
What Is a Duplicate Google Maps Listing?
A duplicate listing occurs when more than one Google Business Profile represents the same business at the same location. This is different from legitimate multiple listings, such as separate profiles for distinct departments in some industries or different practitioners in certain professional settings, which Google's guidelines may allow under specific conditions.
Why Duplicate Listings Happen
Duplicates arise for several reasons:
- A previous owner or employee created a listing that was never claimed
- The business moved and a new profile was created instead of updating the old one
- A rebrand led to a new listing with a different name
- Google automatically generated a listing from third-party data
- Customers or users suggested a new place through Google Maps
- Marketing agencies created profiles without checking for existing ones
How Duplicate Listings Affect SEO
Split Reviews and Ratings
Reviews are a major local ranking factor. When reviews are spread across multiple listings, neither profile accumulates the strength it could have with all reviews combined. This can lower your visibility and make your business look less established than competitors.
Diluted Ranking Signals
Google uses signals like engagement, clicks, calls, and direction requests to evaluate prominence. Duplicates divide these signals, weakening each listing's ability to rank in the local pack.
Confused Customers
Customers may find outdated addresses, wrong phone numbers, or incorrect hours on an unmanaged duplicate. This leads to lost business and negative experiences that can result in bad reviews.
Inconsistent NAP Data
Duplicates often contain different name, address, or phone details. Inconsistency undermines trust signals across the local search ecosystem and confuses search engines about which information is correct.
Risk of Suspension
Google's guidelines prohibit creating multiple profiles for the same business at one location. If Google suspects intentional duplication to manipulate rankings, it may suspend one or all related profiles, which can remove your business from Maps entirely.
How to Find Duplicate Listings
Search Google Maps for your business name, phone number, address, and variations of your name. Check listings in your Google Business Profile account to see if you manage more than one for the same location. Local SEO tools like BrightLocal, Whitespark, and Moz Local can also identify duplicates across Google and other directories.
How to Remove or Merge Duplicate Listings
- If you own both listings: Mark the duplicate as a duplicate or contact Google Business Profile support to merge them. Keep the listing with the most reviews and accurate history when possible.
- If you do not own the duplicate: Open the listing on Google Maps, select "Suggest an edit," and choose the option indicating the place is a duplicate or does not exist at this location.
- If the duplicate is from an old address: Mark the old listing as moved or permanently closed, depending on the situation, and ensure your current listing is fully updated.
- Contact support: If suggestions do not work, reach out to Google Business Profile support with documentation that proves ownership and the correct business details.
Note that reviews may or may not transfer when listings are merged, depending on Google's review of the case.
Preventing Future Duplicates
Claim and verify your listing as soon as possible, and keep it updated. Maintain consistent NAP information everywhere online. When moving or rebranding, update your existing profile instead of creating a new one. Limit profile management access to trusted team members and document who manages your listings.
Monitoring Your Listings After Cleanup
Removing a duplicate is not a one-time fix. Google may recreate listings from third-party data sources, or users may suggest edits that introduce new inaccuracies. Check your profile and search Google Maps for your business every month or two, especially after moving, changing phone numbers, or updating your name. Enable notifications in your Google Business Profile account so you are alerted when edits are suggested. Keeping directory listings on Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Business Connect, and industry sites accurate reduces the chance that conflicting data will spawn a new duplicate.
Final Thoughts
Duplicate Google Maps listings do affect SEO by splitting reviews, diluting ranking signals, confusing customers, and risking suspension. Regularly audit your local presence, remove duplicates promptly, and maintain consistent information across the web. A single, well-optimized profile is far more powerful than several fragmented ones.
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