Manage your Google Business Profile for Multi-location Listings

Google has made a series of distinctions regarding what is termed as “Chain Listings” or “multi-location” Listings otherwise known as Franchises. Think big franchises like Starbucks, Taco Bells, or just about any other brand with 10 or more locations.

Chain Listings are listings that have been verified together as part of one brand account and are under the ownership of the original verifier.

Chain Listings will have the following “Manage this listing” link on their desktop, maps and mobile profiles. 

The link is the only indicator that the listing belongs to a chain. This link allows anyone who is able to verify with the business to have Site Manager access. This was provided as a means of allowing limited access to a listing for franchisees to manage, while still allowing a corporate brand to control ownership by securing access. It is not an indication that a listing needs to be verified.

One of the challenges a business owner can face when trying to gain access to their own listing is that they are no longer able to request direct access from the listing owners. This could be a former marketing company or another individual without authorized ownership rights. 

Searching and finding the listing to request access from within the Google Business Profile dashboard is still the same:

However, the following screen that was used to provide the request access button and the email hint has been replaced with the procedure to verify “Site Manager” access. 

Site Manager access will not allow us to complete the GBP optimization.

In the event that the client does not have access to their listing, we must verify Site Manager access, so that the email hint and ability to request ownership are provided in our dashboard:

Once requested and approved, the access we need is granted. If the owner of the listing denies the request, there is presently no way to appeal. 

V Digital Services understands the complexity and ever-changing landscape of the Google Business Profile platform. With regard to ownership and management of client listings, we always ensure that the correct owners are listed as the primary account owners and we help to secure that ownership by consistently mitigating ownership requests that may not be in the best interest of the client.  In the coming months, we will be implementing measures that will allow us to grow more easily by circumventing issues like this through an Agency Dashboard afforded to select Google Partners.