Home / Guides / Duplicate Google Business Profile: How to Find and Remove It

Duplicate Google Business Profile: How to Find and Remove It

By Sam · Last updated · 6 minute read

A duplicate Google Business Profile is a second listing for the same business, and it can split reviews, confuse customers and trigger suspensions. Find duplicates by searching your name, phone and address, then decide which listing to keep. Remove or mark the extra listing through Google’s tools rather than abandoning it, and make sure your details match everywhere.

Two near-identical map pins with a magnifying glass between them

Contents

Why duplicates cause trouble

Specialists list duplicate listings among the common causes of verification failures and suspensions. Customers may also land on the wrong one, leave reviews in two places or call an old number. A second listing is often created by accident.

How duplicates happen

  • A former owner, employee or agency created a listing you did not know about.
  • You moved premises and a new listing was added without closing the old one.
  • Several people created listings at different times.
  • A failed verification led someone to start again.

How to find duplicates

  1. Search Google and Google Maps for your business name, phone number and each address you have used.
  2. Search from a private window so results are not personalised.
  3. Open your Google Business Profile manager and list every profile you manage.
  4. Note each listing’s name, address, phone, reviews, photos and whether it is verified.
Search results with two similar listings highlighted

Want a second pair of eyes? Clariti Digital can review your setup and show you what to fix first.

Request your audit

Decide which listing to keep

Keep the listing that you can verify and manage, that has the correct details and that holds your reviews. If two have reviews, keep the one with more genuine, recent reviews and the correct information, and record the other’s details before you act.

Steps to remove or merge the extra listing

  1. Do not create another listing. That adds to the problem.
  2. Make sure the listing you keep is verified and correct, with your real name, address, phone, hours and categories.
  3. For a duplicate you own, use the tools in your Google Business Profile manager to remove it or request a merge, following Google’s current instructions.
  4. Google warns that removing a duplicate removes all its content and linked managers, and that when two profiles are merged their reviews combine but replies to reviews may be lost. Check that you are removing the correct profile.
  5. For a duplicate you do not own, Google’s options are to request ownership from the current owner, to claim the profile if it is unverified or the owner does not respond within 3 days, or to suggest a merge through Google Maps, which is reviewed.
  6. Update every other source, such as your website and directories, so they point to the listing you kept.
  7. Check again in a few weeks and repeat the search to confirm the duplicate no longer shows.

Google changes the names and order of these options, so follow the labels you see rather than a fixed path.

If a duplicate has caused a suspension

Fix the duplicate before you appeal. See what to do if your profile is suspended.

Two profile cards merging into one verified listing

How to stop it happening again

Frequently asked questions

What is a duplicate Google Business Profile?

A second listing for the same business, with the same or similar name, address or phone number, often created by accident.

Do duplicates hurt my ranking?

Specialists say they can split reviews and signals and may cause verification problems or suspensions. Fixing them is a sensible first step.

Should I delete or merge?

Keep the listing you can verify and manage that has correct details and your reviews, and remove or merge the other, following Google’s current options.

Can I remove a duplicate I do not own?

Not directly. Google’s options are to request ownership, claim the profile if it is unverified or the owner does not respond, or suggest a merge on Google Maps, which is reviewed. Google decides what happens.

How long does it take?

Google gives the current owner 3 days to respond to an ownership request but publishes no timeframe for merge reviews. Check the listing again after a few weeks.

Sources

Sam, Editor at Clariti Digital

Sam, Editor at Clariti Digital.

Need help with this?

Clariti Digital is a UK digital growth agency for established local businesses. We start with a diagnostic, then fix what holds back visibility, enquiries and trust. Call +44 7435 063827 or email sam@claritidigital.com.

Request your audit