The ideal way to move location is:
Mark the old Google search result as Closed via Edit business details. You need to be logged into its Places account or its + Local Business page after the merge.
You need to check in Google Maps as there may be scrapes/duplicates which do not show in blended results. Search by Phone no or (Business name and Location) with and without quotes around the search term. Mark these as Duplicates so Google correctly associate them with the Closed entry for old web data you cannot get changed or deleted.
Wait till the Close shows for a search in Google Maps. At that point it should not show for a Category and Location search in the blended search results with a map. If it does you need to mark the search result as a Duplicate.
Delete the old locations Places entry from the account or the old + Local Business page from your +Profile.
Go out and change all your other web data.
This takes some time so start as soon as you can.
There are services to help with this.
Check what shows up in search both blended and organic for the new location, part of Due Diligence.
You need to get any active Places entries Deleted either ideally by the old owner or Google later>.
If an old Places account is in a gmail account its ideal to strip out all the data apart from business name, address, primary phone no and first default google category in the Places entry and wait till change shows in search beafore any Deletion attempt. This is because data can still persist in the account despite the Places entry deletion.
Mark any Google Maps search listings as Closed. Say you are the new owner, may have to do once PIN verified at the new location and logged in>.
Go out and email any directories with old data to get it deleted/edited. You can register later once PIN verified at the new location if needed>.
Check out Localeze, Axciom and Expressupdate in the USA, Thomson Local in the UK, Yellow Pages in Australia or your countries Google data provider.
A problem is old Google reviews are stored in a separate database and stick with the location for a Closed business not trading, as reviews should move by business name and phone no if the old business is still trading but has moved location as well.
You may want to use a new phone no and business name if you have taken over a business with bad reviews. Having old data or a bad review record at a location will affect any ‘good will’ valuation.
Obviously the downside valuation depends on the time and cost to clear it all down and over-ride the old bad reviews with your own good ones.
If you have problems with old reviews showing have a friend make a ‘*** Under new management ***’ review for you, giving details of your own past good record at any previous business or location. Also contact any old review +Google link and ask then to take it down and welcome them to try your new business.
Make a Places entry / Google+ Local Business page at the new Location and PIN verify.
You can start this as soon as you like.
>Once PIN verified these may work better when logged in to the new Places account or +Profile Local Business page:
Mark old Google Maps search listings at the new location as Closed for the primary one still showing in a blended search and the rest as Duplicates.
If you think there are old Places entries or an old gmail account feeding data then ask Google to Delete them via the Help articles and Incorrect information, navigate till you get a text box.
Register and Delete or Edit (To retain citations and reviews where a ‘good will’ purchase) old web data at the new location.
It can be a hard process to move.
After time even an existing business can accumulate badly copied or corrupt data.
In the USA I would check Localeze, Axciom and Expressupdate every few months and try out your category and location searches once a month in blended and organic.
In other countries the local ‘Data Provider,’ Thompson Local in the UK, Yellow Pages in Australia.
I offer support for businesses or web marketeers managing the move of a business location.
I re-sell the Yext Power Listing which helps to change all the Web Directory entries. With the listing I add 90 minutes support.
Where a business moved by just editing a current Places entry or + Local Business page I have a process which can regress and Close your old location or old business at your new location correctly.
Good Luck.
Andrew Huskinson. BSc. MBCS. C.Eng. CITP
Google Places eBook
