Should I Change My Main Phone Number to a Core Number on My Google Business Profile?

Short Answer: It’s generally best to be cautious about changing the main phone number on your Google Business Profile. Maintaining consistency in your business name, address, and phone number across all your online assets is crucial. While using a secondary number for Google Ads is acceptable, changing your primary contact number on your profile is typically not recommended.

Full Explanation

When managing your Google Business Profile, the primary phone number you display plays an important role in how your business is recognized online. Consistency in your business’s name, address, and phone number (often called NAP consistency) across all assets such as directories, websites, and your Google Business Profile helps maintain your business’s credibility and search ranking. Altering the main phone number to a different or core number risks disrupting this consistency, which may negatively impact your local SEO and customer trust.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Review your current phone number: Ensure it is consistent with other listings and your website.
Assess the reason for change: Determine if there is a valid reason to update your main number.
Consider secondary numbers for ads: Use alternate or secondary phone numbers specifically for purposes like Google Ads campaigns.
Maintain your main number: Avoid changing the primary contact number on your Google Business Profile unless absolutely necessary to avoid inconsistencies.

Real Examples

If a business uses one phone number on their website, other directories, and their Google Business Profile, they reinforce their local search credibility. However, if they suddenly update their main phone number only on Google but not elsewhere, this creates mixed signals that can confuse customers and search engines alike.

Common Mistakes

Changing the main phone number on your Google Business Profile without updating all other assets.
Using inconsistent phone numbers across different platforms, resulting in reduced local SEO effectiveness.
Not using secondary numbers for tracking or ads, leading to loss of clarity in customer communications.

FAQs

Can I use a different number for Google Ads?
Yes, it’s generally acceptable and recommended to use a secondary phone number for your Google Ads campaigns to track performance.

What happens if I change my main phone number on my profile?
It can impact your local SEO negatively by causing inconsistency in your business’s contact details across the internet.

Key Takeaways

Always keep your main phone number consistent across all your online business assets.
Use secondary numbers for marketing campaigns, such as Google Ads.
Think carefully before changing your core contact number on your Google Business Profile, as it may affect your local search presence.