What is the correct order to change my business address on different platforms?

Short Answer: The correct order to update your business address is first on your website, then on your social media channels, followed by all citation sites, and finally on your Google My Business (GMB) listing. After these updates, Google will recognize your new address and suggest it, which you can accept to avoid any risk of suspension.

Full Explanation

Changing your business address across multiple platforms needs a strategic approach to ensure consistency and maintain your online presence. Begin by updating your address on your own website, as this serves as the primary source of accurate business information. Once your website reflects the new address, proceed to update all your social media profiles. These platforms often interact with customers and search engines, so your updated address should be visible here as well.

Next, update all citations. Citations are mentions of your business on various directories and listings across the internet. Consistent address information on these sites strengthens your local SEO and confirms to search engines the authenticity of your new address. Finally, the last step is to update your Google My Business (GMB) listing. Google cross-references information from various sources, so by the time you update your GMB, Google has already seen your new address everywhere.

After you have made these changes, Google might suggest your new address as the correct one after some days once it detects consistent listings everywhere. Accepting this suggestion ensures Google fully acknowledges your new address, reducing any risk of your listing being suspended or flagged.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Update Your Website: Change your business address on your official website first, as this is the most authoritative source.
Update Social Media Profiles: Next, ensure your business address is updated on all social media platforms where you have an active presence.
Update All Citations: Change your address on all online directories and citation sites to maintain consistency.
Update Google My Business (GMB): Finally, update the address on your GMB listing. Google will then validate this information based on other platforms.
Accept Google’s Address Suggestion: After several days, Google may suggest your new address. Accepting this suggestion confirms the update and prevents suspension risks.

Real Examples

For instance, if a business moves to a new location, the owner should first update the address details on their website. After that, they should update their Facebook, Instagram, and other social media accounts. Once those are aligned with the new address, citation sites like local business directories should be updated. Lastly, when Google offers the updated address suggestion on GMB, accepting it confirms the change and secures the listing’s integrity.

Common Mistakes

Updating Platforms Out of Order: Changing your address on GMB before other platforms can cause confusion and possible suspension.
Ignoring Citation Websites: Skipping citation updates can cause inconsistent info online, affecting SEO and Google’s acceptance of the new address.
Not Accepting Google’s Suggestion: Failing to accept Google’s proposed new address can leave your listing risk-prone.

FAQs

Why update the website first?: Your website is the foundational source that search engines trust most for accurate business information.
What are citations?: Citations are online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number on various directories and platforms beyond your own website and social media.
What happens if I skip accepting Google’s suggestion?: If you don’t accept the suggestion, your listing might be flagged or suspended due to inconsistent or unverified information.

Key Takeaways

Always start by updating your business address on your website.
Follow by updating social media and citation listings before GMB.
Accept Google’s suggested address to finalize the update and prevent suspension.
Consistency across all platforms ensures a smooth address change and solid local SEO.