What Should I Do When I Change the Address of My Business?

Short Answer: When you change your business address, it is essential to update your new location on all your listings, including your website, social media accounts, and directories where your company is listed. After a few days, Google will typically suggest the new address on your Google My Business (GMB) page, and by accepting this suggestion, you reduce the risk of suspension.

Full Explanation

Changing the address of your business involves more than just updating your letterhead or telling customers the new location. To maintain your online presence and search engine rankings, you must ensure that all platforms reflecting your business information are updated with your new address. This includes your company’s website, social media profiles, and any online directories where your business appears. By doing so, you maintain consistency across the web, which is crucial for local SEO and helps your customers find the correct location when searching online.

Google plays a significant role in this process. A few days after you’ve made updates on your various platforms, Google typically suggests the updated address on your Google My Business (GMB) page. This suggestion serves as a verification step and, if accepted, confirms your new location officially in Google’s system. Accepting Google’s suggestion helps avoid potential issues like suspension of your GMB listing, which could harm your business visibility online.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Update your new business address on your official website to ensure that visitors see the correct location.
2. Change the address details on all your social media accounts where your business is listed, such as Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
3. Modify your company information on all directories and listing platforms where your business appears, maintaining consistency everywhere.
4. Wait a few days to allow Google to detect these changes and suggest your new address on your Google My Business (GMB) page.
5. Review and accept Google’s suggested new address on your GMB page to update your official location and minimize the risk of suspension.

Real Examples

While specific industry examples were not provided, the process applies universally. For instance, a retail store moving to a new location must update its website contact page, social media profiles, and any local business directories it is listed in. After completing these changes, the owner would wait for Google to propose the updated address on their Google My Business page and then approve it, thereby keeping their online presence consistent and compliant.

Common Mistakes

• Failing to update every platform where the business address is listed, leading to inconsistent information online.
• Ignoring the Google My Business address update suggestion, which may increase the risk of account suspension.
• Changing the physical address but forgetting to notify directories and social media accounts, causing confusion for customers and search engines alike.

FAQs

Why is it important to update my address everywhere?

Updating your address on all platforms ensures consistency, which is essential for local SEO and helps your customers find your new location easily.

What happens if I don’t accept Google’s new address suggestion on GMB?

Not accepting the suggested new address could increase the risk of your Google My Business listing suspension, which negatively affects your online exposure.

How long does it take for Google to suggest the new address?

Typically, it takes a few days after you update your address on various platforms for Google to suggest the new address on your GMB page.

Key Takeaways

• Always change your business address on every online listing including website, social media, and directories.
• Wait for Google to propose the new address on your Google My Business page after a few days.
• Accept Google’s suggestion promptly to reduce the risk of suspension and keep your online presence strong.