Bulk Uploading & Editing Google Business Profile Locations

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Our agency has extensive experience with bulk uploads and edits for major brands like Sbarro Pizza (managing thousands of locations) and many other multi-location businesses. 

This article shows you the difference between bulk uploading versus editing, selecting the right template and visually seeing the step-by-step process through client examples. 

Bulk uploading and editing will save time and make your Google Business Profile management more seamless and organized.

The Difference Between Bulk Upload & Bulk Edit

  • Bulk Uploading:
    • Use this when adding multiple new locations. 
  • Bulk Editing: 
    • Use this when edits need to be made across multiple locations.

Working with Google’s Templates vs. Existing Data: Our Recommendation

Downloading Existing Data

Businesses with existing locations make a common mistake regarding bulk uploads: They utilize Google’s recommended template when they don’t need to. If you have existing GBP locations, we recommend downloading your existing data, adding new locations, or making edits based on the preexisting format. Why? Because it: 

  • Keeps your existing data structure intact
    • There’s a good chance some of your locations were created a long time ago and the formatting is different with Google’s most recent template. 
  • Saves significant time
  • Reduces the risk of errors since you don’t have to transfer existing data over to a new format 
  • Allows you to edit in bulk from the preexisting downloaded data. 

Starting From Scratch with Google’s Template 

You should use Google’s recommended template if you start from scratch and have multiple locations to upload and edit. 

Here’s how to download your existing location data:

Here’s how to download your data, demonstrated with our client Bob Webb.

    1. Go to business.google.com
    2. Select your business group and select all locations

**Note: Groups let agencies manage multiple clients’ locations and grant access with a single invitation, rather than multiple separate invites.

             

3. Click on Actions > Download businesses

 

4. Choose whether to include photos (we usually leave these off for bulk edits since each location should have unique photos)

5. Click the “Download ready” button when it appears in the bottom left

                     

6. Your CSV file will download automatically.

Once you’ve downloaded your data, you’ll have the perfect foundation for uploading new locations or making edits to existing ones, even if the format doesn’t match Google’s template.

Examples: How to Bulk Upload & Edit  

Let’s walk through two different scenarios: creating multiple new locations with bulk upload (Jason’s Pizza) and editing existing locations with bulk edit (Bainbridge Law Firm).

Jason’s Pizza Example (Bulk Uploading with Google’s Template)

Jason’s Pizza is a fictional business. He is launching four brand new locations. In this example, we’d use Google’s template since there’s no previous location information to download. You don’t need to create each profile individually – that’s where bulk upload is handy.

Bainbridge Law Firm Example (Bulk Edit)

We’re working with Bainbridge Law Firm to update their opening dates across multiple locations. Instead of going into each profile individually to make these changes, we’re using the bulk upload process to edit all locations simultaneously. Many people don’t realize you can do this – they think they need to update each profile manually.

Click Apply

Important Things to Know About Bulk Upload

Store Codes Matter

Every location needs a unique store code. This doesn’t appear publicly – it’s just how Google keeps track of different locations during the bulk upload process. You can make this up if your company doesn’t have a unique store code. Be sure to document the store code for future reference.

Phone Numbers Must Be Unique

Each location needs its own phone number. This is important for verification purposes. Google thinks that if a location is legitimate, it will have its own unique number. 

Common Issues to Watch Out For

  • Make sure your address formatting is consistent
  • Double-check your business hours are in a 24-hour format
  • Verify that all required fields are filled out
  • Ensure your business categories match Google’s official category list
  • Keep business names consistent across all locations

Final Tips

Review your downloaded locations for inconsistencies before making edits.. It’s an excellent opportunity to spot any inconsistencies across your locations. You might notice things like:

  • Different primary categories
  • Inconsistent business hours formatting
  • Varying business name formats
  • Missing information

Even if you’re just updating one thing (like we did with Bainbridge’s opening dates), this overview can help you maintain consistency across all your locations.

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