How to Set Up Google My Business for Multiple Trade Locations

Managing multiple locations for a trade business—whether you’re an electrician with depots in Brisbane and the Gold Coast or a plumber expanding across South East Queensland—is one of the fastest ways to grow your lead volume. But let’s be honest: Google doesn't always make it easy for tradies.

Setting this up correctly ensures you show up in the 'Local Pack' (that coveted map section) for every area you service. If you get it wrong, you risk a 'suspended' badge that can take weeks of back-and-forth with Google support to fix. This guide will walk you through the professional way to set up and manage multiple locations while staying firmly in Google’s good books.

Why this matters for Australian Tradies

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Prerequisites: What you’ll need before starting

• A Master Google Account: Use a professional email (e.g., admin@yourbusiness.com.au) rather than a personal Gmail. Trust me, it makes life easier when you eventually hire staff.
• Business Details for Each Site: Exact addresses, local phone numbers (if possible), and specific opening hours for each location.
• Your ABN: You'll need this for verification. Google is increasingly cracking down on 'fake' trade listings in Australia.
• Photos of Each Location: This is the big one. Google wants to see your signage, your branded utes parked out front, or your equipment inside the warehouse.
• A Spreadsheet: If you're managing more than 10 locations, you'll want a CSV file for 'Bulk Upload'. For 2-9 locations, we’ll do it manually.

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Step 1: Create a Business Group (The 'Pro' Way)

Most people just start adding locations one by one to their personal account. Don't do that. It becomes a nightmare to manage permissions later.

• Go to the Google Business Profile Manager.
• On the left-hand sidebar, look for 'Create Group' or 'Create Business Account'.
• Name it something logical, like "[Business Name] - Master Group".

Step 2: Determine Your Location Type

This is where most tradies get confused. In Australia, Google classifies trade businesses in two ways:

• Brick and Mortar: You have a workshop or showroom where customers visit you (e.g., a kitchen renovation showroom in Fortitude Valley).
• Service Area Business (SAB): You go to the customers and don't have a public shopfront (e.g., an emergency locksmith working from home).

Step 3: Adding Your First 'New' Location

• Inside your new Business Group, click 'Add business' then 'Add single business'.
• Type your business name. Crucial advice: Keep the name consistent across all locations, but you can add the suburb if it's part of your registered business name. For example: "LMG Plumbing Brisbane" and "LMG Plumbing Ipswich".
• Warning: Don't 'keyword stuff'. Adding "Best Cheap Plumber Brisbane" to your title will likely get you flagged.

Step 4: Setting the Category and Service Area

Choose your primary category carefully. If you're an electrician who also does aircon, but 80% of your work is electrical, make 'Electrician' your primary.

For the Service Area:

• Don't just select 'Queensland'. It's too broad.
• List specific suburbs or LGAs (e.g., Brisbane City, Moreton Bay, Redland City).
• The Golden Rule: Don't set a service area more than 2 hours' drive from your base. Google knows it’s unrealistic for a tradie to service the whole state from one ute.

Step 5: The Phone Number Strategy

This is a common sticking point. Should you use one 1300 number or different mobiles?

From an SEO perspective, local numbers are king. Having a (07) 3XXX number for Brisbane and a (07) 5XXX number for the Gold Coast tells Google (and customers) that you are truly local to that area.

• Primary Phone: Local landline or local mobile.
• Secondary Phone: Your main office line or 1300 number.

Step 6: Mastering the Verification Process

Google has moved away from postcards recently. For tradies, they now love Video Verification.

This is the part that feels 'annoyingly fiddly' (as promised). You'll likely need to film a video on your phone showing:

• Your outside surroundings: Street signs or nearby businesses to prove your location.
• Your equipment: Your branded van, tools, or business registration papers.
• Proof of management: Opening the van with your keys or unlocking the office door.

Step 7: Optimising Each Profile Individually

Once verified, don't just 'set and forget'. Each location needs its own personality:

• Unique Descriptions: Don't copy-paste. Mention local landmarks or specific services popular in that area (e.g., 'Specialising in Queenslander rewiring in Paddington').

• Opening Hours: Ensure these are realistic. If you offer 24/7 emergency service, make sure someone actually answers the phone at 3 AM!

Step 8: Managing Reviews Across Locations

This is where the magic happens. You need a system to ensure reviews go to the correct location.

• Go to your profile -> 'Ask for reviews' -> Copy the short URL.
• Save these in a Notes app on your team's phones, labelled by suburb.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using the same address for multiple 'different' businesses: If you run a plumbing business and your partner runs a landscaping business from the same house, Google might get suspicious. Ensure you have distinct signage or separate entrance photos.
• Building 'Lead Gen' sites: Don't try to set up a profile at your cousin's house in Toowoomba just to get leads if you don't actually have a presence there. Google's AI is getting very good at spotting this, and it can lead to a 'permanent' ban of your entire account.
• Inconsistent NAP: NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone. Ensure your details on your website's 'Contact Us' page match your Google Profile exactly. If the website says 'St.' and Google says 'Street', it’s usually fine, but try to be consistent.

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Troubleshooting: "Help, something went wrong!"

• "My profile is suspended": This usually happens right after verification. Don't panic. Check your 'Service Areas'—did you pick too many? Check your business name—is there a keyword like "Best" or "Cheap" in it? Fix the issue and use the 'Appeals tool'.
• "I can't get the video verification to upload": This is a known bug. Try switching from your office Wi-Fi to mobile data. For some reason, Google's uploader prefers 4G/5G sometimes.
• "My locations are showing as duplicates": This happens if the addresses are too close together. Ensure each location has a distinct service area that doesn't overlap by 100%.

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Next Steps

Setting up your locations is just the foundation. To really win the 'Map Pack' battle in Brisbane and beyond, you need a strategy for ongoing content.

• Post Weekly: Use the 'Update' feature to share a photo of a 최근 job.
• Answer Q&As: Pre-emptively ask and answer your own questions (e.g., "Do you service high-rise apartments in the CBD?").
• Monitor Insights: See which location is getting the most 'Direction Requests' versus 'Phone Calls'.

If this all feels a bit overwhelming or you'd rather be on the tools than fighting with Google's interface, we're here to help. At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in getting Australian tradies to the top of the map.