How to Add Multiple Locations in One GBP Account

If you own more than one business branch in Malaysia, managing each Google Business Profile (GBP) separately can be a time-consuming and high-risk task. Minor mistakes such as inconsistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) information or different operating hours between branches can negatively affect your overall local search ranking. This article will guide you step by step on how to add multiple locations in one GBP account, as well as how to ensure each branch is optimised systematically.

What You Will Need

Before you begin, make sure you have the following ready:

An active Google account (a business account, not a personal account)
Complete information for each branch: business name, full address, phone number, operating hours, and business category
Management access to all locations you wish to register
A stable internet connection
Quality photos for each location (minimum 5 photos per branch)

Important Note: According to internal GBPAuditLab data from 20 recent audits, 5% of Malaysian businesses still have fewer than 5 photos in their profile. This is one of the easiest factors to fix, yet it is often overlooked.

Time Required & Difficulty Level

Item	Details
Time required	30 — 60 minutes (depending on the number of branches)
Difficulty level	Easy — Suitable for beginners
Platform	Google Business Profile Manager (business.google.com)

Why Does Managing Multiple Locations Matter?

Before we get into the technical steps, it is important for you to understand why this deserves serious attention.

According to Moz (2023), GBP signals contribute to 36% of Local Pack ranking factors — making it the most critical element in local search compared to any other factor. If any one of your branches has incomplete or inconsistent information, it does not just affect that particular branch — it can tarnish the overall reputation of your brand in Google search results.

BrightLocal (2024) also reported that 87% of users turn to Google to evaluate local businesses before making a purchasing decision. This means every unoptimised branch is a missed customer opportunity every single day.

GBPAuditLab data shows that 100% of audited businesses do not have a complete description — and the most frequently neglected signal is the description section. Imagine the impact when this happens across every one of your branches.

Step 1: Log In to Google Business Profile Manager

Access your GBP management platform by opening a web browser and going to business.google.com.

Log in using your business Google account. Make sure you use the same account that was used to register your first location. If you have multiple Google accounts, check the top right corner of the screen to confirm you are in the correct account.

[Image: Homepage view of Google Business Profile Manager with the "Add Business" button clearly visible at the top, taken from the side angle of a retail shop counter owned by a Malaysian entrepreneur]

Step 2: Open Your Existing Locations List

Review all locations that have already been registered in your account.

Once logged in, you will see the main dashboard displaying all claimed locations. Click on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top left, then select "Your Businesses" to view the full list of all profiles associated with your account.

At this stage, check whether all your existing branches have been registered correctly. GBPAuditLab data shows 0% unclaimed profiles among audited businesses — which means Malaysian business owners are increasingly aware of the importance of claiming their profiles. Make sure you are in this group for every branch.

[Image: Location list view in Google Business Profile Manager showing several branches, with the interface artistically blurred for privacy]

Step 3: Add a New Location

Click the button to add a new business to your account.

In the GBP Manager dashboard, find and click the "+ Add Business" button. You will be given three options:

Add a single business — Suitable if you are only adding one or two new branches
Import businesses — Suitable if you have more than 10 locations (using a spreadsheet file)
Request access to an existing profile — Suitable if the branch already exists on Google but is managed by someone else

For most Malaysian SMEs with 2 — 9 branches, select "Add a single business". We will discuss the bulk import method in the next section.

[Image: "Add Business" dropdown menu with three visible options, taken from the viewpoint of a business owner standing in front of their shop counter]

Step 4: Fill In the New Location's Information Accurately

Complete all information fields for your new branch.

This is the most critical step. Fill in each field carefully:

4a: Business Name

Use a name that is consistent with all other branches. If your first branch is "Kedai Basikal Maju Sdn Bhd", do not change it to "Basikal Maju" for the second branch. NAP inconsistency is the primary cause of local search ranking issues.

4b: Business Category

Select the same primary category for all branches (unless a particular branch offers different services). You may add up to 10 additional categories.

4c: Full Address

Enter the complete address including unit number, building name, street name, postcode, city, and state. Do not abbreviate or change the format — ensure it matches exactly what is displayed on the branch signage and your website.

4d: Phone Number

Use a unique phone number for each branch. Avoid using the head office number for all branches as this confuses both customers and Google's algorithm.

4e: Operating Hours

GBPAuditLab data found that 5% of businesses do not have complete operating hours. This is a simple mistake that can leave customers unsure whether your branch is open or not. Fill in the operating hours accurately for every day, including public holidays.

[Image: A female business owner in baju kurung filling in an information form on her shop counter, with the background showing a neat and welcoming shop environment]

Step 5: Verify Your Location

Complete the verification process for each new location.

Google requires verification to confirm that you are the legitimate owner of the branch. Available verification methods include:

Postcard — Google sends a postcard with a verification code to your branch address (takes 5 — 14 working days)
Phone — A verification code is sent via call or SMS to the branch phone number
Email — A code is sent to the associated email address
Video recording — For certain types of businesses, Google may request a video recording to verify the physical location

Recommended method: Use phone or email verification for faster approval. Postcard verification takes the longest.

Important: Until verification is complete, your branch profile will not appear in Google search results. Make sure you complete this process as soon as possible.

[Image: A male business owner in corporate attire holding a Google verification postcard envelope in front of his shop entrance facing the main road]

Step 6: Optimise Each Branch Profile

Complete all profile sections for each branch after verification.

Once the profile is verified, do not leave it "bare" — this is a mistake commonly made by Malaysian business owners. According to Google (2024), complete and accurate GBP information directly improves your local search ranking.

For each branch, make sure you complete:

✅ Business Description

Write a unique description for each branch (maximum 750 characters). GBPAuditLab data reveals that 100% of audited businesses do not have a complete description — which means you already have a competitive edge if you complete this section!

Include relevant local keywords such as the area name, city, or state of the branch. For example: "Our outlet in Ara Damansara offers..."

✅ Photos and Videos

Upload a minimum of 5 high-quality photos for each branch, including:

Exterior photo of the branch (from the customer's perspective approaching the shop)
Interior photos
Photos of products or services
Photos of the team or staff

✅ Website Link

GBPAuditLab data shows 60% of businesses have no website link in their GBP profile. If each branch has its own dedicated page on your website, use that page's URL. If not, use the main website URL.

✅ Services and Products

Add a list of services or products offered specifically for each branch, especially if different branches offer different items.

[Image: View of a tidy shop counter with a clear business signage facing outward, showing a customer interacting warmly with a salesperson]

Step 7: Add Locations in Bulk (For 10+ Branches)

Use the spreadsheet import method if you have 10 or more branches.

If your business has 10 or more locations, Google provides the option to apply for bulk verification. This speeds up the process significantly. Here is how:

From the GBP dashboard, click "+ Add Business"
Select "Import businesses"
Download the provided Google spreadsheet template
Fill in all branch information in the spreadsheet (one row = one branch)
Re-upload the completed file
Submit the bulk verification request to Google

Note: Bulk verification requires manual review by Google and may take several weeks. Ensure all information in the spreadsheet is accurate before submitting.

Step 8: Audit Each Location with GBPAuditLab

Run a systematic audit for each branch using GBPAuditLab.

Once all branches are registered and optimised, the final — and most important — step is to ensure every profile remains in top condition on an ongoing basis.

This is the real challenge for multi-branch business owners: how do you monitor all locations simultaneously and identify gaps before they affect your search ranking?

GBPAuditLab is built specifically to solve this problem for Malaysian business owners. By auditing your GBP profiles using GBPAuditLab, you will receive:

An audit score for each branch (scale of 0 — 100)
A list of complete and incomplete elements — including description, photos, operating hours, website link, and more
NAP inconsistency identification across branches
Clear and easy-to-understand priority action recommendations

Our latest data shows the average audit score for Malaysian businesses is 70.4/100 — meaning there is still plenty of room for improvement. Businesses that take action based on GBPAuditLab audit reports are able to improve their visibility in local search results more systematically.

🚀 Try GBPAuditLab Now

Go to gbpauditlab.com, enter your business name or GBP URL, and get a free audit report for each of your branches in less than a minute. Identify the gaps, fix the inconsistencies, and make sure every branch is ready to dominate local search in its respective area.

Summary: GBP Multiple Locations Checklist

Use this checklist as your guide:

[ ] Log in to Google Business Profile Manager
[ ] Review all existing locations
[ ] Add each new branch (one by one or via bulk import)
[ ] Complete all NAP information consistently
[ ] Verify each location
[ ] Write a unique description for each branch
[ ] Upload a minimum of 5 photos per branch
[ ] Add a website link for each branch
[ ] Fill in operating hours accurately
[ ] Run a GBPAuditLab audit for each branch

This article is updated based on the latest Google Business Profile guidelines and GBPAuditLab audit data (2024).