Understanding Google My Business & Local Search
New Google Places For Business Listings Can Now Be Transferred to a New Owner via G+ Page Management
Update: 12:30: I have changed the title of the article from saying “Account” to “Listings” as what is being transferred is the G+ Page ownership NOT the account.
I learned the hard way this past week that a business listing in the new Google Places for Business Dashboard that has been upgraded to social functionality, is intimately tied to that social presence. Delete the social page and you delete the business listing forcing you to reclaim the listing. The upshot of this is once you go social you can’t go back. At least not without some aggravation.
Dan Pritchett, who plays a significant role in the dashboard development at Google, said this:
But like all Google “features” there is a flipside to this. Since the business listing is intimately associated with the social G+ page it’s ownership can now be transferred via the G+ Page ownership transfer option. This seems like a simple function and so self evident that one might ask why I am even writing about it. Despite the obvious nature of the feature, it has has never before been possible.
Again according to Dan who responded in the same G+ post:
Okay, just clarified, that once you have a G+ page, transferring ownership of the Local page also transfers ownership of the listing.
Obviously the steps necessary to being able to transfer a listing that is not yet social are probably more cumbersome than just deleting the listing from your account (again with not without some scary verbiage). But if the listing is already social then the process is relatively straight forward via the G+ interface. Here are the instructions:
Step 1 of 3 Make sure you’re using Google+ as your page.
Step 2 of 3 Click Managers associated with the page you’d like to transfer.
Step 3 of 3 Click the dropdown arrow on the card of the person and select Transfer ownership to _name of user_.
OK class. To summarize where and when one can transfer ownership of a listing. There may be a pop quiz later in the week.
- If the business listing is in the new Google Places Dashboard AND the listing has been upgraded to the have social functionality, you can transfer it via the Google Pages ownership transfer technique.
- If it is in the old dashboard it can be reclaimed by another account without the need for a transfer. Although leaving the listing in the old dashboard may impinge on your ability to leave review responses so you probably want to delete the listing from the old account.
- If it is in the new dashboard but not yet social, it would need to be deleted and then reclaimed to effect a transfer
Now if Google would just have one solution, improve the language of these processes and offer some degree of granularity in the delete function, we might be getting someplace.
© Copyright 2024 - MIKE BLUMENTHAL, ALL RIGHT RESERVED.
Comments
18 Comments
Don’t forget that you have to have the Page Manager in that role for a couple of weeks first before an ownership transfer can be made. At least it used to be that way, have the rules changed (again)?
No that is still the requirement. Thanks for adding that.
Dan Pritchett, said: “Every G+ Local page is backed by a listing and once you get a G+ Local page, your places listing is tied to it.”
INTERESTING to me that a Googler is calling a merged G+ Business page a “G+ Local” page.
Google+ Local is the PUBLIC or consumer-facing name THEY gave the page that used to be called a Place page. (Not merged with G+ or anything.)
And we wonder why everyone is so confused!!!
@Linda
Branding consistency is NOT Google’s forte. To say the least.
Wondering if you have any insight on how keywords are tracked that trigger the carousel, and then change the search query when an end user clicks on a carousel item.
@James
I have written about it in previous posts. Let me know if those answer your questions
Thanks again Mike, I followed this with success.
The page was “Claimed (Upgraded to Social) Google+ Page” and I had made the now Owner a Manager about 1-2 weeks prior.
@mike –
Sorry to re-post this here Mike – Thought it was more appropriate.
@Mike – I have an odd question… I have a client that has 3 listings within Google Places. The first 2 are the same location (city and state) and the 3rd is an alternate location. The 1st location appears to be the listing that shows in local search and is a 100% maximized profile and is VERIFIED. The 2nd profile, which who knows why it was even created appears to be the UNVERIFIED profile that is linked to the company Google + page. If I delete the 2nd listing (which I assume I should do) then the Google + business pages goes along with it correct? Can I transfer that Google + Business page over to the verified profile and keep that one?
what does this instruction mean?
3. Click the dropdown arrow on the card of the person
Thanks for any help!!
I’ve been searching everywhere for this info. Thanks. My only problem is I tried to add my new email address as a manager 4 weeks ago but it still doesn’t show my new email address as a manager for the old site I want to transfer. It’s just a faded box with my new email that say’s “invited, manager” I checked my inbox to see if I need to accept the invitation but I haven’t seen any emails or notices come thru. I’d love some help in figuring out this ongoing issue.
thanks!
Lisa
The interface does allow you to resend the invite. I would try that and if it doesn’t work, you should get in touch with google support.
Hi,
I am having real issues with the Invite a Manager process, my ultimate aim is to transfer ownership of two G+ pages from a personal account to a newly setup Business Account, however when i submit the Invite a Manager email instruction… the email never arrives. So im unable to Add a Manager then wait two weeks before transferring ownership. I have tried inviting the new Manager / Owner email address, also a completely separate personal email address in an attempt to capture the URL of the validation so that i can then sign in to the new account and Paste the URL into the address bar. but no good.
any thoughts?
Hi,
I am having real issues with the Invite a Manager process, my ultimate aim is to transfer ownership of two G+ pages from a personal account to a newly setup Business Account, however when i submit the Invite a Manager email instruction… the email never arrives. So im unable to Add a Manager then wait two weeks before transferring ownership. I have tried inviting the new Manager / Owner email address, also a completely separate personal email address in an attempt to capture the URL of the validation so that i can then sign in to the new account and Paste the URL into the address bar. but no good.
any thoughts?
Hi really enjoyed this article, very informative…
I’m still having trouble transferring ownership of my g+ page from one g+ account to the other?
when i hover over the managers card no drop down arrow or menu shows up?
Please help!!
I’m sure I have been manager for more than 2 weeks now, oh does the card drop down only activate after 2 weeks?
@Glen
Just looked and I am not seeing it either. Let me check with Google.
O.k thanks for your reply, look forward to resolving this issue.
Very frustrating…
Cheers Glen.
I have sold the above business. New owner wants the page. (Google page) Would that allow him access to my email accounts or any other of my Google accounts such as Google play?
@Darlene
No adding him as a manager and then owner just transfers control over things like hours and photos. Not email
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