Local Listings Cleanup Sprint (Onboarding)

Local Listings Cleanup Sprint (Onboarding)

1. 01

   Inventory every client location across major platforms

   Pull the full list of locations from the client's CRM or spreadsheet, then check each against Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Apple Maps, and the top 10 industry directories. Expect duplicates or stale entries in at least 20% of cases.

2. 02

   Standardize NAP fields to a single source of truth

   Define the canonical name, address, and phone number using the client's official legal name and primary phone. Use this exact string in every citation, since inconsistent NAP data is the leading cause of local ranking failures.

3. 03

   Claim or verify ownership of every unclaimed profile

   For any listing that shows 'unclaimed' or 'not verified', initiate the verification process through the platform's dashboard. This often requires a postcard, phone call, or video verification, so budget 2 to 3 weeks for completion.

4. 04

   Remove or merge duplicate listings

   Search each platform for variations of the business name or address that point to the same physical location. Duplicates split review counts and confuse ranking algorithms, so request removal or merging through the platform's support flow.

5. 05

   Audit category and service attributes for accuracy

   Compare the primary and secondary categories on each profile against the client's actual service mix. Misclassified categories, such as a plumber labeled as a general contractor, suppress rankings for the queries that matter most.

6. 06

   Set up a monitoring cadence for ongoing hygiene

   Schedule a monthly re-check of all listings using a tool like BrightLocal or Whitespark to catch new duplicates or unauthorized edits. Clean data is the foundation for every other local SEO effort, so this step is non-negotiable.