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How to Collect Location Details from Multi-Location Clients

A new multi-location client means 20, 50 or 500 sets of names, addresses, phones, hours and categories. Collect them once, in one consistent format, and every listing platform's upload file comes from the same clean list.

Why it usually goes wrong

The usual approach is to send the client a spreadsheet. It comes back with columns renamed, hours written five different ways, postal codes missing their zeros, and the head-office number on every row. Then the same details have to be retyped into Google Business Profile's format, then Moz Local's, then Apple's, and every copy is another chance for the inconsistencies local SEO is meant to remove. The fix is one master list per client, collected in a fixed format and checked as it's filled in.

1. Identity: one code and one name per location

Everything else hangs off these, so agree them first.

A unique store code for every location, such as STORE-012, used everywhere: in your tools, the client's and every upload
The business name exactly as it appears on the signs, with no store numbers, slogans or keywords added
Which locations are open, opening soon or permanently closed

2. Address and contact details

The NAP (name, address, phone) every directory has to agree on.

The street address customers visit, split into address lines, city, state or region and postal code. No P.O. Boxes
The two-letter country code, such as US, GB or AU
Each location's own local phone number, not a central call centre
A website link that goes straight to that location's page, including https://

3. Listing details

What makes a profile complete, rather than just present.

The primary category and any additional categories, chosen from each platform's own list
Opening hours for every day, in one format such as 09:00-17:00, and special hours for holidays
A short description of the business, without links or promotions
The opening date, for new locations
Logo, cover and location photos, collected separately from the spreadsheet

4. Access to existing listings

Never collect passwords: ask the client to invite you instead.

Manager access to the client's Google Business Profile account, and any other listing accounts they already have
Which listings already exist and who created them, so you don't make duplicates
Who at the client can approve changes and answer verification calls or emails

5. One master list, every platform's format

Collect once in a neutral format, then produce each platform's upload file from it.

Google Business Profile bulk upload (Google Business Profile template)
Moz Local bulk upload (Moz Local template)
A citation audit of the listings that already exist (Local Citation Audit template)

Mistakes that break bulk uploads

Store numbers, cities or keywords added to the business name
Postal codes that lost their leading zeros in Excel
One head-office or call centre number for every location
Websites without https://, or links that redirect
Hours written as 9-5, 9am to 5pm and 09:00-17:00 in the same file
Store codes that change between files, so updates create duplicates

Google lists most of these among its own bulk upload errors. See Google Business Profile bulk upload errors for the full list, and the NAP consistency guide for why matching details matter.

How to collect it

Send one form, not a spreadsheet

Give the client a form with exactly the columns you need, one row per location. Store codes are required and must be unique, phones and websites are checked, and hours and countries follow one format, so the list arrives complete.

Let location managers fill in their own rows

The people at each location know their real hours and direct phone number. Share the link with them, or have head office complete it, and check the result before anything is uploaded.

Map it to each platform once

With one clean master list, each platform's upload is a copy with its own column names and order. Or send the platform template directly: the Google Business Profile and Moz Local templates download files in each platform's format.

Collect every location in one link

Start from a listing template, adjust the columns, and send the client one link. They fix what's highlighted, and you get a CSV ready for the bulk upload. Their data is checked in the browser and never stored by us.

See tools for local SEO agencies

Related Guides

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