Prepare before the change day
Decide the exact new name, address, phone and website, and write them in one master document with the format you will use everywhere, including suite abbreviations and punctuation. Choose the effective date. If you rename, confirm the registration paperwork is complete and the new signage is ordered.
Collect logins for every place your business appears, including the profile, social pages, directories, payment processors, email footer and printed materials.
Update the profile first
Edit the same Google Business Profile rather than creating a new one, so reviews and history follow you. For a move, change the address on or just before the day you open the new place, so customers do not arrive at a closed door. Expect Google to ask for proof, such as new signage or a lease. Keep photos of the new exterior and entrance ready.
For a rename, change the name only after the signage and website show the new name.
Website and technical details
Change the name, address and phone in the header, footer, contact page, schema markup and any embedded maps. If your domain changes, set up page-by-page redirects from the old addresses to the new matching pages, and tell Search Console about the move using its change of address tool.
Update your email signature and any automated messages. Check that forms still send to the right inbox.
Work through the major map platforms, then the main directories, then industry listings. Use your inventory of old listings to find stragglers. Edit the existing entries instead of making new ones, which often produce duplicates.
Update social profiles, payment processors, vendor accounts, and association member pages, which are easy to forget.
Tell your customers
Send an email, post on social media and put a notice on the old door or website. Include the date, the new details, and parking or access information. Keep the old phone number forwarding for as long as people still use it, and mention both numbers on the website during the transition.
Ask regular customers to update their records and map apps.
Monitor after the change
For the next two months, search for your business name, old address and old phone number every couple of weeks. Look for stale listings and for map apps that still show the old location. Track calls and visits for dips. Reply quickly to reviews that mention confusion.
Keep your change log with dates and the proof you submitted, in case a platform needs more information.
A transition timeline
Four weeks before: finalize details, gather proof, and draft customer messages. Two weeks before: update the website with an upcoming notice and ready the new pages. On the day: switch the profile, website and main listings. One week after: finish directories, social pages and vendor accounts. One month after: run the search check for stragglers and review calls, directions and reviews for anything odd.
Remember to tell your bank, insurer, licensing bodies and suppliers too. Their records sometimes feed public sources, and mismatched details can slow future verification requests.
Common questions
Will I lose my reviews if I move?
Reviews stay with the same profile if you edit it rather than creating a new one, though a major change can trigger re-verification.
How long does the old information linger?
Some platforms update within days. Others take weeks or months, which is why a checklist and follow-up search are useful.
This guide is general information. Search engines change how they work and their guidelines; check Google's current documentation for your situation. Nobody can guarantee a ranking.