You are trying to claim your business profile on Google Maps or Google Search and you came across this message: “This Business Profile has already been claimed”… You are probably thinking “someone claimed my business on Google”

Or perhaps you lost your Google login details.

Note: If you are just starting claiming your business profile on Google and you didn’t come across this message check this guide instead “How to Add a Business to Google“.

What to Do When Someone Else Claimed Your Business on Google

If you know/found the person that claimed your Google Business Profile follow these steps. 

Otherwise, you use the steps below, starting by choosing your business profile type.

If after reading this in-depth guide, you still need further help please do not hesitate to contact me.

Choose your business profile type:

There are different steps for businesses with a physical location and businesses without a physical location but service customers face to face at their location.

• Storefront or Hybrid Business – businesses with a physical location

• Service Area Business -businesses without a physical location but service customers face to face at their location

How To Claim A Business On Google That Is Already Claimed

1. Go to business.google.com/add
2. Enter the name, then choose it from the search results.
   • Pro Tip: if many profiles appear and you cannot see yours, after the business name, add your business address/postal code
3. You will see a message to inform you that the listing has already been claimed and verified, as well as a hint to the email address which was used to do this.
4. Click Request access and fill out the form.
5. Click Submit.

Step by Step Screenshot (click on the image to enlarge)

Go now to What Happens Next section»

How to Claim a Service Area Business When Someone Else Claimed Your Business on Google

1. Go to Google Search and search for the Business Profile
2. Click on the “Own this business” link, if there isn’t an option, you go to this link https://business.google.com/create
3. In the next screen, enter the business name and click “Next”
   • Note as the listing is verified and it’s a service area business, you normally don’t get the existing listing in the drop-down
4. You will have to go through the normal add your business to Google Setup
5. After you click on “Finish”, it will ask to the verify the profile
6. When click on “Verify”, Google will ask you “Please enter your mailing address to verify”.
7. Once the profile has been verified, you will receive the ‘Owner conflict’ box indicating that the location is a duplicate.
8. Click Request access and fill out the form.
9. Click Submit.

Step by Step Screenshot (click on the images to enlarge)

Go now to What Happens Next section»

What happens Next 

After you submit your request, the current profile owner will receive an email with your request and you will receive a request confirmation.

If you click on “View request “, you will be presented with this page:

The current owner has up to 3 or 7 days to respond, that person will either:

• Approve the request
• Deny the request
• Not respond

Your request is  Approved

 You will be notified by email and will gain full access to the listing, just login into your Google My Business account.

Your Request is Denied

  You will be notified by email stating “Sorry, owner of [Business ] has rejected your request…”  as the email example below. 

As you can see in the above example, you should be able to appeal by clicking “Appeal Now”.  

If you don’t have an Appeal link on the email, you need to contact Google Support.

Important: If the owner of the listing does not grant you the access, then anything added by that owner will not transfer with the listing, including photos and review responses, if access is gained in the appeal process. But customer reviews and photos will still be attached to the listing. 

You receive No Response

It is possible you may get no response, as the previous owners don’t care anymore about the listing.

After 3 Days, you may have the option to claim the listing yourself. Just go back to the confirmation email you received and click on “View request”:

If you are not able to get the verify/claim button, you need to contact Google Support.

You know the person that claimed your Google Business Profile

If they confirmed they have claimed it, now you should ask if they still have access to the Google Business Profile account.

If they have it, great! As it will be a much easier process, they only need transfer the ownership.

If you ever need my help with any Google Business Profile issue or talk about strategy for Google Business Profile and/or Local SEO, please don’t hesitate to contact me.