Multiple Google Business Pages/ Backlinks for Google Maps

[underdogmike]

Hello,

I represent several attorneys in the metro Atlanta area. In doing my research with open site explorer and other tools I am finding that many of the competitors have more that one, if not several personal and branded Google business pages.
So this raises several questions while I go through my Local SEO strategy.

1. How Many Google+/My Business Pages Can A Business Owner Have?
2. Should I be creating backlinks for the Google Business Pages as I do for my clients website?
3. I noticed that some of the competitors are creating backlinks with their Google Map Location URL, is this a best practice?

In addition to those questions, I am curious about the various different Google+ pages that are available to business owners.
As of now, I create and cultivate the following Google Pages for my clients:

1. Claim a GMB Page and optimize it with photos and accurate information
2. Attached to the GMB Page there is a Google + Page(this is where I share blogs and updates for the business).

Upon further review I feel like there are a few steps that I am missing in regards to the Google + pages. Listed below are  the links to Local Market leader for Criminal Defense in Woodstock GA. From what I can tell he has 4 separately branded Google+ pages that are all verified.

https://plus.google.com/104434819427186216811/about

https://plus.google.com/113476381600385352368/about

https://plus.google.com/104300020905072698361/about

https://plus.google.com/103523192982501886740/about

Should I be taking the same approach?

[MiriamEllis]

Hey Mike,

In a nutshell, you can have:

1. 1 GMB page per staffed physical location

2. and, if you choose, 1 GMB page for each of the lawyers in the practice, but be sure to follow Google's conventions as to naming practices for practitioners (detailed in Kristen's response) and definitely provide a unique local number for each attorney that directly connects to him/her. Be sure all citations for the attorneys are consistent across the web and all link to a unique landing page on the website for the respective attorney, which features their complete NAP at the top.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean about backlinks to a Google Map Location URL. Can you provide an example or further explanation of this?

The decision to use Google as a social medium has become quite controversial in past months due to the removal of Google+ links and the disappearance of owner posts from any highly visible display. I recommend reading the comments discussion here for more info on this https://blumenthals.com/blog/2015/07/23/google-removing-all-non-verified-local-pages-from-plus/. While GMB is still vital to a local search campaign, Google+ as a social platform may be of questionable value.

[Lumina]

The answer to most of your questions is: it's counter-intuitive to have more than one Google + / Local / GMB page; unless you have multiple locations. Having more than one Google + or Google Local page will actually cannibalize your listings. Plus, it confuses Google often, leading to issues with your Maps location and other information. Plus, while the competitor to whom you linked has changed the NAP on their page slightly in each instance, this is a grayhat tactic and should be avoided. It's also possible that they'd done this by mistake (there have been times when Google's services were confusing and made it too easy to create a new Google + page rather than tying something to an existing page).

As a general rule, I'd avoid trying to trick or obfuscate the systems by which Google and other authorities work. It never ends well. Keep one Google + page per location. Make sure it's tied to your Google Local and My Business accounts, and that you're consistent with NAP and other information.