A new location usually launches with an opening date, a fit-out, staff and signage all planned in detail, and search left until afterwards. The branch then spends its first few months invisible — no reviews, a profile still awaiting verification, a website page that search engines have not found — during exactly the period when the business most needs customers through the door.
Most of that delay is avoidable if the work starts before opening.
A timeline that works
| What happens | |
|---|---|
| Six to eight weeks before | Location page published and linked; keyword and competitor research for the area |
| Four to six weeks before | Business Profile created and verification started |
| Two to four weeks before | Key citations and directory listings created with the final details |
| Opening week | Profile goes live with photographs, hours and services complete |
| First three months | Structured review requests from the first customers onwards |
Verification takes time
Business Profile verification can take days or weeks, and it has to be done at the new address. Starting it well before opening means the profile is ready to go live on the first day rather than weeks later. Some verification methods require signage to be in place, which is worth knowing when planning the fit-out.
Protect the existing locations
A new branch near an existing one can pull searches away from it if the two are not clearly differentiated. Planning which areas and neighbourhoods each location serves, and reflecting that on both pages and profiles, stops the new branch cannibalising the old one.
The first reviews matter most
A new profile with no reviews competes poorly against established competitors with hundreds. The fastest way to close that gap is a review process running from the very first customer, rather than something added once the branch feels established. The early weeks, when every customer is new and staff are keen, are often the best time to ask.