What to Update when Moving Your Business to a New Address
Here are a few reminders of updates to make when you change your business address.
1. Change Your Address For Local Listings Online
- Google My Business
- Yelp
- BBB
- Chamber of Commerce
- Bing Places
- Yahoo Small Business
- AngiesList
This can be pretty time intensive, but it must be done. Imagine incorrect address and phone numbers sending potential customers to an empty storefront – that’s lost revenue!
When you start sharing your new address, make sure you’re using the “normalized” address that Google, the post office, and other address entities recognize. Here’s a great tool for finding your new address in its correct form.
2. Update Social Media Addresses
Not only should you update your address on social media, use this opportunity to update cover images or logos to current sizes. Here’s a link to our 2018 Social Media Photo Sizes.
3. Try to Keep Your Phone Number
If you are forced to get a new number because you changed towns, be sure you can keep your old number and have it forward to the new number. This can help redirect customers to your new location and prevent any immediate drop-off of interest.
4. Inform the Government
The government needs to know you moved as well – update your name, address, phone and other pertinent information with the licensing and taxing entities in your state.
- Department of Revenue (In Wisconsin)
- WDFI (In Wisconsin)
- USPS
5. Update Your Address on Every Piece of Marketing You Have
Your website, email marketing templates, email signature, business cards, and be sure you let your marketing company know you’ve moved. Here’s our Rebranding Guide that might serve as a reminder for some other updates that need to occur.
6. Update Your AdWords Campaigns
If you’re running paid advertising campaigns and you’re focusing on a local market – your physical address needs to be updated in your targeting or location extensions. Wrong addresses send customers to incorrect locations – that can be a painful loss for the business to absorb. Changing your Google My Business listing will not automatically update extensions in AdWords.
7. Automatic Payments
Here’s one you probably didn’t think of – any website that auto-charges your business credit card will be calling because your charges will not go through once you update the address at your credit card company or bank.
8. Let Your Clients Know
You’ve gone through the work of moving and updating your online presence, but don’t forget to spread the word that you’ve moved!
- Add a pre-printed Post-it note to invoices
- Send a “We’ve Moved” postcard to clients
- Put a pop-up on your website for the first month
- Spread the word on social media
- Send an email blast
Summary
I always recommend clients make sure each employee has a sheet with the name, address, and phone number (NAP) for the business that they are required to use whenever they create a new account, listing, or profile online. This can help alleviate questions, prevent suite or abbreviation errors, and save headaches in data consistency down the road!
Good luck with your move!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ben Lindberg, CR is a partner at the Lion Tree Group, a digital marketing agency, in Madison, WI. His expertise is in multi-platform brand messaging with a focus on inspired homeowner engagement. As an industry insider, he has walked the walk and developed a winning business campaign strategy from experience with one of Wisconsin’s largest remodeling companies. His agency’s core competencies include digital website design, transitional market campaigns, and branding updates. He regularly blogs at his company’s blog: The Bark and Roar.