Future Opening Date and Opening Date are fields currently supported by Google to show upcoming store openings as well as years in business respectively.
Future Opening Date (Coming Soon Locations)
When creating a location in the platform with an opening date in the future, we will activate the listings on Google and Facebook. For Facebook, we can create a page up to 90 days prior to the opening date. For Google, we will create a listing up to 1 year prior. Once the listing is verified on Google, the listing will get published by Google up to 90 days before the opening.
For Google, the platform will send the 'Opening date' field set in the future. If your location is connected to Google and if your location in your Google Business Profile account is verified, it will be published on Google Maps up to 90 days before the opening date and the listing will display the future opening date (example: "Opens on Tue Nov 14").
In the case of Facebook, the page will contain the date created as usual and the name descriptor will contain a 'Coming Soon' text. The 'Coming Soon' text will be removed once the opening date is reached.
How to create locations that have a future opening date
Step 1: Create the new location in the Uberall platform or via API*.
When adding a location you have the possibility to select an opening date of the location set in the future:
Step 2: Connect your location to Google or Facebook.
Step 3: Sync your location.
If you have auto-sync enabled, your location will be synced automatically. If auto-sync is disabled, sync your location by clicking the blue button:
Step 4 (only for Google): Verify your Google location.
Our system will now create a new location in your Google Business Profile if it doesn't exist there already. This newly created location needs to be verified - only then will it be visible on Google Maps (and display the future opening date).
Click on "Verify" in our platform, then complete the required verification process:
Information
Your location will only show on Facebook, Google and its child directories on the 'Directories' section until the 'Future opening date' is reached.
Once the date is reached, the rest of the directories in the location's plan will be added.
Invoicing
How will this location be billed?
The location will be billed according to the date added to the platform, not at date of opening.
Opening Date
Users can add the date their location first opened for business by using the Opening date field.
Google can utilise this information to let users know how long a location has been in business.
How can the Opening Date be added?
Simply fill go to the respective location > Profile > Basic Data and fill in the field called Opening Date
The information can be filled for all existing locations or when adding an already open locations.
What happens if a locations has not opened yet?
If the location has not opened yet, the opening date will be populated with the Future Opening Date that has been entered when adding the location to the platform (see Future Opening Date). Once done the Future Opening Date is no longer visible. Instead, an informational message will be shown mentioning that the “Opening Date” represents the date the listing’s information will be published.
This opening date can be modified multiple times and the update will be sent to GBP via API. Please note that changes usually it can take up to 72 hours if Google reviews it.
*API clients should begin transitioning from “Future Opening Date” to “Opening Date”. Since API Version _20220208, only the openingDate is used.