The GoogleLocations API allows you to see in advance whether a location has been
claimed in Business Profile. This way, if the location has been claimed, you can immediately
request access to the location. Also, if you manage bulk-verified accounts, you can more accurately
select potential matches in advance and avoid the creation of duplicate locations.

The API endpoint returns a URL that indicates if a location has already been claimed. If it has
been claimed, the same URL allows you to start the access request process.

The following image provides an overview of the process to gain ownership of a location.
![](https://developers.google.com/static/my-business/images/locations1.png) **Figure 1.** Swimlane diagram of Business Profile location ownership

The following steps allow you to use the `GoogleLocations` API:

1. Collect location data from the merchant.
2. Call the
   [`googleLocations.search`](https://developers.google.com/my-business/reference/businessinformation/rest/v1/googleLocations)
   endpoint. Provide the location data within the body of the call. Alternatively, you can provide
   it in a query string, similar to what a user would enter in Search or Maps. For example,
   "Starbucks 5th ave NYC."

   The API returns a list of potentially matching locations and information about each location,
   such as `locationName` and address.
3. Select the location that matches your location. If there are no matches, call [`accounts.locations.create`](https://developers.google.com/my-business/reference/businessinformation/rest/v1/accounts.locations/create), and skip to step 5.
4. Based on the state of `requestAdminRightsUrl` in the response, take the following
   actions:

   1. If `requestAdminRightsUrl` exists, another user has ownership of the listing. Direct the merchant to the URL to start a request for access and ownership of the existing location in Business Profile.
   2. If `requestAdminRightsUrl` doesn't exist, call [`accounts.locations.create`](https://developers.google.com/my-business/reference/businessinformation/rest/v1/accounts.locations/create) and create a new listing that will be verified later.
5. If you created new listings as part of this process, you can utilize the verification APIs to begin verification of the listings. For more information, see [Manage verification](https://developers.google.com/my-business/content/manage-verification).

> [!CAUTION]
> **Note:** The GoogleLocations API is intended to find the status of locations for which your company has a business relationship with the merchant. The use of the endpoints for the purposes of lead generation or competitive analysis is against [Google's policies](https://developers.google.com/my-business/content/policies#prohibited_practices) and will result in revocation of API access.