Category: Google Maps

Google launched a new feature for Google Business Profiles that lets you check the status of your edits. So if you made a change and you want to see what the status of that change is for your Google local listing, now you can.

Google Business Profiles appeal tool now shows the reason your appeal was rejected. It can show a list of reasons why the appeal was rejected, so that next time you submit the appeal, you can hopefully get it approved.

Google has updated its local ranking documentation and Tips to improve your local ranking on Google page. The new wording is shorter and has fewer details than the older version.

Google seems to be automatically adding social media links to Google Business Profiles. A post from Darren Shaw of Whitespark shows that hundreds or thousands of locations had their social media links added over the past short period of time.

We know you have been able to add your text or WhatsApp number to your Google Business Profile for some time now, but now Google is asking for it when you set up your Google Business Profile for the first time.

Starting around June 25, 2025, many are noticing huge declines in impressions and clicks from their local rankings in Google. This is from the Google Business Profiles performance reports and I think it is a data/reporting glitch, but who knows, maybe…

Google has removed from the Google Business Profiles help documentation the ability to use a utility bill as evidence for submitting an appeal. I am not sure why it was removed, maybe it was too easy to spoof by finding a copy online and editing it?

A number of local SEOs are stating that Google is now requiring businesses that had their Google Business Profiles suspended to reverify at a higher rate than normal. Meaning, the business needs to go through the verification process again to be activa…

Google seems to be testing a new ad unit for hotel or nearby listings that have big blue buttons to book at the site being listed. I am honestly not sure if this is new but I am told it is.

Google seems to be testing (or maybe it is a bug) the local panel sub-menu under the main search bar, under the search box. Normally, these sub-menu items would be grouped in the local panel on the right side of the page (normally on mobile) but here i…

A couple of years ago, we covered a report by the NY Times on the ongoing issues with review scams and blackmail. Well, the issue is not gone, despite Google responding to that report. From what I am told, it is still relatively common and our own Bi…

Google updated its service areas business guidelines help document to add “Do not add countries or states as a service area.” Google also updated numerous parts of the document.

Google seems to be expanding the feature where they turn off the ability for some local listings, Google Business Profiles, to allow posting reviews. We covered this before during the UK and limited release, where you would get a notice that says “Pos…

Google will be ending the ability for hotels to manage their hotel rates by themselves, instead they will need to partner with a central reservation system, Internet booking engine or other partner to manage those rates on Google Search.

Google is testing moving the social profile links above the Google Posts section in the Google Business Profiles / local listings within Google Search. This seems to be being tested right now.

Google is testing new report reviews options in the Google Business Profiles reviews section. You can access it, if you are in the test, by looking at your local reviews in Google Search and clicking on the report / alert icon next to any review.

Google has rolled out a new interface to view your historical Google Posts within Google Business Profiles. Now the interface is a scrollable list view.

Google seems to be flip-flopping between calling it Google Posts and Google Updates within Google Business Profiles. When a business owner wants to post an announcement of sorts on their Google local listing, they can click “Add update” or now “Posts” …

Google seems to be testing displaying local ads at the bottom of the Google local map pack in the Google Search results. Normally the sponsored ads are at the top of the local pack, but here they are at the bottom.

Google is testing adding product tags to photos within Google Local carousel’s photos. These tags are overlayed on the “explore through photos” unit.