Google Business Profiles (GBP) have long been a cornerstone of local SEO efforts.
Google has devised several mechanisms and processes to deter abuse and improve the accuracy of GBP listing information and its appearance on Maps. As a result, Google frequently updates business listings without prior notice.
Understanding how, when and why Google makes these updates can help businesses be better prepared and implement defensive strategies to prevent incorrect information from appearing and negatively impacting the business.
How often does Google update GBP listings?
Whenever Google “updated” Google Business Profiles over the past three years, it also updated three data fields each time, as observed by Mirador Local, a GBP listing management platform. (Disclosure: Mirador Local is a tool created by my employer, SALT.agency.)
According to data from software-managed Google Business Profiles, 44% of GBP listings in their database have seen at least one such update in the past 36 months.
Their data also suggests a pattern and seasonality when Google releases more updates to GBP profiles. In November, December and before Easter, you see higher frequency of changes and updates of data fields, such as opening hours, than any other time of the year.
Another interesting finding from Mirador Local data was that Google simultaneously updated the names of 192 profiles of a single brand, removing the “™” from the brand name.
You are usually not notified of changes made to your profile by Google (or suggested by other users); some changes may be more problematic than others.
Removing a “™” from a brand can be frustrating for stakeholders. However, incorrect updates to your business hours, phone number or website URL can affect your business and potential customers.
Where does Google get the information it uses to convert your listings to GBP?
Although you can edit your Google Business Profile information, Google verifies changes against multiple data sources to prevent abuse of the GBP system.
These data sources include:
Information about the company on the “owned” website (ie contact page information and outline statements). Information about the company on “external” websites (ie BBB, Companies House, authorized directories). Public user contributions (ie Local Guides program, reviews, photos, manual edits). User engagement data with location.
Consistency in name, address and phone number (NAP) has long been crucial to local search optimization. While showing up in the map pack can offer significant benefits, it has unfortunately been over-exploited. This has led Google to take steps to validate and use alternative data sources to mitigate this abuse.
As Google’s systems have worked to prevent spam and improve accuracy, genuine businesses have been caught up in the struggle and required additional verification requests.
Learn more: How to follow Google Business Profile guidelines
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Optimization for Google’s GBP validation systems
While there is no direct way to optimize algorithms or AI, it is possible to ensure that everything within your sphere of influence is as accurate, consistent and optimized as possible.
NAP and brand consistency
Making sure your business name, address, and phone number are accurate on the web has been a rule of thumb for at least the last decade (as long as I can remember), but with the way Google works now, you have to ‘go beyond this box. .
Google’s validation systems compare information found online about your business with information submitted by businesses to their Google Business Profiles from sources such as:
Online Directories Chambers of Commerce Government Databases Local Business Associations
Consistency between these platforms can prevent Google from making incorrect assumptions and data modifications. Because of this, I often encourage clients to only create citations on prominent directories and platforms that they can modify in the future if needed.
Monitoring and leveraging user feedback
Google places a lot of weight and value on input from searchers (and the Local Guides community), working primarily to improve the accuracy and quality of listings.
They provide real-time insights that can be used to identify inaccuracies or out-of-date information that has not been collected algorithmically or that the company’s overall digital footprint is insufficient to validate.
When a user submits feedback, Google reviews the suggestion to assess its credibility. This might involve comparing the suggested edition with other available data sources.
In some cases, this may lead to requests for additional information or verification, such as asking the business owner to provide evidence to refute or modify the suggested edit within a certain time frame.
In addition to encouraging positive reviews, businesses can ask customers to validate business claims, such as opening hours, by simply mentioning that they stopped at the location “for lunch” or including a phrase like ” have a good afternoon.”
It is important to note that Google also has mechanisms in place to prevent “points” in content that infringe on theirs content policies.
“To detect policy-violating content, our machine learning algorithms scan contributions for signs of suspicious user activity. Our automated models remove policy-violating content or flag it for further review by of trained operators and analysts who perform content assessments that may be difficult for algorithms to perform alone.”
Leveraging user feedback in this way can strengthen your company’s information and contribute to your EEAT strategy.
Dig Deeper: How to create an EEAT strategy for local SEO
Consolidating your entity
Make sure your place in the Google Knowledge Graph is also important to prevent Google from updating your Google Business Profile with incorrect information.
An entity defines a “thing” or concept within the Google Knowledge Graph that is unique, defined, and distinguishable. They are characterized by attributes such as name and type and their relationship to other entities.
Because you are using multiple data points on the web, any confusion with companies of a similar name and in the same category or scope of service could result in their information not being placed on your profile.
Dig Deeper: How to Establish Your Brand Entity for SEO: A 5-Step Guide
The views expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.
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