Short answer: The main Google Business Profile news this autumn: posts with unverified phone numbers, emails or social handles may be removed, owners have four days to reject suggested edits before Google may publish them, post view counts returned, and the September 2026 spam update ran from September 24 to October 8. Google announced no local-only ranking update.
How should you read this log?
Each entry has a date, a status and a source you can check. Dates are the day Google announced a change or the day it was first reported. Google does not date quiet edits to its help pages, so for those the date is when the change was first noticed.
- Confirmed: Google published it on a help page, its blog, the Search Status Dashboard, or in an official email or bulletin.
- Spotted: local SEO practitioners saw it in the product, but Google has not announced it. Tests like these often change or disappear.
- Reported: a pattern practitioners documented, without a Google statement.
- Bug: a fault that Google or its Product Experts acknowledged.
In this log
What changed in Google Business Profile in September 2026?
September 25: Posts with unverified contact details can be removed
Confirmed. Google's content policy for photos, videos and posts now says it may remove posts with unverified contact information, and that this includes phone numbers, email addresses and social media handles. The same page points to the Call now button, which uses the verified number on your profile. What to do: take numbers and emails out of post text and use a button instead. Our Google Posts guide covers the post types and buttons.
Source: Business Profile photos, videos & posts content policy, Google Business Profile Help.
September 24: The September 2026 spam update started
Confirmed. Google released the September 2026 spam update on September 24. It applies globally and to all languages, and Google said the rollout may take up to two weeks. The dashboard marks it complete on October 8. Spam updates act on web pages in Google Search, so watch your website's organic traffic, not only your profile metrics. What to do: compare Search Console data from before September 24 with data from after October 8.
Source: September 2026 spam update, Google Search Status Dashboard.
September 23: You have four days to reject a suggested edit
Confirmed. Google's help page on profile updates now says that once you are notified of a suggested edit that needs your review, you have 4 days to accept or reject it. If you do not respond, Google may publish the change when other public information, such as your website, supports it. What to do: keep email notifications on, check the profile at least twice a week, and keep the hours, address and phone number on your website identical to the profile. Watching for edits is part of our Google Business Profile management.
Source: Understand Google updates on your Business Profile, Google Business Profile Help.
September 10: Post view counts are back
Confirmed. Google's September Small Business Bulletin, posted in the Business Profile Help Community, announced view counts for posts. The number sits on each post card, covers updates, offers and events published in the past 18 months, and combines views from Search and Maps. It is not in the API yet. What to do: compare views by post type for a month before deciding what to post more of.
Source: Google Adds Post View Counts To Business Profiles, Search Engine Journal, September 10, 2026.
September 10: Fake phone numbers inside customer photos
Reported. Practitioners documented one contributor account uploading AI-generated images with the same wrong phone number to more than 150 unrelated listings across the US, including a roofing company's. Customers who trusted the photo called the scammer instead of the business. A day later the same report said Google had removed the contributor. What to do: check photos added by customers every week and report any that show a phone number that is not yours.
Source: Google Maps Phone Number in Photo Scam, Search Engine Roundtable, September 10, 2026.
September 2: Tell Maps lets people edit places by chat in the US
Confirmed. Tell Maps lets Google Maps users suggest edits, post short tips and upload photos through a conversation in Ask Maps or the Contribute tab. Google announced it on August 6, and it began reaching US users in early September. Google's announcement says Maps can read new opening hours from a photo of a storefront sign, and its help page says contributions must follow Maps content policies. What to do: expect more suggested edits, which makes the four-day review window above more important. If unwanted edits keep reappearing, see our fix for spam edits to a Business Profile.
Sources: Tell Maps help page, Google Maps Help; Google Tell Maps Starts To Roll Out, Search Engine Roundtable, September 2, 2026; Google's Ask Maps announcement, The Keyword, August 6, 2026.
Also reported in September 2026
| Date | What was seen | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | Confirmed by Google Ads on X. Ads using both location and call assets may send calls to the Business Profile number instead of the call-asset number. First raised by an advertiser on X on September 1. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Sep 24 | Spotted. A test that lets owners describe their opening hours in a sentence, then fills in the hours fields. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Sep 22 | Confirmed (Google email). Google emails saying it detected a spike in spam reviews on a profile, removed them and paused new reviews for a short time. If fake reviews stay up, see how we dispute fake Google reviews. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Sep 22 | Unconfirmed. The permanently closed and temporarily closed options were missing from some dashboards. Others still saw them. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Sep 17 | Spotted. Mobile local knowledge panels labelled as an AI Overview, with a Show more button that opens a chat. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Sep 8 | Bug, fixed. Performance insights showed no September data. The data appeared by September 11. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Sep 4 | Spotted. A new verification option: a photo of the storefront with the business name on permanent signage. It was not in Google's verification help when reported. Stuck on verification? See our verification help. | Search Engine Roundtable |
What were the GBP updates in August 2026?
August 18 to 21: The August 2026 spam update
Confirmed. Google released the August 2026 spam update on August 18 and completed it on August 21. It applied globally and to all languages. What to do: if organic traffic to your website fell from August 18, check your site against Google's spam policies before you change anything on your profile.
Source: August 2026 spam update, Google Search Status Dashboard.
August 10: Your business name must appear once, in one script
Confirmed. Google's guidelines for representing your business now list repeating the same business name in more than one script or language as not allowed, even when the storefront sign shows it that way. Google's examples keep a single version of the name. What to do: if your sign is bilingual, choose one form of the name for the profile. Name checks are part of our profile optimization work.
Source: Guidelines for representing your business on Google, Google Business Profile Help.
August 6: Ask Maps goes global, with ordering, hotels and Tell Maps
Confirmed. Google expanded Ask Maps in English to Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and more than 150 other countries and territories. In the US it added food ordering with Square and Toast, hotel and event search, and conversational edits (Tell Maps). What to do: Ask Maps draws on what Google knows about places and on reviews, so fill in hours, services, attributes and menus completely.
Source: Google's announcement of ordering, hotels and Tell Maps in Ask Maps, The Keyword, August 6, 2026.
August 3: How to spot Google's real WhatsApp and text messages
Confirmed. Google updated its help page on fraudulent calls and texts. It says Google contacts businesses by WhatsApp or RCS messages in some countries to collect or confirm profile details. The real WhatsApp sender has a blue verification checkmark and the name Google Maps; RCS messages show Google. Google says it will never ask for payment or sensitive information. What to do: share this with whoever answers your business phone.
Source: Help protect against fraudulent calls and texts, Google Business Profile Help.
Also reported in August 2026
| Date | What was seen | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 24 | Reported. Reviews missing after a suspended profile is reinstated. Google was reported to be aware. Keep your support case open and reply to it with the missing count. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Aug 19 | Spotted. A revamped Q&A flow in the dashboard that asks owners yes-or-no questions about their business. Background: what happened to GBP Q&A. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Aug 14 | Spotted. A link to report a business owner's reply to a review. | Search Engine Roundtable |
What changed in July 2026?
July 8: Appeals now take evidence inside the form
Spotted. The Business Profile appeals flow now asks for supporting documents during the appeal, with one button for several files, instead of a separate upload afterwards. The question about bulk reinstatement (10 or more locations) moved to the start. What to do: gather your documents before you open the appeal, not after. Our suspension recovery work starts with that document check.
Sources: Appeals Adds Evidence Uploads In Workflow, Search Engine Roundtable, July 8, 2026; Manage appeals for your Business Profiles, Google.
July 3: Reviews vanished in bulk, then came back
Bug, fixed. Many businesses lost large numbers of reviews at once, in one case thousands. A Google spokesperson said its systems remove reviews and pause new ones when they detect suspicious reviews, and that reviews removed by mistake would be restored. Google later said the issue was resolved. What to do: note your review count each month so you can show what went missing. Our guide to why Google reviews disappear covers the other causes.
Source: Google Local Reviews Go Missing For Many Businesses, Search Engine Roundtable, July 3, 2026.
July 3: Review restrictions can stack
Reported. An enforcement email shared by a local SEO practitioner showed Google treating newly found incentivized reviews as a new violation on top of earlier ones, with a two-month restriction on the profile's reviews. What to do: end any review incentive completely and switch to a policy-safe review routine. A second violation can lengthen the restriction.
Source: Google Business Profile Restrictions & Penalties Are Additive, Search Engine Roundtable, July 3, 2026.
Also reported in July 2026
| Date | What was seen | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 31 | Bug, unresolved when reported. Products, both new and previously approved, stuck in Pending. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Jul 22 | Bug (Product Experts said Google is aware). Owner replies to reviews not showing when the owner was logged in. | Search Engine Roundtable |
What changed in June 2026?
June 22: See what Google learned from its automated calls and messages
Confirmed. Google's help page on editing your profile says Google may occasionally contact the verified phone number by automated call, text or WhatsApp to confirm business details. A Collected info section shows what was gathered, when, and from where, and lets you delete it. Deleting it removes it from Google's records but does not change details already on the profile. It is only available in some regions, languages and categories. Google first announced the automated contact by email in March 2026. What to do: if you have it, open Edit profile, then Collected info, and check each item.
Sources: Edit your Business Profile, Google Business Profile Help; New Collected Info Actions, Search Engine Roundtable, June 22, 2026.
June 10: Connect your Business Profile to Gemini
Confirmed. Google announced that a Business Profile can be connected to Gemini, which can then draft review replies, update hours, post seasonal updates and explain your performance data. Google said the updates were rolling out globally that month, with the profile connection arriving in the following weeks, excluding the EEA and the UK. What to do: treat AI-drafted replies as drafts and read each one before it is published.
Source: Google's announcement of Gemini features for businesses, The Keyword, June 10, 2026.
June 5: Business Profile data in Google Analytics
Confirmed. You can link Business Profiles to a Google Analytics property under Admin, then Product links. The report shows interactions, website clicks, calls, directions, messages, bookings and menus for the last 6 months. When several profiles are linked you cannot filter by profile, and the metrics cannot be used in explorations or comparisons. You need Editor or Administrator access in Analytics and Owner or Manager access on the profile. What to do: link it, and keep UTM tags on your profile's website link so those visits stay separate in GA4. Our UTM tracking guide shows how.
Source: Connect Google Business Profile to Google Analytics, Google Analytics Help.
Also reported in June 2026
| Date | What was seen | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 26 | Spotted. A Message button marked as handled by an AI agent appeared in some dashboards for a few hours, then disappeared. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Jun 24 to 26 | Confirmed. June 2026 spam update. | Search Status Dashboard |
| Jun 11 | Bug (confirmed by a Google Product Expert). WhatsApp numbers added to many profiles automatically, some of them landlines, which owners at first could not remove. Owners reported that deleting them worked again from June 10. | Search Engine Roundtable |
What changed in May 2026?
May had no Business Profile change that Google announced. The main event was the May 2026 core update, and the rest were reports from practitioners.
| Date | What was seen | Source |
|---|---|---|
| May 26 | Spotted, not seen by everyone. View counts on individual photos and videos in the profile's media section. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| May 25 | Spotted. Rejection notices that name the specific guideline, for example for a removed appointment link. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| May 21 to Jun 2 | Confirmed. May 2026 core update. | Search Status Dashboard |
| May 5 | Reported. A wave of profile suspensions linked to restrictions on the user's Google account, with no clear policy cause. | Search Engine Roundtable |
What changed in April 2026?
April 17: No staff review quotas, and no asking customers to name staff
Confirmed. Google's rating manipulation policy now lists two more merchant practices as not allowed: asking staff to collect a certain number of reviews, and asking staff to collect reviews with specific content, including a staff member's name. The policy already banned pressuring customers to review while on the premises, offering incentives, and asking only happy customers. What to do: send one neutral request to every customer after the visit. Our Google review policy guide explains each rule, and our review management service runs this process for you.
Sources: Prohibited and restricted content, Maps user contributed content policy; Google Updates Reviews Policy, Search Engine Roundtable, April 17, 2026.
April 15: Event and offer posts can repeat
Confirmed. Google announced in its April Small Business Bulletin that event and offer posts can repeat daily, weekly or monthly, for things like a weekly trivia night. Update posts do not repeat. Google later said the feature also works through the API. What to do: set up a recurring offer or event once instead of reposting it.
Source: Google Posts Repeat Posts Feature Now Live, Search Engine Roundtable, April 15, 2026.
April 14: A different business at the same address needs a new profile
Confirmed. Google expanded the identity change section of its Business Profile policies. It says edits that try to change the nature of a business significantly are often fraudulent. If a different business now operates at the location, the old profile should be marked permanently closed, not renamed. What to do: if you opened a new business where another one traded, create a new profile instead of renaming the old one and keeping its reviews. A Google Business Profile setup service can build the new one in your own account.
Source: Business Profile policies, identity change section, Google Business Profile Help.
Also reported in April 2026
| Date | What was seen | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 23 | Spotted in the API. Owner replies to reviews now carry a moderation state in the API: pending, rejected or approved. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Apr 8 | Confirmed. The March 2026 core update finished. | Search Status Dashboard |
What changed in March 2026?
March 12: Ask Maps launches in the US and India
Confirmed. Google launched Ask Maps, a Gemini-powered way to ask Google Maps complex questions in plain language and get recommendations, on Android and iOS in the US and India. What to do: read our Ask Maps guide for local businesses on how a business shows up in its answers.
Source: Google's announcement of Ask Maps and Immersive Navigation, The Keyword, March 12, 2026.
Also reported in March 2026
| Date | What was seen | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 31 | Confirmed (Google email). Google emails saying it may call, text or WhatsApp the verified number to confirm business details. Now in Google's help (see June). | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Mar 27 | Confirmed. The March 2026 core update started. It finished on April 8. | Search Status Dashboard |
| Mar 24 to 25 | Confirmed. March 2026 spam update. | Search Status Dashboard |
| Mar 24 | Spotted. A Reply to reviews with AI option in some dashboards. | Search Engine Roundtable |
What changed in February 2026?
February 11: Short names are gone from profiles
Confirmed. Google announced in the Business Profile Community that short names are no longer shown on profiles, and that new ones cannot be created or edited. Existing short names and URLs still work. What to do: on printed material and in review requests, use the review link or QR code from your profile instead of a short name.
Source: Google Business Short Names Being Removed, Search Engine Roundtable, February 11, 2026.
Also reported in February 2026
| Date | What was seen | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 25 | Reported. Verification now asks you to choose a business type. Choosing online-only, or unstaffed for a normal business, can lead to a hidden address or a suspension. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Feb 23 | Spotted. AI-written service lists and descriptions on some small-business knowledge panels. | Search Engine Roundtable |
| Feb 20 | Confirmed. Google revised the review section of its prohibited and restricted content policy. | Search Engine Roundtable |
Which Google Search updates hit local businesses in 2026?
These are the confirmed ranking updates on Google's Search Status Dashboard for 2026. None was specific to local search. Core and spam updates act on web pages in Search, so compare your website's organic traffic in Search Console for the weeks before and after each window.
| Update | Started | Completed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 spam update | Sep 24, 2026 | Oct 8, 2026 | Dashboard |
| August 2026 spam update | Aug 18, 2026 | Aug 21, 2026 | Dashboard |
| June 2026 spam update | Jun 24, 2026 | Jun 26, 2026 | Dashboard |
| May 2026 core update | May 21, 2026 | Jun 2, 2026 | Dashboard |
| March 2026 core update | Mar 27, 2026 | Apr 8, 2026 | Dashboard |
| March 2026 spam update | Mar 24, 2026 | Mar 25, 2026 | Dashboard |
The dashboard also lists a February 2026 Discover update (February 5 to 27), which affects Google Discover rather than Search results. Google's helpful content system has been part of its core ranking systems since March 2024, according to its guide to ranking systems. If your Maps visibility fell on a date that matches none of these windows, look at the profile itself first: categories, suspensions, edits and reviews. Our Google Maps ranking drop recovery starts there.
What should you do about this month's GBP news?
- Phone numbers, emails and social handles are out of post text, and posts use the Call now button instead
- Email notifications are on, and someone checks suggested edits at least twice a week
- The hours, address and phone number on your website match the profile exactly
- Customer photos have been checked for phone numbers that are not yours
- The business name appears once, in one script
- Every customer gets the same review request, with no staff quotas and no request to name staff
- The profile is linked to Google Analytics, and its website link carries UTM tags
- Search Console data from before September 24 has been compared with data from after the September spam update finished on October 8
Each item comes from a confirmed entry above.
Where does Google announce Business Profile changes?
Google does not keep one changelog for Business Profiles. These are the places this log is built from:
- Google Business Profile Help: policy and feature pages. Several 2026 changes were quiet edits to these pages, such as the four-day window for suggested edits and the posts contact policy.
- Google Business Profile Community: where Google staff post the monthly Small Business Bulletin.
- Google Search Status Dashboard: start and end dates for core and spam updates.
- The Keyword, Google's blog: product launches such as Ask Maps and the Gemini connection.
- Business Profile API change logs: shutdowns such as the Q&A API.
- Trade press such as Search Engine Roundtable and Search Engine Journal, which report tests Google has not announced.
Frequently asked questions
What is the latest Google Business Profile news?
As of October 9, 2026, Google may remove posts that contain unverified phone numbers, emails or social handles. Owners have four days to accept or reject a suggested edit before Google may publish it. Post view counts returned to the dashboard, and the September 2026 spam update ran from September 24 to October 8.
Is Google My Business the same as Google Business Profile?
Yes. Google My Business is the old name for the same product. Google's own help pages describe Business Profile as formerly known as Google My Business or Google Places, so Google My Business updates and Google Business Profile updates mean the same thing.
Did Google release a local ranking update in 2026?
Google has not announced a local-only update in 2026. Its Search Status Dashboard lists two core updates, in March and May, and four spam updates, in March, June, August and September, plus a February update to Discover. They affect websites in every sector, local businesses included. The helpful content system has been part of core ranking since March 2024.
Can I still put a phone number in a Google Business Profile post?
Only if Google can verify it belongs to the business. Google's content policy says posts with unverified phone numbers, email addresses or social media handles may be removed. The safer choice is the Call now button, which uses the verified phone number on your profile.
How long do I have to reject a suggested edit to my profile?
Four days from the notification. Google's help page says that if you do not respond within 4 days, Google may publish the change when other public information, such as your website, supports it. Keep email notifications on and check the profile at least twice a week.
Is the Q&A section on Google Business Profiles gone?
Google discontinued the Q&A API on November 3, 2025, and owner Q&A was removed from Business Profiles in December 2025; customers now ask questions in Ask Maps. In August 2026 practitioners spotted a revamped Q&A flow in the dashboard that asks owners yes-or-no questions about their business. Google has not announced it, so treat it as a test.
Updated October 9, 2026: recorded the end of the September 2026 spam update and the February Discover update, added the December 2025 Q&A removal, and corrected details in the photo-scam, Tell Maps, Gemini and ad-call entries. Sources: Google Search Status Dashboard: September 2026 spam update · Google: Q&A API change log · Google: Gemini features for businesses. Written by the GMB Experts USA team; every entry links to its source. Correction: earlier versions of this page described a September 2026 Google "helpful content" update aimed at local results. We found no Google source for it, so we removed it and rebuilt the page as a sourced log.