Google Business Profile news, October 2026: what changed and what to do

At a glance

You now have 4 days to reject suggested edits

Google's help page now says that once you're notified of a suggested edit to your profile, “you have 4 days to accept or reject the suggestion”. It also says Google may publish an update automatically if it's supported by other public information, and may apply some user edits without your review.

What to do: make sure edit notifications go to an inbox someone reads, and check your profile at least weekly. A wrong phone number or closing time published by default can cost you calls before you notice.

Stricter rules on contact details in posts

Google's posts help page now says it “may remove posts with unverified contact information”, and a phone number in a post description might be rejected if Google can't verify it belongs to the business. Google's prohibited content policy also says posts must not include email addresses, phone numbers, social media links or links to other websites, and that the main listing itself must not contain time-bound promotions, pricing or direct calls to action.

What to do: keep contact details out of the post text and use the post's built-in button (Call, Book, Learn more) instead. Offers and updates are still allowed in posts as long as they relate to your business.

Spam review spikes: Google removes them and pauses new reviews

Some owners received an email titled “Protecting your Business Profile from spam reviews”. Google says it detected a spike in spam reviews, removed them so they don't affect the rating, and temporarily paused new ratings, reviews and other contributions, typically for a few days.

What to do: nothing, in most cases. If genuine reviews disappeared, the email explains how to request a review. Keep asking customers as normal once the pause lifts.

New policy: misuse of support channels

Google added a “Misuse of support channels” section to its Business Profile policies. It covers false, misleading or bad-faith reports and repeated complaints with no basis, and warns that repeated unfounded submissions can lead to all further complaints being rejected without assessment.

What to do: report fake reviews, spam competitors and wrong edits when they genuinely break the rules, with evidence, and don't file the same report again and again.

Review appeals are taking longer

A Google team member posted in the Business Profile Help community that, due to high volume, processing times for review-related appeals are extended and Google can't give a timeframe. Google advised not to create duplicate appeals: once you've submitted one, no further action is needed.

What to do: appeal once, keep a note of the date, and reply calmly to the review in the meantime so other customers see your side.

Reported: sign-in needed to read all reviews on Maps

Users reported that Google Maps now asks people to sign in to a Google account to see all reviews, sort them or leave one. Google hasn't announced the change, so treat it as reported rather than confirmed, and it may vary by country.

What it means: people who aren't signed in may see fewer of your reviews, so your star rating, review count and the newest reviews and replies do more of the work. Keep reviews coming in every month and reply to each one.

Restaurants: new dietary tags for menu items

Google's Lisa Landsman announced gluten-free, dairy-free, halal and kosher tags for menu items, joining the existing vegetarian and vegan tags. Owners can add them by editing the menu in their Business Profile and ticking the right badges for each dish.

What to do: if you run a restaurant or café, tag every dish that genuinely qualifies. Only tag what's true: the tags are your own claims, not a certification.

Tests to watch

• A WhatsApp button in local search panels, next to Call and Directions, that opens a chat with the business. Google hasn't confirmed availability for all businesses. Check the WhatsApp number on your profile is correct.
• An option for Google to set your opening hours automatically. If you see it, keep checking your hours yourself, especially around holidays.
• Google posts shown higher up in some local knowledge panels.

Reminder: Google's rules on asking for reviews

Google's Maps content policy says merchants should not selectively ask happy customers, offer incentives, pressure people to review while on the premises or ask for specific content. It also lists asking staff to collect a certain number of reviews, or reviews that include specific content such as a staff member's name, as rating manipulation.

What to do: ask every customer for an honest review with a direct link, don't set staff review quotas, and don't suggest what customers should write.

Elsewhere in Google Search

Google's September 2026 spam update was rolling out at the start of October. It affects Google's web results rather than Business Profiles directly. If your website traffic changed around then, check you haven't been using bought links or thin, copied pages.