Google Business Profile updates and changes

SERoundtable recaps the week's search industry updates including Google's PHP exploit guidance, continued ranking volatility, and platform announcements.

Affects: AI Overview citation cards, local knowledge panel layout, Google Business Profile verification, Google Ads lifecycle goals

Google has repositioned the Google Posts section higher on local knowledge panels, reversing a 2018 move that had relegated it to the bottom.

Affects: Google Posts placement on local knowledge panel

Google is adding gluten-free, dairy-free, halal, and kosher dietary attributes to Google Business Profiles for restaurants.

Affects: dietary attribute badges, gluten-free, dairy-free, halal and kosher tags

Google is displaying WhatsApp buttons in local search panels alongside existing call, directions, and website buttons.

Affects: Local panel action buttons, WhatsApp button

Google Maps now requires users to sign in with a Google account to view all reviews, sort results, and leave feedback on business listings.

Affects: Review access, Review sorting, Leaving reviews

Google is experimenting with a two-row button layout for local search panel actions on mobile devices.

Affects: Mobile local panel action buttons

Google deployed its fourth spam update of 2026 and expanded Search Console with multimodal search filters and new Page Experience metrics.

Affects: spam update, multimodal search filters, Page Experience CrUX ad metrics, Local Service Ads

Google Business Profiles is testing an AI feature that automatically converts text descriptions of business hours into structured format for local search results.

Affects: Business hours setup

Google clarified that business owners have a four-day window to reject user-suggested edits to their Google Business Profiles before the changes auto-apply.

Affects: Suggested user edits, Listing notifications

Google is now notifying business owners when its systems detect and remove a sudden spike in spam reviews from their Business Profile.

Affects: spam review detection, Business Profile review notifications, temporary review pausing

Google is converting local knowledge panels from Google Business Profiles into AI Overview format with expandable chat-style interfaces.

Affects: Local knowledge panels, AI Overviews, AI Mode follow-up chat

Google is rolling out view counts for Business Profile posts globally, showing combined views from Search and Maps for posts from the past 18 months.

Affects: Posts reporting, Post view counts · Effective: As of Sept. 10

Google Business Profiles is testing a fifth verification method that accepts submitted photos of a business location alongside existing phone, email, video, and postcard options.

Affects: Business profile verification

Google is rolling out Tell Maps, an AI feature that lets Maps contributors suggest edits conversationally through Ask Maps and the Contribute tab.

Affects: Ask Maps, Contribute tab, conversational listing edits, photo-based hours detection

Google is testing a redesigned Q&A interface within Google Business Profiles that includes a dedicated dashboard button and yes/no response prompts.

Affects: Q&A feature, Q&A button in GBP dashboard, Yes-or-no question flow

Google has launched a reporting feature allowing users to flag owner responses to reviews for violations like profanity, harassment, discrimination, or personal information disclosure.

Affects: Report owner response option, Review replies, Google Local