Editing Google Maps (section)

=== Business listings ===
[[File:Google_Maps_review_screenshot.png|thumb|180px|right|A business listing in Google Maps showing opening times, reviews and photos. This screenshot is from the Android mobile app.]]
Google collates business listings from multiple on-line and off-line sources. To reduce duplication in the index, Google's algorithm combines listings automatically based on address, phone number, or geocode,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://productforums.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!category-topic/maps/map-wont-load/V5T0RwCyBoU|title=The Google Local map results have "merged" our listing with another in the same building – Maps Help|date=April 22, 2009|access-date=January 13, 2010|archive-date=January 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102094807/https://productforums.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!category-topic/maps/map-wont-load/V5T0RwCyBoU|url-status=live}}</ref> but sometimes information for separate businesses will be inadvertently merged with each other, resulting in listings inaccurately incorporating elements from multiple businesses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/04/29/google-maps-merging-mania-due-to-algo-change/|title=Google Maps Merging Mania Due to Algo-Change|date=April 29, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503205934/http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/04/29/google-maps-merging-mania-due-to-algo-change/|archive-date=May 3, 2009|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Google allows business owners to create and verify their own business data through ''Google Business Profile'' (''GBP''), formerly ''Google My Business'' (''GMB'').<ref>{{cite news|last=Madrigal|first=Matt|date=November 4, 2021|title=Connect with local holiday shoppers|work=Google Ads & Commerce Blog|publisher=Google|url=https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/connect-local-holiday-shoppers/|url-status=live|access-date=November 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103072631/http://www.chaddo.com/index.php/phone-and-text-verification-on-google-maps/|archive-date=January 3, 2018}}</ref> Owners are encouraged to provide Google with business information including address, phone number, business category, and photos.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sparkseo.net/blog/how-to-put-your-business-on-google-maps|title=How to Put Your Business on Google Maps|date=June 8, 2020|publisher=Spark SEO|access-date=June 23, 2020|archive-date=October 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022043408/https://sparkseo.net/blog/how-to-put-your-business-on-google-maps|url-status=live}}</ref> Google has staff in India who check and correct listings remotely as well as support businesses with issues.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Google also has teams on the ground in most countries that validate physical addresses in person.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/technology/internet/17maps.html|title=Online Maps: Everyman Offers New Directions|last=Helft|first=Miguel|date=November 17, 2009|access-date=April 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312143222/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/technology/internet/17maps.html|archive-date=March 12, 2017|url-status=live|work=[[New York Times]]}}</ref> In May 2024, Google announced it would discontinue the chat feature in Google Business Profile. Starting July 15, 2024, new chat conversations would be disabled, and by July 31, 2024, all chat functionalities would end.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Changes to Google Business Profile chat - Google Business Profile Help |url=https://support.google.com/business/answer/14919062?visit_id=638525540248324251-443400110&p=chat_sunset&rd=1 |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=support.google.com |archive-date=May 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240529045429/https://support.google.com/business/answer/14919062?visit_id=638525540248324251-443400110&p=chat_sunset&rd=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Google Maps can be manipulated by businesses that are not physically located in the area in which they record a listing. There are cases of people abusing Google Maps to overtake their competition by placing unverified listings on online directory sites, knowing the information will roll across to Google (duplicate sites). The people who update these listings do not use a registered business name. They place keywords and location details on their Google Maps business title, which can overtake credible business listings. In Australia in particular, genuine companies and businesses are noticing a trend of fake business listings in a variety of industries.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/2127150-thousands-of-fake-companies-added-to-google-maps-every-month/|title=Thousands of fake companies added to Google Maps every month|last=Revell|first=Timothy|date=April 7, 2017|publisher=New Scientist|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170416015526/https://www.newscientist.com/article/2127150-thousands-of-fake-companies-added-to-google-maps-every-month/|archive-date=April 16, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=April 15, 2017}}</ref>

Genuine business owners can also optimize their business listings to gain greater visibility in Google Maps, through a type of search engine marketing called [[local search engine optimization]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Widewail |title=Improve Local SEO With Google Reviews {{!}} Widewail |url=https://www.widewail.com/local-seo |access-date=2023-10-24 |website=www.widewail.com |language=en |archive-date=October 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030184349/https://www.widewail.com/local-seo |url-status=live }}</ref>