Who is controlling your Google business profile?
Who controls your Google Business Profile?
So who controls your Google Business Profile - it should be you!
Make sure you secure your Google Business Profile - some tips
Noticed some changes on your profile or more likely been told about it by someone else? Securing your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) from unauthorised edits involves a combination of verifying ownership, tightening account security, and active, regular monitoring.
BE AWARE that Google allows the public to suggest edits to maintain accuracy but you can take steps to ensure only authorised changes go live.
Here are the most effective ways to secure your Google Business Profile:
1. Primary Security Measures (Immediate Actions)
Claim and Verify Your Profile: the most critical step is ensuring you have claimed your business.
If you haven't, search for your business and click "Own this business?".
Enable Notifications: ensure email notifications are enabled for your Google Business Profile, so you are alerted whenever a third party suggests an edit.
Audit User Access: regularly review who has access to your profile, remove former employees and any third-party agencies that no longer work with you.
Secure Your Google Account: use a strong, unique password and enable 2-Step Verification (2FA) for the Google account that manages your profile.
2. Active Monitoring and Maintenance
Monitor for orange text: log into your Google Business Profile dashboard weekly. Edits suggested by others are often highlighted in orange.
Reject Unwanted Edits: when you see an unauthorised change (eg changes to operating hours, phone number, or business name), you can reject it immediately in the dashboard.
Report Malicious Activity: if unauthorized changes continue, flag them as incorrect in the dashboard. If necessary, contact Google Business Profile Support to report a potential hijacking or malicious editing.
3. Long-Term Protection Strategies
Maintain Data Consistency: ensure your business name, address, phone number, and hours are identical across your website, social media, and other directories.
Use Third-Party Tools: for extra protection, look up and consider third-party tools which offer features to automatically log, monitor, or lock your business information, allowing you to automatically decline changes.
Update Regularly: a more active and frequently updated profile is less likely to have random, incorrect user suggestions accepted by Google's algorithms.
Important Note: it is impossible to completely prevent the public from suggesting edits, but these steps make it easy to spot and reverse them before they affect your business reputation.
The above was provided by our Google AI but check it too and also here’s our usual legal note on working with Google:
We work strictly subject to Google terms & conditions as they publish it and no direct endorsement by Google of our service is suggested or implied; for you to work with Google when using our service you need to be aware of and comply strictly with their guidelines that are subject to change
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Legal Statement on working with Google: for the provision of any services NG1 Group provide, including workspace, office and virtual office and any other address service we work strictly subject to Google terms & conditions as they publish it online and no direct endorsement by Google of any of our services is suggested or implied; for you to work with Google when using our services you need to be aware of and follow their guidelines which are regularly updated so can change.
