Clearer rules on Google Maps advertising matter. Google updated the advertising and solicitation section of its Prohibited and Restricted Content policy for Google Maps and Business Profiles, adding a dedicated subsection that spells out what merchants and business owners cannot post in their listings and in their posts.
The change reframes contributions to Google Maps as content that should reflect a genuine experience or define a business’s permanent identity. The stated goal is to help users discover listings and keep the platform reliable rather than turning it into a marketplace. With that framing in place, the updated text tells contributors not to post content for advertising or solicitation purposes.
What Merchants Cannot Post In The Listing
The updated policy adds a For merchants section that draws a sharp line between a listing and a post. In the listing itself, promotional or commercial content that includes any of the following is not allowed:
- Time-bound promotions
- Pricing
- Direct calls to action
By moving those items out of bounds inside the core listing, Google keeps the business profile focused on permanent information such as the business name, category, hours, and attributes that define the business itself.
What Merchants Cannot Post In Posts
Posts on a Business Profile get a different set of guardrails. The updated policy lists the following content as off limits inside posts:
- Email addresses
- Phone numbers
- Social media links
- Links to other websites that are not related to the business
Those restrictions target the way a post could be used to drive traffic away from Google or to function as a contact form. The policy still permits offers and updates that may be seen as promotional or commercial content inside posts, so the door is not closed on merchant storytelling. It is closed on using posts as a back channel for ads or external contact.
Why Google Drew The Line Between Listings And Posts
The structure of the update is the story. Google chose to treat the listing as the permanent record and the post as the spot where promotions, business offers, and updates are allowed to live. That split gives them room to police ads in a targeted way without removing the offer and update formats that merchants rely on for short term campaigns. Time bound promotions, pricing, and direct calls to action belong in a post. They do not belong in the static listing.
The contact restrictions inside posts serve a related purpose. Email addresses, phone numbers, social media handles, and unrelated web links are the raw material of a direct advertising channel. By keeping them out of posts, Google holds the user inside Maps rather than routing them through an external contact path.
What Merchants Should Do Now
Merchants who already use Google Business Profile posts for offers and updates do not need to change the format itself. They do need to review the body of each post and strip out phone numbers, email addresses, social media handles, and any link that does not point to a page directly tied to the business. A link to a product page on the business’s own site generally counts as related to the business. A link to an unrelated landing page, a personal social account, or a third party booking service is a candidate for removal under the new wording.
For listings, the practical move is to audit the business description and any editable fields for time bound language such as seasonal sales, limited time offers, percentage discounts, fixed prices, and phrases that ask the reader to book now, call today, or sign up. That language belongs in a post, where it can be rotated as the campaign changes, rather than baked into the listing, which is supposed to describe the business in permanent terms.
How The Two Rules Fit Together
Read together, the two updates form a single message. Google wants the listing to be a permanent record of the business, and it wants posts to carry the time-sensitive commercial message. Promotional content is not banned outright. It is steered away from the listing and toward the post format, and the post format is protected from being used as a router for contact details and external links.
For local businesses that depend on Maps for discovery, the result is a clearer playbook. Use the listing to define what the business is, and use posts to run promotions, share updates, and post offers. Keep the contact details inside the listing, not in the posts.
Rank position across a service area is what a geo grid report shows, and SEOScanPro’s GEO Grids surface where a business is visible and where it is invisible to local search.
FAQ
What did Google change about advertising and solicitation in Google Maps?
Google updated the prohibited and restricted content section of the Google Maps and Business Profiles policy and added a For merchants section that defines what cannot be posted in listings and in posts.
Can merchants post promotional offers and updates in Google Business Profile posts?
Yes. Offers and updates that may be seen as promotional or commercial content are permitted inside posts. The restriction targets listings, not posts.
What contact information is not allowed in Google Business Profile posts?
Email addresses, phone numbers, social media links, and links to websites not related to the business are not allowed in posts under the updated wording.
Related coverage
- How Google Posts Boost Your Business Listing Score – BizScoreAI
- Google Maps Ranking Signals: 72 Oyster Rank Signals
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This article summarizes reporting from seroundtable.com. See our editorial disclaimer for how our articles are produced.
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