Google Bans Promotional Content and Pricing in Business Profile Listings
What happened
Google has updated its Maps and Business Profile prohibited content policy, expanding the rules on what merchants can include in their listings and posts. The change, reported by Search Engine Roundtable on 6 October, adds stricter limits on promotional material.
The updated policy now states that "contributions to Google Maps should reflect genuine experiences or define a business's permanent identity." In practice, that means listings can no longer include time-bound promotions, pricing, or direct calls-to-action. If you've been putting "10% off this month" or "call now for a free quote" in your business description, that content now violates Google's policy.
Posts have also been tightened. Merchants can no longer include email addresses, phone numbers, social media links, or unrelated website links in posts. However, offers and updates — Google's dedicated post types — remain allowed.
Google has not announced a specific enforcement date or said whether existing listing content will be removed automatically. Relevant Audience notes that Google gave no timeline for enforcement or details on how many listings might be affected.
What this means for tradespeople
If you're a plumber, electrician, or any tradesperson who's added pricing or seasonal offers into your Google Business Profile description, you'll want to clean that out now — before Google does it for you.
The description field should be about who you are and what you do permanently: "Gas Safe registered plumber covering Leeds and Bradford, specialising in boiler installations and emergency repairs." Not "£50 off boiler servicing this October — call now!"
The good news is that Google's dedicated Offers and Updates post types are still fine for time-limited promotions. So if you're running a seasonal deal, post it there instead of burying it in your listing description.
This change also means competitors who've been keyword-stuffing their descriptions with prices and CTAs will lose that content. If your listing is clean and accurate, you're already ahead.
What to do about it
- Open your Google Business Profile and review your business description — remove any pricing, time-bound offers, or "call now" language
- Use Google's Offers post type for seasonal promotions instead
- Check that your posts don't include phone numbers or social media links — use the designated contact fields for those
- Keep your description focused on your services, area, and qualifications
Source: Search Engine Roundtable
Related reading
- How to Set Up Your Google Business Profile as a Tradesperson
- How to Get More Google Reviews as a Tradesperson
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