September 29, 2025 • 13 mins
Google’s suggested edits to your Business Profile can hurt visibility, confuse patients, and cost revenue.
Learn why these changes happen, how to set up notifications, and the exact steps to keep your clinic’s profile accurate and patient-ready.
Episode webpage, blog & show notes: https://propelyourcompany.com/navigating-googles-suggested-changes-to-your-business-profile/
Other resources:
- Google Business Profile Guide: Boost Your Clinic’s Local SEO
- Boost Your Google Business Profile: 5 Advanced Strategies
- Free Workshop + BONUS -- How to Dominate the 1st Page of Google and Get More New Patients
- The Ready. Set. Rank! Complete SEO Toolkit for Clinics
- Ready. Set. Rank! Accelerator
- Book a Discovery Call
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In this 1-Hour SEO Planning Session, you’ll learn what it takes to thrive online and convert online traffic into foot traffic.
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📞Book a discovery call - Book a discovery call with Propel to see how smart SEO and website design can help your clinic get found online.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Picture this A new patient is searching for your
clinic online, but somethingfeels off.
Maybe your hours aren't right,your phone number doesn't work
or, worse, google shows you aspermanently closed Not exactly
the first impression you want tomake.
Right the thing is, thesechanges might not even come from
(00:23):
you.
Google often suggests edits toyour Google business profile
listing.
That's the listing thatcontrols how your business shows
up in Google Maps and what usedto be called Google my Business
and while some are helpful,others can confuse patients and
even hurt your visibility.
(00:44):
That's why, today, we'redigging into what's really going
on when these suggested changeshappen, why they happen, how to
spot them and what you can doto stay in control.
Welcome to the Clinic MarketingPodcast.
I'm your host, darci Sullivan.
(01:07):
At Propel Marketing and Design,we help clinics grow their
presence online through websitedesign, seo services and Google
Business Profile audits.
We even have a full section inour DIY SEO Program, ready Set
Rank, dedicated to making sureyour Google business profile is
(01:27):
fully optimized.
So this topic we live andbreathe every single day, and
I'll be sharing some real lifeexamples along the way to make
it all crystal clear.
But let's get started with.
What are Google suggestedchanges and why do they matter?
Google business profilesuggested changes are edits
(01:50):
proposed by users, third-partyapps or even Google itself.
They can impact everything fromyour clinic's hours and phone
number to your business categoryservices website URL, or
whether you are even marked asopened or closed.
Listen, anyone can go in andsuggest an edit on Google search
(02:14):
or maps.
Now, before you say oh no,that's not fair, how dare they?
Google should change that.
It's my listing.
I should be the only one whohas control over it.
Google owns Google businessprofile listings.
Google can do whatever it wants, so keep that in mind as we go
(02:36):
through this.
Google also pulls informationfrom online data sources like
your website, social media pages, directories or public records,
and increasingly it usesartificial intelligence to scan
images, competitor data and usebehavior to improve your listing
(02:58):
.
And I say improve.
You can't see, but I'm doingair quotes because it thinks
it's improving your listing,even though it might not be.
The problem is is that Googleoften auto-approves what it
considers quote, unquotetrustworthy edits without asking
you first, and for clinics, thestakes are high.
(03:18):
A wrong business category cancause your clinic to drop in
rankings overnight, incorrecthours can send patients
elsewhere and if the phonenumber is changed, you can miss
out on dozens of people callingto book appointments before you
even realize something is wrong.
There are real-world examplesof clinics that saw their
(03:41):
rankings drop from top spots toto nowhere to be found after a
single category change.
Let's break down the mainsources of these edits and what
they might look like for yourclinic.
First, we have user suggestions.
Anyone can suggest edits andlocal guides.
(04:04):
Google users, who contributeheavily, often have their edits
approved more quickly.
So, example a competitor changesyour website link to theirs,
diverting traffic.
A few months ago we saw anuptick, mainly in like kids
joking around.
(04:24):
They were moving the map pointand there was a clinic that
contacted us very concernedbecause all of a sudden their
Google business profile wasshowing that they were located
in a different state andsomebody had called in saying
hey, I was just about to leaveto come to my appointment, but
on Maps you're listed as beingin a different state.
(04:46):
You can see how that could be abad problem too.
Right?
There's online data sources.
Google cross-checks yourinformation against your website
, yelp, facebook and publicdirectories.
If your hours don't matchacross platforms, google may
decide to overwrite your listing.
Now here I have a story about achiropractor.
(05:07):
Now here I have a story about achiropractor who did not
provide the Google businessprofile listing with its correct
social media links, and so theGoogle business profile was
displaying somebody else'sFacebook reviews, thinking it
(05:28):
was that company's, because theother company, even though they
were in a different state, had asimilar name.
It was a chiropractor.
It was something like Spine andSport or something that's very
common, and it was mis-pullingthe wrong information and
showcasing it.
Where do other sources ofchanges come from?
Well, it could be connectedapps or tools.
(05:48):
Sources of changes come from?
Well, it could be connectedapps or tools.
Old listing managers or appsthat still have access can push
changes you don't want.
For example, an outdated appcould re-add an old address,
confusing patients and riskingsuspension for violating service
area business rules.
Google AI artificialintelligence looks at images,
(06:13):
user behavior or competitor datato make updates.
For example, ai maymisinterpret the temporary
holiday closure and mark yourclinic as permanently closed.
Many businesses have sharedstories about personal phone
numbers suddenly appearing ontheir listings, different
(06:33):
categories being selected forthem having nothing to do with
their company offering werepermanently closed labels they
could never have added.
Many only noticed when patientsstopped calling, or they get a
call from a polite patientsaying, hey, I think something's
wrong with your listing.
(06:53):
Great, now we know all theproblems.
Great, great, great.
What are we going to do aboutthem?
Well, we're going to walkthrough how to handle suggested
changes step by step.
Here's how to stay in controlof your profile.
By the way, I'm going to gothrough this, but you can also
visit the blog post that isassociated with this, that you
(07:20):
can find in the show notes andon this episode webpage.
It will also walk you through,step by step, what I'm going to
walk you through in case youwant to read through it or save
it for later.
So here's how to stay incontrol of your profile.
Spot changes early.
Log into your Google BusinessProfile dashboard.
At businessgooglecom, regularlyPending edits show in orange,
(07:48):
while Google applied changesshow in blue.
Next, enable notifications.
Make sure you are getting emailalerts when changes happen.
How do you do this?
Sign into againbusinessgooglecom with the
account that manages yourprofile.
(08:08):
Go to settings.
From Google search.
You can also select morebusiness and then select
business profile settings.
Choose notifications.
Turn on alerts for edits toyour business information, new
reviews, photo updates andcustomer messages.
If you have messaging enabled,then check your promotions and
(08:33):
spam folders.
Sometimes these alerts landthere.
Move them over to your primaryinbox.
If multiple staff or teammembers manage your profile,
make sure everyone hasnotifications turned on.
Now, really, it's important tonote that not all changes
trigger an email, so weeklymanual check-ins are still
(08:54):
essential.
I'm going to repeat thatbecause, again, it is just so
important.
Not all changes trigger anemail, so weekly manually
check-ins are still essential.
Review and act quickly.
If an edit is accurate, approveit.
If not, reject it or correct itright away through edit profile
(09:18):
in Google search or maps.
If a change has already gonelive, revert it as soon as
possible.
Provide evidence if needed.
If your corrections are notaccepted, resubmit with
supporting proof, such as photosof your signage, screenshots
from your website or copies ofofficial documents.
(09:40):
Escalate persistent issues.
If you cannot revert a change,contact Google Business Profile
Support and providedocumentation to back up your
request.
I want to make sure that youhave strategies to stay on top
and prevent unwanted edits.
You cannot block suggestededits entirely, but you can
(10:05):
minimize their impact.
Claim and verify your profile.
Unclaimed or unverifiedprofiles are more vulnerable to
edits.
Stay consistent.
Make sure your clinic's name,address and phone number and
hours are consistent across yourwebsite, social media and all
online directories.
Mismatched details inviteGoogle to want to try to
(10:28):
quote-unquote.
Fix your profile.
Audit your listing regularly.
You can do this by checkingyour dashboard.
Also, review connected apps andrevoke access for outdated
tools or ex-employees.
That one's really important.
Keep your profile active, postupdates, add photos and respond
(10:51):
to reviews.
Active profiles with regularengagement are less likely to be
overwritten.
Audit access Again.
Make sure only current staff,partners or agencies have
managing rights.
Remove outdated accounts.
Google's suggested changes are adouble-edged sword.
(11:11):
They're designed to keepprofiles accurate, but when left
unchecked they can hurt yourrankings, confuse patients and
cost your clinic revenue.
The solution is to stayvigilant.
Claim and verify your profile,enable those notifications, log
into your dashboard weekly andkeep your information consistent
wherever patients may find you.
(11:32):
Your action step for today isto log into your Google Business
Profile, turn on notificationsand review any pending edits.
That quick check could save youfrom losing new patients to bad
information.
Also, if you're interested ingetting a Google Business
Profile audit, please visitpropellyourcompanycom or check
(11:54):
out the show notes.
We would love to help you withthat.
You can also book a discoverycall or check out our DIY
program Ready Set Rank, all byvisiting propellyourcompanycom.
Thanks for joining me on theClinic Marketing Podcast.
Be sure to subscribe for moremarketing and SEO strategies
(12:15):
designed just for clinics.
Picture this A new patient is searching for your
clinic online, but somethingfeels off.
Maybe your hours aren't right,your phone number doesn't work
or, worse, google shows you aspermanently closed Not exactly
the first impression you want tomake.
Right the thing is, thesechanges might not even come from
(00:23):
you.
Google often suggests edits toyour Google business profile
listing.
That's the listing thatcontrols how your business shows
up in Google Maps and what usedto be called Google my Business
and while some are helpful,others can confuse patients and
even hurt your visibility.
(00:44):
That's why, today, we'redigging into what's really going
on when these suggested changeshappen, why they happen, how to
spot them and what you can doto stay in control.
Welcome to the Clinic MarketingPodcast.
I'm your host, darci Sullivan.
(01:07):
At Propel Marketing and Design,we help clinics grow their
presence online through websitedesign, seo services and Google
Business Profile audits.
We even have a full section inour DIY SEO Program, ready Set
Rank, dedicated to making sureyour Google business profile is
(01:27):
fully optimized.
So this topic we live andbreathe every single day, and
I'll be sharing some real lifeexamples along the way to make
it all crystal clear.
But let's get started with.
What are Google suggestedchanges and why do they matter?
Google business profilesuggested changes are edits
(01:50):
proposed by users, third-partyapps or even Google itself.
They can impact everything fromyour clinic's hours and phone
number to your business categoryservices website URL, or
whether you are even marked asopened or closed.
Listen, anyone can go in andsuggest an edit on Google search
(02:14):
or maps.
Now, before you say oh no,that's not fair, how dare they?
Google should change that.
It's my listing.
I should be the only one whohas control over it.
Google owns Google businessprofile listings.
Google can do whatever it wants, so keep that in mind as we go
(02:36):
through this.
Google also pulls informationfrom online data sources like
your website, social media pages, directories or public records,
and increasingly it usesartificial intelligence to scan
images, competitor data and usebehavior to improve your listing
(02:58):
.
And I say improve.
You can't see, but I'm doingair quotes because it thinks
it's improving your listing,even though it might not be.
The problem is is that Googleoften auto-approves what it
considers quote, unquotetrustworthy edits without asking
you first, and for clinics, thestakes are high.
(03:18):
A wrong business category cancause your clinic to drop in
rankings overnight, incorrecthours can send patients
elsewhere and if the phonenumber is changed, you can miss
out on dozens of people callingto book appointments before you
even realize something is wrong.
There are real-world examplesof clinics that saw their
(03:41):
rankings drop from top spots toto nowhere to be found after a
single category change.
Let's break down the mainsources of these edits and what
they might look like for yourclinic.
First, we have user suggestions.
Anyone can suggest edits andlocal guides.
(04:04):
Google users, who contributeheavily, often have their edits
approved more quickly.
So, example a competitor changesyour website link to theirs,
diverting traffic.
A few months ago we saw anuptick, mainly in like kids
joking around.
(04:24):
They were moving the map pointand there was a clinic that
contacted us very concernedbecause all of a sudden their
Google business profile wasshowing that they were located
in a different state andsomebody had called in saying
hey, I was just about to leaveto come to my appointment, but
on Maps you're listed as beingin a different state.
(04:46):
You can see how that could be abad problem too.
Right?
There's online data sources.
Google cross-checks yourinformation against your website
, yelp, facebook and publicdirectories.
If your hours don't matchacross platforms, google may
decide to overwrite your listing.
Now here I have a story about achiropractor.
(05:07):
Now here I have a story about achiropractor who did not
provide the Google businessprofile listing with its correct
social media links, and so theGoogle business profile was
displaying somebody else'sFacebook reviews, thinking it
(05:28):
was that company's, because theother company, even though they
were in a different state, had asimilar name.
It was a chiropractor.
It was something like Spine andSport or something that's very
common, and it was mis-pullingthe wrong information and
showcasing it.
Where do other sources ofchanges come from?
Well, it could be connectedapps or tools.
(05:48):
Sources of changes come from?
Well, it could be connectedapps or tools.
Old listing managers or appsthat still have access can push
changes you don't want.
For example, an outdated appcould re-add an old address,
confusing patients and riskingsuspension for violating service
area business rules.
Google AI artificialintelligence looks at images,
(06:13):
user behavior or competitor datato make updates.
For example, ai maymisinterpret the temporary
holiday closure and mark yourclinic as permanently closed.
Many businesses have sharedstories about personal phone
numbers suddenly appearing ontheir listings, different
(06:33):
categories being selected forthem having nothing to do with
their company offering werepermanently closed labels they
could never have added.
Many only noticed when patientsstopped calling, or they get a
call from a polite patientsaying, hey, I think something's
wrong with your listing.
(06:53):
Great, now we know all theproblems.
Great, great, great.
What are we going to do aboutthem?
Well, we're going to walkthrough how to handle suggested
changes step by step.
Here's how to stay in controlof your profile.
By the way, I'm going to gothrough this, but you can also
visit the blog post that isassociated with this, that you
(07:20):
can find in the show notes andon this episode webpage.
It will also walk you through,step by step, what I'm going to
walk you through in case youwant to read through it or save
it for later.
So here's how to stay incontrol of your profile.
Spot changes early.
Log into your Google BusinessProfile dashboard.
At businessgooglecom, regularlyPending edits show in orange,
(07:48):
while Google applied changesshow in blue.
Next, enable notifications.
Make sure you are getting emailalerts when changes happen.
How do you do this?
Sign into againbusinessgooglecom with the
account that manages yourprofile.
(08:08):
Go to settings.
From Google search.
You can also select morebusiness and then select
business profile settings.
Choose notifications.
Turn on alerts for edits toyour business information, new
reviews, photo updates andcustomer messages.
If you have messaging enabled,then check your promotions and
(08:33):
spam folders.
Sometimes these alerts landthere.
Move them over to your primaryinbox.
If multiple staff or teammembers manage your profile,
make sure everyone hasnotifications turned on.
Now, really, it's important tonote that not all changes
trigger an email, so weeklymanual check-ins are still
(08:54):
essential.
I'm going to repeat thatbecause, again, it is just so
important.
Not all changes trigger anemail, so weekly manually
check-ins are still essential.
Review and act quickly.
If an edit is accurate, approveit.
If not, reject it or correct itright away through edit profile
(09:18):
in Google search or maps.
If a change has already gonelive, revert it as soon as
possible.
Provide evidence if needed.
If your corrections are notaccepted, resubmit with
supporting proof, such as photosof your signage, screenshots
from your website or copies ofofficial documents.
(09:40):
Escalate persistent issues.
If you cannot revert a change,contact Google Business Profile
Support and providedocumentation to back up your
request.
I want to make sure that youhave strategies to stay on top
and prevent unwanted edits.
You cannot block suggestededits entirely, but you can
(10:05):
minimize their impact.
Claim and verify your profile.
Unclaimed or unverifiedprofiles are more vulnerable to
edits.
Stay consistent.
Make sure your clinic's name,address and phone number and
hours are consistent across yourwebsite, social media and all
online directories.
Mismatched details inviteGoogle to want to try to
(10:28):
quote-unquote.
Fix your profile.
Audit your listing regularly.
You can do this by checkingyour dashboard.
Also, review connected apps andrevoke access for outdated
tools or ex-employees.
That one's really important.
Keep your profile active, postupdates, add photos and respond
(10:51):
to reviews.
Active profiles with regularengagement are less likely to be
overwritten.
Audit access Again.
Make sure only current staff,partners or agencies have
managing rights.
Remove outdated accounts.
Google's suggested changes are adouble-edged sword.
(11:11):
They're designed to keepprofiles accurate, but when left
unchecked they can hurt yourrankings, confuse patients and
cost your clinic revenue.
The solution is to stayvigilant.
Claim and verify your profile,enable those notifications, log
into your dashboard weekly andkeep your information consistent
wherever patients may find you.
(11:32):
Your action step for today isto log into your Google Business
Profile, turn on notificationsand review any pending edits.
That quick check could save youfrom losing new patients to bad
information.
Also, if you're interested ingetting a Google Business
Profile audit, please visitpropellyourcompanycom or check
(11:54):
out the show notes.
We would love to help you withthat.
You can also book a discoverycall or check out our DIY
program Ready Set Rank, all byvisiting propellyourcompanycom.
Thanks for joining me on theClinic Marketing Podcast.
Be sure to subscribe for moremarketing and SEO strategies
(12:15):
designed just for clinics.
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