NO PROMOS, PRICES OR "CALL NOW" IN YOUR GOOGLE LISTING. HERE IS WHAT TO CHECK.
Your Google Business Profile listing should describe your business, not advertise it: Google's Maps content policy now says the listing itself can't contain time-bound promotions, pricing or direct calls to action, and Conqueror Capital suggests one cleanup pass on your business name and description to match. Search Engine Roundtable reported the policy update on October 6, 2026. Offers still have a home: Google says they are permitted in posts.
AT A GLANCE
By Conqueror Capital · Published
The short answer: Keep your business name to your real-world name, and use the description for your services, products, mission and history. Take out sale wording, prices, discount figures, links and lines such as "call now" or "book today". Put offers in Google posts and on your website instead, and if you run several locations, audit every listing in one pass.
WHAT THE POLICY NOW SAYS
Google's prohibited and restricted content policy for Maps says contributions should "reflect genuine experiences or define a business's permanent identity" and that the platform should remain "reliable rather than a marketplace", so content should not be posted for advertising or solicitation.1 Search Engine Roundtable reported on October 6, 2026 that Google had expanded this section with a part written for merchants.2
That part reads, for the listing: "Promotional or commercial content that contains any of the following: Time-bound promotions, pricing, or direct calls-to-action." For posts, it lists email addresses, phone numbers, social media links, or links to other websites that are not related to your business, and adds that offers and updates that may be seen as promotional are otherwise permitted in posts.1 We covered the contact-details rule for posts in phone numbers in Google posts; this page is about the listing.
WHAT TO CHECK IN EACH LISTING FIELD
Business name. Google's guidelines say your name should reflect your real-world name, as used on your storefront, website and stationery. They list what a name must not include, among them marketing taglines, store codes, business hours, phone numbers or website addresses, and service, product or location details that are not part of the real name. They also warn that unnecessary information in a name could result in suspension of the profile.3
Business description. Google says to use it for useful information on services and products, and the mission and history of the business. The description must not focus on special promotions, prices and sales, and Google gives "Everything on sale, -50%" and "Best bagels in town for $5!" as examples of what is not allowed. No links of any type are allowed in it.3
Other fields. Hours, categories and services have their own fields; keep each fact in its field rather than in the name or description.
HOW TO REWRITE A DESCRIPTION
- Take out: dated offers ("this month only"), prices and discount figures, phone numbers, web addresses, and commands such as "call now" or "book today".
- Keep or add: what you do, who you serve, the area you cover, what makes your work different in plain facts, and how long you have been in business if that is true.
- Example of the shift: instead of "Spring special, 20% off, call today!", write "Family-run plumbing company serving homes and small businesses, specializing in water heaters and drain repair."
Then move the offer where Google allows it: a post with a button that points to the matching page on your website, where the price, terms and booking link can live.
FOR MULTI-LOCATION AND ENTERPRISE BUSINESSES
Descriptions written years ago by different managers often carry old promotions or "call now" lines, and one listing out of line is easy to miss when there are dozens. Google's guidelines for chains also say all locations in the same country must use the same name, apart from limited exceptions such as distinct sub-brands or departments.3
- Export or list every location's name and description in one sheet.
- Search the sheet for "%", "$", "sale", "off", "call", "today", "limited", phone numbers and web addresses.
- Write one approved description template per brand, with a slot for local facts such as neighbourhood and services offered.
- Decide who may edit listings, and keep offers in a shared post calendar instead.
- Repeat the check each quarter and after any agency or staff change.
Our guide to Google Business Profiles for multiple locations covers the wider setup.
FAQ
Can I put prices in my Google Business Profile description?
No. Google's Maps content policy says the listing can't contain time-bound promotions, pricing or direct calls to action, and its guidelines say the description must not focus on special promotions, prices and sales.
Can I mention a sale on my Google Business Profile?
Yes, in a post. Google's policy says offers and updates that may be seen as promotional are permitted in posts, but not in the listing itself, such as the name or description.
Can my business name include a city or a keyword?
Only if it is part of your real-world name. Google's guidelines list taglines, service or product details and location details as things a name must not include.
Can a Google post include my phone number?
Google's policy lists email addresses, phone numbers, social media links and unrelated links among what not to put in posts. Use the post button to send people to your website instead.
What happens if a listing breaks these rules?
Google can reject or remove content that breaks its policies, and its guidelines say unnecessary information in a business name could result in suspension of the profile.
SOURCES
- Google Maps User Generated Content Policy Help, Prohibited & restricted content.
- Search Engine Roundtable, Google Maps Policy Says Merchants Can't Post Ads In Listings Or Posts (October 6, 2026).
- Google Business Profile Help, Guidelines for representing your business on Google.
Platforms change often. Check the sources for the current version before acting.
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