Google updates policies for links in business profiles

Not only the requirements for the links themselves, but also the rules of their indexing, which directly affect the visibility of the business in Search and Maps. Why are business links needed? Links in Google Business Profile play a critically important role in the interaction between a company and a potential customer. They allow users to immediately proceed to the target action — book a service, place an order, view a menu, or schedule a consultation. This significantly shortens the path from search to conversion, reduces the risk of losing a customer, and increases user satisfaction. It is important to understand that the availability of certain types of links depends on the business category and region. For example: beauty salons can add links for online service booking; restaurants and cafes can provide links to view menus or order delivery; medical institutions often use links to schedule appointments; service companies — for consultations or booking visit times. Thus, business links are not just a convenience, but also a tool of competitive advantage. They help attract new customers, build trust, and drive sales growth. For companies that actively work on their online presence, the proper use of business links becomes part of the overall digital marketing strategy. Read also about how to improve local SEO with 4 AI tools. Key policy updates Validity and verification Links must be correct: no spaces, special characters, or incorrect protocols. Before adding a link, a business must verify its profile. Only after Google’s verification will the links appear in Search and Maps. Page requirements Links must lead to dedicated pages of a specific business location, not general or irrelevant pages. The page must allow the user to complete an action (for example, place an order). Links to social media, messengers, app store pages, or through link shorteners are prohibited. Quantity and duplication For each type of transaction (booking, ordering, etc.), no more than 20 links are allowed. Duplicates, multiple links from the same domain, or conflicting third-party domains are not allowed. Link Indexing Policy (Crawlability Policy)Google has introduced clear requirements regarding the accessibility of business links for its crawlers: Links must be available for daily crawling. Websites must not restrict crawler access using: robots.txt; CAPTCHA; authorization or login; IP or User-Agent restrictions; geoblocking or DNS blocking. The page must return a correct HTTP status (200 OK) and load all resources (images, CSS, JavaScript). Google uses the GoogleOther crawler, which does not obey robots.txt rules. What does this mean for business? The updated requirements for business links are not just a technical rule from Google but a factor that can directly influence customer interactions and the overall online presence of a company. Maintaining user trust. If a link leads to a non-working page, returns an error, or requires authorization, the user is likely to leave the site and turn to competitors. Now Google controls this at the policy level to avoid negative customer experiences. Risk of link removal. In case of non-compliance, Google may automatically or after manual review remove such links from the business profile. This will reduce the number of entry points for customers and lower conversion. Transparency and relevance. Businesses will have to ensure a clear match between the type of action specified in the profile and the page the link leads to. For example, if it is a booking link, it must open the booking form itself, not the homepage. Technical readiness of websites. Server settings, security systems, and bot protection must be checked. CAPTCHA, IP blocking, or overly strict robots.txt rules may cause Google to fail to index the page, and the link will be removed. Advantage for compliant businesses. Companies that ensure stable link performance and correct landing pages will gain a competitive edge: their customers will be able to complete the desired action quickly, which will improve satisfaction and loyalty. In essence, the new policy obliges businesses to treat links in Google Business Profile as a strategic element of online presence. This is not an “extra option” but an important customer interaction channel that affects both the company’s visibility on Google and actual sales. Conclusion Google’s updated policies for business links are another step toward improving user experience quality. Now companies need to carefully check the pages they direct their customers to, as even technical restrictions such as CAPTCHA or IP blocking can cause the loss of link visibility in Google Business Profile. Read this article in Ukrainian.