Google My Business Becomes Google Business Profile

Out with the old, in with the new? Google My Business is being renamed and with it is coming new changes to the platform. Here is what we know so far.

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As part of a move to encourage small businesses to manage their profiles directly through Google Search or Google Maps, the company announced yesterday that it would rebrand Google My Business to the new Google Business Profile. With this news, Google shared some preliminary information about what else is changing with the platform’s name.

At present, we know three key things about this change. First, there will be no more Google My Business app. In 2022, Google will retire the Google My Business app, and the Google My Business web platform will be transitioned to primarily support larger businesses with multiple locations. As part of this shift, the web platform will be renamed the “Business Profile Manager.”

The second key thing we know is it will become easier to manage your business profile directly from Google Search and Google Maps. In the future, businesses will no longer need to use the Google My Business website or mobile app. Instead, Google will make it easier for businesses to complete the verification process, resolve issues, and edit their profile simply by looking for their business on Google or finding their profile in Google Maps. All businesses that claim or create a business profile will be able to complete the setup process from Search and Maps.

The third important thing to note is that the Google My Business API will be renamed. The new name will be Business Profile API, and it will retain its current functionality.

Final Thoughts: Why Do You Care?

Many details of this change and the full implications remain unknown. However, these types of transitions can have a significant impact on your law firm’s local marketing and search engine optimization efforts.

Staying up to date on the relevant changes can help smooth this transition for your firm. Our team at Justia will be closely watching for additional announcements, so we can share this information with you.

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