What the standard says
Google’s own guidelines ask for three things that matter most here. Your business name should reflect its real-world name and be used consistently on your storefront, website and stationery [1]. The phone number must be under the direct control of the business, and Google prefers a local number over a central call center line [1]. Hours should be your regular customer-facing hours [1].
Then comes control of the listing itself.
Verification. Verifying a profile is how you gain ownership of it, and you need to be verified to edit details like your name or hours [2]. Google picks the verification method, such as a phone call, email, video or postcard, and reviews usually take up to 5 business days [2].
Owners and managers. A profile can have several owners but only one primary owner [3]. Owners have full control, including adding and removing people and deleting the profile [3]. Managers can edit business info but can’t add or remove users [3]. Only owners can remove other owners and managers [3].
Handing it over. Only the primary owner can transfer primary ownership, and a new primary owner waits 7 days before they can use every feature [4]. If someone else already holds your profile, you can request access, and the current owner has 3 days to respond [5].
Edits from outside. Google gathers information from user reports and licensed content, and may update your profile when those sources say your details are wrong or out of date [6]. For edits suggested by the public, Google may notify you first and give you 4 days to accept or reject [6]. If you don’t respond and other public information, such as your website, supports the change, Google may publish it [6].
Protect the login. The profile is managed through a Google Account. Google’s 2-Step Verification adds a second step at sign-in in case your password is stolen, and supports passkeys, security keys and phone prompts [7].
What you’ll hear
“Pay us and we’ll get you to the top of Google Maps.”
Part of this is fair. Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up in local results [8]. But Google also says there’s no way to request or pay for a better local ranking [8]. Local results depend mostly on how relevant the business is to the search, how close it is to the person searching, and how well known it is, including reviews [8].
The fair version: accurate, complete details help. Nobody can buy you the top spot.
What the numbers say
We couldn’t find a reliable public statistic on how often small-business listings carry wrong details, or how often a listing’s phone number is changed without the owner knowing. Instead, here are the numbers Google publishes:
4 days: the window to accept or reject a suggested edit before Google may publish it [6].
3 days: how long a current owner has to answer an ownership request [5].
7 days: the wait before a new primary owner or manager can use every feature [4].
Up to 5 business days: typical verification review time [2].
Up to 30 days: the longest an owner’s own edit can take to review, though most take about 10 minutes [9].
What we’ve seen
We haven’t run into this yet.
Putting it together
For many customers, your Google listing is the front door, and the phone number on it is the one they dial. The FTC warns consumers not to assume a phone number in search results is legitimate, because scammers sometimes pair their own number with a trusted company’s name [10]. Keep your details matched to your website, know who holds owner access, and protect that Google Account with 2-Step Verification.
What good looks like
Name, phone, address and hours on Google match your website and signage exactly.
A phone number the business controls, ideally the main local line.
The profile verified, with the primary owner held by a company account or the owner, not a former vendor.
A short list of owners and managers, each one known, and access removed when someone leaves.
2-Step Verification on every Google Account that owns or manages the profile.
Someone who checks for suggested edits and Google updates every few weeks.
Questions for your IT resource
Which Google Account is the primary owner of our profile, and who can sign in to it?
Who else is listed as an owner or manager, and do they all still need access?
If a marketing partner manages the profile, are they a manager rather than the primary owner?
Does the account that owns the profile have 2-Step Verification turned on?
Who gets the email when Google or the public suggests a change, and who reviews it?
When our phone number or hours change, whose job is it to update Google along with the website?
Related learning
Protecting your business phone number
Your business phone number can be moved to someone else’s phone or carrier if they can convince your carrier they’re you. A port-out PIN or number lock, a consistent number everywhere, and MFA on your phone-system portal close the easy paths.
Does your business own its domain name?
Your domain name is the address behind your website and email, and it is registered, not bought outright. Keep it registered to the business, renewed well ahead of time and locked against transfers.
What is MFA, and why a password isn’t enough
MFA, short for multi-factor authentication, asks for a second proof after your password, like a prompt on your phone or a security key. A stolen password alone is no longer enough to sign in.
Sources
Google, Guidelines for representing your business on Google, Google Business Profile Help, no date shown. (checked 2026-10-08)
Google, Verify your business on Google, Google Business Profile Help, no date shown. (checked 2026-10-08)
Google, Manage your Business Profile owners & managers, Google Business Profile Help, no date shown. (checked 2026-10-08)
Google, Transfer primary ownership of a Business Profile, Google Business Profile Help, no date shown. (checked 2026-10-08)
Google, Request ownership of a Business Profile, Google Business Profile Help, no date shown. (checked 2026-10-08)
Google, Understand Google updates on your Business Profile, Google Business Profile Help, no date shown. (checked 2026-10-08)
Google, Turn on 2-Step Verification, Google Account Help, no date shown. (checked 2026-10-08)
Google, Tips to improve your local ranking on Google, Google Business Profile Help, no date shown. (checked 2026-10-08)
Google, Understand what happens to your Business Profile edits, Google Business Profile Help, no date shown. (checked 2026-10-08)
FTC, Online search results: The good, the bad, and the scammy, Consumer Alert, April 3, 2025. (checked 2026-10-08)
How we rate these. Our judgment from real setups, applied the same way on every page. Cost: $ = no new spend or under $25/month · $$ = a modest monthly tool or a short project · $$$ = new hardware, licensing, or a larger project. Effort: Light = one sitting · Moderate = setup plus follow-up over days or weeks · Heavy = planning, testing and staff changes. Outlined marks show how far it can go for some businesses. N/A = doesn’t apply to this topic. Time to fix: how long the first useful step takes, then how long until it’s fully done. Ratings are typical averages, not quotes. Time to fix: the filled dot is when the first useful step lands, the hollow dot is when it’s fully done. Who can do it: highlighted chips are who can reasonably handle it.