Google has announced an important update related to Google Business Profile short names. The company will stop displaying business short names on Google Search and Google Maps.
Although existing short name links will continue to work, they will no longer appear publicly on Business Profiles. This means business owners and customers will not see the short name URL on the profile anymore.
The update was shared by Dan Boguslavsky in the Google Business Profile Forums. He explained that Google is making changes to the short name feature, including custom URLs such as g.page/YourBusinessName.
What Is Changing?
First, short names will no longer be visible on Google Business Profiles in Search or Maps.
Second, customers will no longer have the option to report or flag a short name.
In addition, businesses are currently not allowed to create new short names or edit existing ones.
However, there is some clarity. Short names and URLs that were already created will still function. If someone has the direct link, it will continue to open the Business Profile. The only change is that Google will not display the short name publicly anymore.
Why Is Google Removing Short Names?
According to Google, this change is part of its effort to simplify the Google Business Profile experience. Over time, Google has been adjusting features to make profiles cleaner and easier to manage.
Google originally introduced short names in 2019. Soon after, they began showing these custom URLs directly on Business Profiles. Now, Google has decided to remove its visible placement while keeping the existing links active.
Summary of the Update
Here is a quick summary of what businesses should know:
• Existing short name URLs will continue to work
• Short names will no longer be shown on Business Profiles
• Customers cannot report or flag short names anymore
• New short names cannot be created
• Existing short names cannot be edited
This update may not impact daily operations for most businesses. Still, it is important for local SEO professionals and Google Business Profile managers to stay aware of such changes.
For more discussion, you can also visit the Google Business Profile Forums.
