Does Google remove unverified GMB listings?

[Nikki Stine]

I just heard someone say today that Google has stated they will remove GMB listings that remain unverified. In my searches I could only find something along these lines from way back in July of 2015.

Does anyone know if this is current practice, or just 'old news'? Based on all the unclaimed listings I see, I'm guessing it's not true.

Thanks for your expert advice!

 

[Phil Rozek]

@Nikki Stine, Google did do a "spring cleaning" a while ago. But, as I recall, it was in the context of Google+: to remove a bunch of "local" Google+ pages that people created out of confusion.

Google still auto-generates plenty of GMB that businesses owners may or may not know about, and may or may not want, and those pages are common enough (as you said). Google doesn't seem to cull those spontaneously, especially when they're pages that Google (rather than a business owner) produced.

The good news is those unverified pages are easier to correct or to get removed via public edits.

 

[Nikki Stine]

Thank you @Phil Rozek ! The way this removal was positioned was as a sales 'tactic' of sorts... to tell businesses they better claim their listings or else Google will remove them because they won't know if they are still in business.

It sounds like a more accurate position would be that it's best practice to claim a business listing to have some sort of control over the listing (and obviously take advantage of all the great/free features!).

Thanks for the feedback! This forum is really a great resource.

 

[Scott Rawlins]

Sounds like a scam.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Thank you @Phil Rozek ! The way this removal was positioned was as a sales 'tactic' of sorts... to tell businesses they better claim their listings or else Google will remove them because they won't know if they are still in business.

Yes that is a common scam/scare tactic. Typically the company will charge the business a one-time fee to verify the listing.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Very common scam. You can just ignore it.

 

[JoyHawkins]

I would report whoever told you that here: Google My Business third party policy: Report a violation - Google My Business Help

This was one of the most common types of scams that agencies would tell people when they robocalled them.