Google Business Profile: Listing Claim Statuses
Discover the different statuses of claiming your Google Business Profile listing and how to navigate through the process effectively.
Table of Contents
To determine the status of a Google Business Profile (GBP) listing, a simple check of the listing on Google Search or Google Maps will usually display one of the following texts or absence of text, indicating its claim status.
Status Explanations
Claim/Own this business
This text appears on a business listing that is not currently managed by any Google Business Profile account.
- Action Needed: The authorized person for the business's online presence can claim and verify the listing to gain full control over the information.
- Result of Claiming: Claiming the location adds it to your GBP account. The next mandatory step to gain editing rights is verification.
Manage this Listing (Site Manager Sign-Up)
This text indicates a new feature, often seen on verified listings, particularly those belonging to chain businesses.
- Claim Status: The listing is already claimed and verified by a primary owner.
- Purpose: It allows an authorized "site manager" to sign up and gain management access (after verification, often by postcard or phone) without needing the primary owner to explicitly add them. The primary listing owner will receive an email notification of this sign-up.
Claimed vs. Verified GBP Listing: The Key Distinction
It's critical to understand that claiming a location is a different step from verifying it, and both are necessary to fully manage the listing.
Listings that are not claimed and verified contain information sourced automatically by Google and may not be accurate. They can only be updated by going through the full claim and verification process, or through unmanaged user suggestions.
Opting Out of the Site-Manager Sign-Up Program
While articles may suggest contacting Google support to opt-out of the "Manage this Listing" / Site-Manager sign-up program, the reality is that Google has strict requirements for removal.
Google's Stated Policy: Google will generally only disable site manager sign-ups for profiles that have been maliciously edited with spammy or abusive content by a site manager. Proof of such edits must be provided to Google support for them to consider removing the feature for a specific listing. They prioritize data accuracy and see the feature as a way to allow more people to keep information current.