Google Business Profile Profile Strength Widget Now Live & Many Local SEOs Not Happy

Last June, Google began testing a "profile strength" widget or status icon that shows you if you need to do more with your Google Business Profile. Well, that just went live on Friday and seemed to be fully rolled out. But many local SEOs are not happy with it.

Google places a little icon next to a "profile strength" label that shows you how complete your Google Business Profile is. Here is what it looks like:

Here are local SEOs show spotted this over the weekend:

Google added a "Profile Strength" to the NMX. pic.twitter.com/oJ6Z8tnNtX

— ClaudiaT (@ClaudiaTomina) February 17, 2023

Wow. Have you seen Google's new "Profile Strength" label in the NMX?

What a scam. 🤦🏻‍♂️

Check out this flow. 🧵

1. Click "Complete Info"...

cc @rustybrick #seo #localseo pic.twitter.com/GWdRnteaaW

— Darren Shaw (@DarrenShaw_) February 17, 2023

So what is the issue? Well, local SEO experts are the ones to know when the profile is complete. Just because a business listing doesn't use every feature, for example ads, it doesn't mean that the profile is not complete.

Here is Darren clicking on the icon and then being asked to use Google Ads to get the complete score:

3. What's the info I need to complete, you ask?

Oh, it's that I need to sign up for Google Ads. pic.twitter.com/7Hcb0G11OY

— Darren Shaw (@DarrenShaw_) February 17, 2023

So to get my Profile complete, I need to sign up for Google Ads? Wow.

— Darren Shaw (@DarrenShaw_) February 17, 2023

Now the clients of these local SEOs are reaching out panicked that their profiles are not complete.

Also not all my clients want to opt into messages. That will also make you incomplete.

— ClaudiaT (@ClaudiaTomina) February 17, 2023

We've had clients reaching out freaking out because their profile strength wasn't 100% and I've just been telling everyone to simply ignore it.

— Colan Nielsen (@ColanNielsen) February 17, 2023

Let alone having to manage business profiles in web search:

Yes. Literally everyone else.

— Darren Shaw (@DarrenShaw_) February 17, 2023

Do you have to deal with clients who see this and ask why their profiles are not complete?

Forum discussion at Twitter.