Unauthorized Booking Links on Google Business Profiles: What You Need to Know

Important Update: 
As of 10/28/2024, our SEO team has been able to successfully remove these unauthorized links using this form. 

Earlier this week, our SEO team uncovered an issue with two of our clients Google Business Profiles (GBP) where an unauthorized third-party booking link (OOOT.com) has been added without consent. Although this issue has only affected two GDW clients so far, reports suggest it may be part of a larger problem impacting multiple practices across the country. To stay ahead of this, we wanted to share the details to help you monitor and protect your Google profiles.

What’s Going On?

This unauthorized booking link, pointing to OOOT.com, has appeared on some GBP profiles without permission or any formal affiliation with the affected practices. It’s currently unclear whether this is a Google bug, an experimental feature, or an unintended third-party exploit. 

The main concern is that this link can’t be removed through standard GBP management tools, raising data privacy and patient communication concerns. Luckily, for the two affected practices we’ve identified, OOOT.com appears to be sending any leads generated through these unauthorized links directly to the practices via email or form submission. While this minimizes immediate disruption, the lack of control over this link and the involvement of an unverified third-party platform remains troubling.

What You Can Do 

Review Your Google Business Profile

To help safeguard your profile, we recommend taking a moment to review your Google Business Profile for any unauthorized changes. Look specifically for unfamiliar booking links, such as OOOT.com, that may have been added without your permission.

If you do find an unauthorized link, you may want to reach out to the Google Support to report it as a violation. Additionally, you’re welcome to reach out to our support team  for advice. 

What’s Next?

Our SEO team is actively exploring solutions to remove this link from affected profiles and will update this post as soon as we identify a reliable method to do so. Given that this issue appears to be widespread, we expect Google will address it soon, and we’ll continue to monitor their updates closely.

If you notice anything similar on your GBP or have any questions, please feel free to reach out. We’re here to help, and we’ll keep you informed of any updates or confirmed fixes. In the meantime, please stay vigilant and check your profiles!