google-business-profile
What is a Google Business Profile Place ID, and do I need it instead of a profile URL or review link?
A Google Business Profile Place ID identifies a place for Google Maps Platform requests; it is not the link a customer opens. Use a profile or Maps URL when someone needs to reach the public listing, and use a review link when the intended action is leaving feedback. Google's Place IDs documentation recommends refreshing stored IDs older than 12 months because they can become obsolete.
What is a Google Business Profile Place ID?
Google's Place IDs documentation defines a Place ID as a textual identifier that uniquely identifies a place in the Google Places database and on Google Maps. Google accepts Place IDs in several Maps APIs. Treat the value as a precise reference for a developer request or integration, not as a customer-facing page or review destination.1
Which one should I use: a Place ID, profile URL, or review link?
Choose the value by the person and the action involved. A Place ID identifies the intended place inside a request, a profile or Maps URL gives a person a destination to open, and a review link takes a customer to the review action.12
| Item | What it identifies or opens | Who uses it | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place ID | A place in Google's Places database and on Google Maps | Developers, integrations, and systems | A request or generated Maps link needs an exact establishment 12 |
| Profile or Maps URL | The public listing or a Google Maps action | Owners, marketers, customers, and applications | Someone needs to open or share the business's listing 23 |
| Review link or QR code | The action for leaving a review on the Business Profile | Owners asking for feedback and customers | The intended action is leaving a review 45 |
Does a Place ID open the public Business Profile?
No. A Place ID is a value carried by a supported Maps Platform request. A Maps URL is the link that launches a Maps action, and an existing Business Profile short-name URL can take customers directly to the profile. Google documents those as separate things, so do not paste a Place ID where a customer needs a link.23
How does a Place ID make a Maps URL more precise?
Google's Maps URLs guide documents query_place_id as an optional parameter for a Search URL. The URL still needs a text query, but when both are present Google uses the query only if it cannot find the Place ID. Use both when an application must point to one specific establishment instead of relying on a name search alone.2
What should I share when someone needs my public Business Profile?
Use a customer-facing Google Maps URL when someone needs to open Google Maps or reach a specific place. Google's Maps URLs documentation describes these as universal, cross-platform links that launch Google Maps; a Search URL still needs a text query, and query_place_id can identify the intended establishment.2 If an existing Business Profile short-name URL is available, Google says it takes customers directly to the profile, but new short names cannot be created or edited.3 For broader profile context, see the Google Business Profile hub; if you need to regain control before sharing a profile, see how to get access to your Google Business Profile.
Can I still create a Google Business Profile short-name URL?
No. Google Business Profile Help says new short names cannot be created or edited. An existing short-name URL such as g.page/[yourcustomname] can still take customers directly to the Business Profile, but Google says existing short names and URLs are no longer shown on the profile to customers. Do not tell a business to create a new g.page address.3
How do I create the Google review link or QR code?
Use the review link when the customer should leave feedback, not when the customer only needs the profile. Google Business Profile Help documents this path: open the Business Profile, select Read Reviews, choose Get more reviews, then copy the link or share the QR code. QR codes can currently be generated in a computer browser. Google's review guidance also says a customer must be signed into a Google Account to leave a review; the account can use a non-Gmail address.45 The review-link guide covers the sharing options.
Can a Place ID become invalid after I store it?
Yes. Google says a Place ID can change over time and recommends refreshing stored IDs that are more than 12 months old. An ID can become obsolete after a place closes, moves, or changes in Google's Maps database. A stale ID can return NOT_FOUND; a truncated or modified value can return INVALID_REQUEST. Keep the original request so an integration can look up a current ID when needed.1
See where your profile stands
The audit shows how this applies to your own profile: it reads a verified Google Business Profile and scores it the same way every month.
Visibility Score
0 to 100
20 scored factors across profile completeness, performance, competitive position. Free, no signup, on any verified Google Business Profile.
No signup, no card. You get the score and the factors behind it.
Sources
- Google Maps Platform, “Place IDs,” last updated 2026-10-12 UTC, read 2026-10-14
- Google Maps Platform, Maps URLs documentation, last updated 2026-10-08 UTC, read 2026-10-14
- Google Business Profile Help, “Manage your business short name & URL - Computer,” read 2026-10-14
- Google Business Profile Help, “Create a Google link or QR code to request reviews,” read 2026-10-14
- Google Business Profile Help, “Tips to get more reviews,” read 2026-10-14
Common questions
- Do customers need a Place ID to find my business?
- No. A customer normally needs a destination that opens, such as Google Maps or an existing Business Profile short-name URL. Google's Place IDs documentation describes the Place ID as an identifier, not as a customer-facing URL.
- Should I send a Place ID to a customer or send a URL?
- Send the URL. Google's Maps URLs documentation describes the URL as the thing that launches a Maps action, while its Place IDs documentation describes the ID as a textual identifier. Send a Place ID to a developer or integration only when the receiving workflow asks for it. A Place ID by itself is not the review action and is not a substitute for a shareable link.
- Is a review link the same as a profile URL?
- No. Google's Maps URL documentation describes URLs that launch Maps actions, while Google's review guidance says a customer must be signed into a Google Account to leave a review. A review link is a narrower destination for asking a customer to leave a review.
- Can I use a review link to show my whole Business Profile?
- Do not use it for that purpose. Give customers the profile or Maps URL when the goal is to show the listing. Give customers the review link when the goal is to request a review. Keeping the actions separate makes the destination clear and avoids treating a review request as general profile navigation.
- Can I offer a discount for using the review link?
- No. Google's review-link guidance says reviews and other user contributions must reflect a genuine experience and prohibits offering free or discounted goods or services in exchange for reviews. Share the review link neutrally and let the customer choose whether to write a review, what rating to give, and what words to use.
- What should I do when a stored Place ID returns NOT_FOUND?
- Check that the value was not truncated or changed, then re-run the original lookup that produced it. Google's Place IDs guidance says a place can become obsolete after closure, relocation, or a database change, and recommends refreshing stored IDs older than 12 months. Keep the current ID and update the integration's stored value when the lookup returns one.
More on this subject in the answers library, and on the Maps Agent blog.