Google Maps bug puts some business pins in the ocean

Search Engine Roundtable reported on 29 September 2026 that a bug is placing some businesses’ Google Maps pins in the middle of the ocean. It reportedly affects service area businesses that do not list their address publicly on their Google listings.

What is the ocean pin bug?#

Dipa Gandhi first reported it on LinkedIn, writing that Google Maps shows the correct service area served, but the profile shows a pin marker in the middle of the ocean. She posted screenshots comparing how it should work with how it works now. She added that it is not a one-off and that she sees it on many profiles.

Who else has seen it?#

A few others confirmed the bug in the comments on Gandhi’s LinkedIn post, according to Barry Schwartz. The source gives no count of affected profiles, no list of regions and no start date, so how widespread it is remains unknown.

Has Google responded?#

Not in the source. Schwartz writes that it is not clear Google is even aware of the bug, and he assumes Google will address it. He recalls a similar problem years ago, when Google placed businesses in the middle of the United States.

What should owners do?#

The report offers no fix, so we have none to verify. Practical steps that need no confirmation from Google:

• Check how your own listing shows in Maps and in the profile.
• Do not change your service area settings to chase the pin, since the report says the service area itself shows correctly.
• Report it through Business Profile support, so Google has more examples.

This matters for local SEO mainly for appearance, because the source reports no ranking effect. For more on keeping a profile current, see our report on how to set Business Profile hours automatically.