Waze is a Google-owned navigation app that helps drivers reach their destinations using live traffic information, route guidance and community-reported road conditions.
Businesses can appear as places on the Waze map, allowing drivers to find their locations and navigate to them.
For local SEO, Waze is primarily another platform where a business should maintain accurate location information.
It can also be an advertising opportunity for businesses that depend on customers visiting while they are already travelling.
For most local businesses, Waze is worth checking for accuracy. For businesses that attract passing drivers, it may deserve more attention.
The distinction matters because Waze isn't another Google Business Profile, and maintaining a Waze listing isn't an established way to improve Google Search rankings.
How Does Waze Work for Businesses?
Waze allows users to search for businesses and other destinations directly within its navigation app.
For example, someone travelling on a motorway might search for a nearby petrol station or tyre repair shop.
If the business appears on Waze, the driver can select it as a destination and receive navigation instructions.
A business's place information can include its name, address, category and other relevant details.
However, Waze uses a different approach to managing business information from Google Business Profile.
Rather than offering the same owner-claiming process, Waze allows users and map editors to add places and suggest corrections.
Changes may require approval from volunteer map editors.
Which Businesses Benefit Most From Waze?
Waze is particularly relevant to businesses whose customers make decisions during a journey.
Examples include:
- Petrol stations and electric vehicle charging locations — drivers looking for somewhere to stop.
- Tyre shops and roadside assistance providers — customers who need help while travelling.
- Car washes — drivers looking for a convenient stop along their route.
- Drive-through restaurants and roadside cafés — businesses serving passing traffic.
- Businesses with difficult entrances — locations where accurate navigation prevents missed turns.
For these businesses, a correct location can be more valuable than another generic directory listing.
Imagine a driver looking for a tyre shop after noticing a problem.
A business located along the driver's route may be a practical option, particularly if Waze provides accurate directions to its entrance.
However, appearing in Waze doesn't guarantee that the driver will choose the business.
Which Businesses Can Give Waze Lower Priority?
Waze is usually less important as a marketing channel for businesses where customers make appointments or compare providers before travelling.
Examples include dental practices, solicitors, accountants and physiotherapy clinics.
A service-area business that visits customers rather than receiving them at a storefront may also have less reason to invest in Waze-specific promotion.
These businesses should still check whether Waze displays accurate information about their physical premises, where applicable.
The difference is how much ongoing effort the platform deserves.
For a dental practice, correcting a wrong map location is worthwhile.
Running a dedicated Waze advertising initiative may be harder to justify without evidence that it generates relevant enquiries.
How to Add or Edit a Business on Waze
Waze's official documentation explains that businesses can be added through the mobile app or the Waze Map Editor.
Add a Business Using the Waze App
If the business is missing:
- Open the Waze app.
- Select the reporting option and choose Place.
- Follow the prompts to provide a photograph and business details.
- Enter the business name, category and address information.
- Submit the new place for review.
Waze's volunteer map editors may review the submission before it becomes available.
The interface can vary by device, and some editing features aren't available through Android Auto or CarPlay.
Correct an Existing Business
Search for the business in Waze, open its place details and select the available edit option.
Alternatively, use the Waze Map Editor to suggest changes.
If a location is locked or your account lacks permission to make a change, a local map editor may need to review it.
This differs from claiming and verifying ownership of a Google Business Profile.
What Should You Check on a Waze Listing?
The most important detail is the business's location.
Map pin and directions: Check that navigation leads customers to the correct entrance, rather than an inaccessible side road or the wrong building.
Business name: Use the genuine business name customers recognise.
Address and contact details: Keep important NAP information accurate.
Business category: Choose an appropriate category where the editing interface allows it.
Opening hours: Correct inaccurate hours where supported.
Photographs: Provide clear, relevant images of the premises through Waze's supported submission process.
Some details and editing permissions depend on the location and Waze's community review process.
For businesses serving motorists, the map pin and final navigation route deserve particular attention.
Does Waze Affect Google Maps Rankings?
Waze and Google Maps are both owned by Google, but they are separate products.
Updating a business in Waze doesn't guarantee that its Google Business Profile will be updated.
Likewise, managing a Google Business Profile doesn't replace checking the business's Waze information.
Google has not identified Waze listing completeness or activity as a direct local ranking factor.
A Waze place can be considered another local citation or business information source, but its main practical benefit is helping drivers find the correct destination.
Businesses should therefore manage Waze for customer accuracy and navigation, not because it promises higher Google Maps rankings.
Can Businesses Advertise on Waze?
Yes, through supported Google advertising products and markets.
Google introduced Waze advertising inventory within Performance Max campaigns for store goals.
The advertising format includes Promoted Places in Navigation, which can display a promoted location on a driver's map.
Google confirmed that this inventory was fully available to eligible US advertisers in November 2025, with expansion into additional markets planned for 2026.
Availability, eligibility and supported formats may vary.
This means businesses shouldn't rely on older guides describing a separate Waze advertising dashboard or assume that every historical ad format is still available.
When Is Waze Advertising Worth Considering?
Waze advertising is most relevant when attracting customers who are already driving.
For example, a roadside café might want to reach motorists travelling through the area.
The commercial question is whether advertising produces worthwhile visits and sales.
Where reliable data is available, compare advertising costs with qualified enquiries, store visits and customer lifetime value.
Don't judge the campaign solely by how many people saw the promoted location.
Common Waze Business Listing Mistakes
- Assuming businesses can claim Waze listings like Google Business Profiles. The editing processes differ.
- Ignoring incorrect map pins. Drivers may be routed past the entrance.
- Assuming changes to Google Business Profile automatically update Waze.
- Treating Waze as a Google ranking factor. No direct ranking benefit is established.
- Spending on advertising without checking customer behaviour. Not every category benefits equally from driver-focused promotion.
- Using outdated advertising instructions. Current availability depends on Google's supported products and markets.
- Correcting the address but not testing directions. A valid address can still produce an inconvenient route.
Waze Best Practices
Check whether the business appears in Waze and verify that its name, address and location are accurate.
Test the actual navigation route, particularly where the entrance is difficult to reach.
Submit corrections through Waze's supported editing tools and allow for community review.
Include Waze in periodic local business information checks where relevant.
Consider advertising only when the business has a credible opportunity to attract customers during their journey.
Example of Waze for a Tyre Fitting Business
Consider a hypothetical tyre fitting business located beside a busy dual carriageway.
The business receives occasional calls from drivers struggling to find its entrance.
What the Business Finds
During a map accuracy review, the owner discovers that Waze places the destination pin beyond the correct turning.
Drivers following the route are being directed past the premises.
Because the road has limited turning points, reaching the shop becomes unnecessarily difficult.
What the Business Changes
The owner submits a location correction through Waze's editing process.
After the change is approved, the business checks that the suggested route leads to the correct entrance.
It also reviews the displayed business name and opening hours.
Because the company serves drivers who may need urgent tyre assistance, it investigates the availability of Waze advertising through eligible Google Ads campaigns.
Example
“The most immediate improvement isn't a ranking gain.
It's helping customers reach a business they've already chosen.
For this type of company, accurate navigation has an obvious commercial purpose.
A dental practice reviewing its Waze information might correct its pin and stop there.
Both decisions can be appropriate.
Waze is not a major local SEO priority for every business. Its value depends on whether accurate navigation and reaching drivers can help customers find and visit the location”
See Also
- Google Maps — Google's separate mapping and local discovery platform.
- Citation — Business information published on external platforms.
- NAP — Business name, address and telephone information.
- Apple Business Connect — Managing business information across Apple's ecosystem.
- Citation Audit — Reviewing business listings for inaccurate or outdated information.
- Customer Lifetime Value — Understanding the long-term value of acquired customers.