reasons why your Google Business Profile may be suspended

Google Business Profile can be a powerful marketing tool for local businesses who meet their customers in person.

When you own a local company, having your Google Business Profile suspended is one of the worst possible things that could happen to you.

If a Google Business Profile has been suspended, the owner or manager of the profile will either no longer be able to access the profile (which is usually the case), or it will disappear completely from Google. Both are bad news.

This is a devastating situation for many business owners. Many of my clients told me they would close their business if their Business Profiles were not reinstated.

Google doesn’t usually disclose the reason behind a suspension. This can frustrate business owners who are trying to correct the problem and restore their profile.

Why are Google Business Profiles suspended?

The first thing you should do when your business profile is suspended is to read through the Guidelines on Representing Your Business in Google.

You can often determine what rule was broken.

Some “unwritten rules” can lead to profile suspensions. This makes things more complex.

It’s almost like playing detective to determine what led to your suspension.

We’ll put on our detective caps and examine five reasons that Google Business Profiles are suspended.

1. Addressing violations

Google has a number of rules regarding the types addresses that are eligible for Google Business Profiles.

Some of the most commonly violated guidelines include:

• Box address. A P.O. Box address
• UPS Box Address
• Address of a virtual office or co-working space.

These types of addresses cannot be used.

Only a few addresses are acceptable if you meet certain criteria.

• Renting a dedicated space is a good idea.
• Permanent signage is displayed at the location.
• Customers can visit you at your place of business.
• The office is staffed at all times. You or one of your employees must be present. The co-working staff does not count because they are not your employees.

Google Business Profiles are being used by many businesses to use the address of the co-working spaces, and sometimes even the suite numbers.

Displaying your home address on your Google Business Profile is another address violation, especially if you do not have permanent signage and don’t see customers at your house.

You are not allowed display your GBP address if you run a service area (SAB) business from your home, but you go to your clients to perform the work.

Google Maps reveals that this landscaping firm is in violation of the law.

You can view a picture of the owner’s home when you search for the address of a company on Maps. Another profile waiting to be suspended.

Some businesses might get away with breaking address guidelines for some time, but they will eventually be caught.

2. Changes to your profile

A suspension can be triggered by editing core information in GBP, such as the business name, address or phone number, or categories of business.

Google could be suspicious if you edit these areas.

How often does a company change its name anyway? Their address? What is their phone number? What type of business are they?

Answer: Not very often.

Think long and hard about any changes you make to your major fields. You could inadvertently cause a suspension.

3. Stuffing keywords into your business name

Are you thinking of adding additional words to your business name, such as a city or keyword? It’s not a good idea. You may rank higher, but you won’t be ranked at all if your profile is suspended.

The realtor in the example below is a “practitioner”, and she should only use her last name and first name as her company name.

She has stuffed the name of her business with keywords like “realtor”, “real estate agent” (Realtors have been known to violate the guidelines for business names).

You will not gain anything from stuffing keywords into your business name, but you may risk having your Google Business Profile suspended.

4. Two businesses using the same phone number or address

Google doesn’t like when two businesses have the same phone number or address. The same exception applies to office buildings, shopping malls, and car dealerships that have separate service/repair businesses.

This rule is primarily intended to prevent:

• Businesses that operate from home can create multiple profiles at their address.
• One business can be created by creating multiple businesses at the same address/location.

A recent example was seen in the Google Business Profile Help Forum. The GBP account of a landscaper who ran his business from home was set up.

He created a new Google Business Profile to represent a “new business” he had started, a sod-laying company. But isn’t sod-laying part of landscaping?

He could not figure out why his new Business Profile for sod-laying was suspended.

This man tried to cheat the system, and it was obvious to Google as well, by creating two GBPs with the same address in order to achieve higher rankings.

He should have added “sod provider” to his landscaping Business Profile.

Google does not want you to create more business profiles to try to get higher rankings.

5. Google was notified of your violation.

Google can also suspend your Business Profile if you violate their terms.

Have you noticed the “Suggest an Editing” link on Google Business Profiles before?

Someone only needs to suggest an edit to correct your violation to cause your account to be suspended.

Imagine it as a neighborhood watch program. This option keeps everyone honest on the platform.

The Redressal form may also be used for reporting GBP violations.

Can your account be suspended for other reasons?

Google may suspend your account for a number of reasons, many of which are known only to Google. Your best bet would be to follow these guidelines. You must follow them all.

I’m not kidding. It is no easy task to get your Business Profile suspended, and then restored.

It can be devastating to businesses in many cases. It is not worth it to try and skirt around the rules. Read and follow the rules.

The article Google Business Profiles: 5 Reasons Your Google Business Profile Might Be Suspended first appeared on Search Engine Land.