{"id":9130,"date":"2023-04-20T12:08:50","date_gmt":"2023-04-20T12:08:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/20\/5-reasons-your-google-business-profile-might-get-suspended\/"},"modified":"2023-04-20T12:08:50","modified_gmt":"2023-04-20T12:08:50","slug":"5-reasons-your-google-business-profile-might-get-suspended","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/20\/5-reasons-your-google-business-profile-might-get-suspended\/","title":{"rendered":"5 reasons your Google Business Profile might get suspended"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Google Business Profile is an effective marketing channel for local businesses that meet with customers in person.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But when you run a local business, one of the worst things that can happen to your business is having your Google Business Profile suspended.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>When a Google Business Profile is suspended, it either disappears from Google completely (which is often the case) or becomes inaccessible to the profile owner or manager. Neither of which is good news.<\/p>\n<p>For many business owners, this is devastating. (Many of my clients have told me that if they can\u2019t get their Business Profiles reinstated, they would have to close their businesses.)<\/p>\n<p>Because Google typically doesn\u2019t disclose the reason for suspension, it can be frustrating for business owners as they fumble around trying to fix the violation and reinstate their profile.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/20\/5-reasons-your-google-business-profile-might-get-suspended\/#Why_do_Google_Business_Profiles_get_suspended\" >Why do Google Business Profiles get suspended?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/20\/5-reasons-your-google-business-profile-might-get-suspended\/#1_Address_violations\" >1. Address violations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/20\/5-reasons-your-google-business-profile-might-get-suspended\/#2_Making_changes_to_your_profile\" >2. Making changes to your profile<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/20\/5-reasons-your-google-business-profile-might-get-suspended\/#3_Stuffing_your_business_name_with_keywords\" >3. Stuffing your business name with keywords<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/20\/5-reasons-your-google-business-profile-might-get-suspended\/#4_Two_businesses_sharing_the_same_address_or_phone_number\" >4. Two businesses sharing the same address or phone number<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/20\/5-reasons-your-google-business-profile-might-get-suspended\/#5_Someone_reported_your_violations_to_Google\" >5. Someone reported your violations to Google<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/20\/5-reasons-your-google-business-profile-might-get-suspended\/#Are_there_other_reasons_why_your_profile_can_get_suspended\" >Are there other reasons why your profile can get suspended?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_Google_Business_Profiles_get_suspended\"><\/span>Why do Google Business Profiles get suspended?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When your Business Profile gets suspended, the first step is to thoroughly read the <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/business\/answer\/3038177?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Guidelines for Representing Your Business on Google<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In many cases, you can figure out what rule you violated. <\/p>\n<p>But some \u201cunwritten\u201d rules can trigger profile suspensions, which makes things even more complicated.<\/p>\n<p>Determining what caused your suspension is almost like being a detective. <\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s put on our detective hats and discuss five common reasons why Google Business Profiles get suspended.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Address_violations\"><\/span>1. Address violations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google has extensive rules concerning the types of addresses eligible for Google Business Profiles.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Some of the most violated guidelines involve using:<\/p>\n<p>A P.O. Box address.<\/p>\n<p>A UPS Box address.<\/p>\n<p>A virtual office or a co-working space address.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>None of these types of addresses are allowed.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The only rare exception is a co-working space address, given you meet the following criteria:<\/p>\n<p>You rent out a dedicated office.<\/p>\n<p>The location has permanent signage.<\/p>\n<p>You can see customers at your location.<\/p>\n<p>The office is staffed during business hours. (Either you or your employees must be there. And, no, the co-working staff are not your employees, so they don\u2019t count!)<\/p>\n<p>As you can see in the example below, the co-working space\u2019s address \u2013 and even overlapping suite numbers \u2013 are used by multiple businesses for Google Business Profiles.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>Another address violation is displaying your home address in your Google Business Profile when you don\u2019t have permanent signage at your home and are not seeing customers there.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If you have a service area business (SAB) and run your business out of your home but go out to<em> <\/em>your customers to do the work, you are not allowed to display your address in your GBP.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A quick look on Google Maps shows that this landscaping company is violating the rule. <\/p>\n<p>When you look up the company\u2019s address on Maps, you can see a photo of the business owner\u2019s residence. Another profile just waiting to get suspended.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>Some businesses may get away with violating address guidelines for a while, but it will catch up with them eventually.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Making_changes_to_your_profile\"><\/span>2. Making changes to your profile<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Editing core information on GBP (i.e., business name, address, phone number or business categories) can trigger a suspension.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Google may find it suspicious if these key areas get edited.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>After all, how often does a business change its name? Their address? Their phone number? The type of business they are? <\/p>\n<p>The answer: not very often.<\/p>\n<p>So think long and hard before you change any of the major fields in your Business Profile. You may inadvertently trigger a suspension.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<div class=\"nl-inline-form border py-2 px-1 my-2\">\n<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-3 col-xl-4 pe-md-0 pb-2 pb-lg-0\">\n<p class=\"inline-form-text text-center mb-0\">Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-7 col-xl-6  pe-lg-0\">\n<div class=\"form-nl-inline\">\n<div class=\"row g-0\">\n<div class=\"form-group col-12 col-lg-8 mb-0\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-4 col-xl-4 mb-0\">\n<div class=\"d-none\">\n<p>Processing\u2026Please wait.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"btn btn-dark inlineButton w-100 rounded-0 font-weight-bold\">SUBSCRIBE<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-2 col-xl-2 ps-1\">\n<p class=\"text-center mb-0\"><a class=\"nl-terms\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/termsofuse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">See terms.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Stuffing_your_business_name_with_keywords\"><\/span>3. Stuffing your business name with keywords<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Thinking of adding extra words to your company name \u2013 like a city name or keywords? Not a good idea. (Yes, you <em>may <\/em>rank higher but won&#8217;t rank at all when your profile gets suspended.)<\/p>\n<p>In the example below, the realtor is considered a &#8220;practitioner&#8221; and should only use her first and last name as her business name \u2013 no other words.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As you can see, she\u2019s keyword-stuffed her business name with \u201crealtor\u201d and \u201creal estate agent.\u201d (Realtors are among the big offenders of the business name guidelines.)<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>The short-term gains you might get from keyword stuffing your business name are not worth the risk of getting your Google Business Profile suspended.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Two_businesses_sharing_the_same_address_or_phone_number\"><\/span>4. Two businesses sharing the same address or phone number<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google generally doesn&#8217;t like it when two businesses share the same address or phone number. (The same address exception would be at office buildings, malls, car dealerships with separate service\/car repair businesses, etc.)\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This rule primarily prevents:<\/p>\n<p>Home-based businesses from creating multiple Business Profiles at their home address.<\/p>\n<p>A single business from creating more than one business at one location\/address.<\/p>\n<p>An example of this was recently seen on the Google Business Profile Help Forum. A landscaper had a GBP set up for his landscaping business, which he ran from his home.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He then set up another Google Business Profile for a \u201cnew\u201d business he started \u2013 a sod-laying business. (But isn\u2019t laying sod part of landscaping?)\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He couldn\u2019t figure out why the new sod-laying Business Profile got suspended.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It was clear to me \u2013 and obviously to Google \u2013 that this man was trying to game the system by creating two GBPs at the same address to get higher rankings.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>What he should&#8217;ve done is add \u201csod supplier\u201d as a category to his existing landscaping Business Profile.<\/p>\n<p>Google doesn\u2019t want people to set up more Business Profiles to try and get higher rankings.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Someone_reported_your_violations_to_Google\"><\/span>5. Someone reported your violations to Google<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Another way for your Business Profile to get suspended is if someone reports your violations to Google directly.<\/p>\n<p>Have you ever noticed the \u201cSuggest an Edit\u201d link in Google Business Profiles?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If your GBP listing violates guidelines, all someone has to do is make a suggested edit to fix your violation, and that could cause your profile to get suspended.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<p>Think of it like a \u201cneighborhood watch\u201d type of program. This option helps keep everyone on the platform honest.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/business\/contact\/business_redressal_form?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Redressal Form<\/a> can also be used to report GBP violations.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_there_other_reasons_why_your_profile_can_get_suspended\"><\/span>Are there other reasons why your profile can get suspended?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are probably dozens of reasons why Google can suspend your profile \u2013 many of which only Google knows about. So your best bet is to follow the guidelines. All of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Take my word. Getting your Business Profile listing suspended \u2013 and then reinstated \u2013 is not a walk in the park.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In many cases, it can devastate businesses. Messing around by trying to skirt the rules is not worth the risk. So read \u2013 and follow \u2013 the rules.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/why-google-business-profile-get-suspended-395796\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5 reasons your Google Business Profile might get suspended<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Search Engine Land<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Google Business Profile is an effective marketing channel for local businesses that meet with customers in person.\u00a0 But when you run a local business, one of the worst things that can happen to your business is having your Google Business Profile suspended.\u00a0 When a Google Business Profile is suspended, it either disappears from Google completely (which is often the case) or becomes inaccessible to the profile owner or manager. Neither of which is good news. For many business owners, this is devastating. (Many of my clients [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-best-seo-blogs"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9130"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9130\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}