Google Business Profile suspended? Why it happens and how to appeal

A suspended profile drops off the map. Google's help page puts it plainly: the public can't go to the profile, and the owner and managers can't act on it. For a contractor who gets calls from the map, those calls stop.

The good news is that Google runs a formal appeals process, and most of what you need to do before you use it is in your own hands.

Why profiles get suspended

Google says it may suspend or disable Business Profiles that don't follow its guidelines. The ones we'd check first, all from Google's own guideline pages:

Keywords in the business name. The name should be the name you use in the real world. Google says including unnecessary information in the name isn't permitted and could result in suspension. "Smith Roofing" is fine. "Smith Roofing Best Roof Repair Melbourne FL" is the kind of name that gets reported and pulled.

An ineligible address. Google says a virtual office (a rented mailing address where you don't operate) isn't eligible for a profile, and P.O. boxes or mailboxes at remote locations aren't acceptable. A box at a shipping store is still a mailbox, even with a suite number on it.

A service-area business showing its address. If customers don't come to your location, Google's guidelines say to hide the address and set service areas. A home address that no customer ever visits, shown on the map, goes against that rule. Roofers and other trades that work at the customer's house should check this first. We covered the right setup in Business Profile setup for roofers. Service area businesses on Google walks through the right setup.

Duplicate profiles. Google says not to create more than one profile for each location, in one account or across several. This can happen by accident: an old profile from a previous owner, one an agency made, and one you made yourself.

How to check the status

Sign in to the Google account that manages the profile and open it. A suspended profile usually shows a notice that it's been suspended or disabled. Then open Google's Business Profile appeals tool, sign in with the same account, and select the profile. The tool shows the moderation reason, a link to the policy Google says you broke, and a status. Google lists these statuses: Submitted, Approved, Not Approved, Can't be appealed, and Eligible for appeal.

Read the policy link before anything else. It tells you which rule to fix.

Fix the cause first

Google's page tells you to make sure the profile follows all the guidelines before you appeal. Appealing with the same problem still in place is wasted time.

Go through the profile against the reason Google gave:

• Change the name back to your real business name, the one on your sign, truck and invoices.
• Hide the address if customers don't visit, and set your service areas.
• Find any duplicate profiles and deal with them.
• Make sure the name, address and phone match your website and your main directory listings. NAP citations for contractors explains how to check those.

Google says owners and managers can't act on a suspended profile, so some of this may have to wait. Write down what needs changing and make each change as soon as access returns.

How the appeal works

In the appeals tool, select the profile, review the moderation reason, select the decision you want to appeal, and click Submit Appeal. You can then add evidence.

Google lists these as acceptable evidence:

• Official business registration
• A business license
• Tax certificates
• Utility bills for the business, such as electricity, phone or internet

Google says to check that the business name and address on every document match the profile. A license under a different name, or a bill to your home when the profile shows a shop, works against you.

Have the files ready before you start. Google's page says that once you open the evidence form, you have 60 minutes to submit or the evidence won't be attached.

Google sends its decision by email. Its appeals page says reviews and decisions can take up to 5 business days.

What not to do

Don't create a new profile. Google says not to create a new Business Profile for the same business while your appeal is under review. A second profile is a duplicate, which is one of the reasons profiles get suspended in the first place.

Don't stack appeals. Google says not to submit multiple appeals for the same issue before you've had a decision.

Don't keep the keyword name and hope. If the name was the reason, the appeal has to come with the real name.

While you wait

A suspension applies to the Business Profile. Your website is a separate listing in the regular results. Make sure the phone number on it is a tap-to-call link and that calls from the site are tracked, so you can see what you're getting from it in the meantime. Call tracking for contractors covers that setup. When the profile is back, how to rank in the Google map pack covers the work that keeps it there.

If you're stuck on what Google flagged or what evidence fits your setup, book a call and we'll go through the profile together.