Whether you’re a local banana stand or a multinational coconut distributor, Google offers various platforms to help you reach your target audience when they’re looking for what you do. In this guide, we’ll explore three primary ways to get your business on Google, touch on the benefits of each, and then swing into action with how-to’s to help you get started.

Let’s get it on!

Table of Contents: How to Get Your Business on Google

• Three Ways to Get Your Business on Google
  • Google Business Profile
  • Google Ads
  • Google Organic
• Where Do You Want Your Business on Google
• Google SERP Overview
• How to Get Your Business on Google: Steps to Success
  • Google Business Profile
  • Google Ads
  • Google Organic
• Use Our Google Business Profile Setup Service

Three Ways to Get Your Business on Google

As the world’s leading search engine, Google offers multiple avenues for businesses to connect with potential customers. Let’s explore the three primary methods to ensure your business stands out and effectively reaches its target audience on Google.

1. Google Business Profile

Ideal for local businesses wanting to increase their visibility in local searches and on Google Maps. Formerly known as Google My Business, the Google Business Profile (GBP) is a free tool that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. 

When users search for businesses near them or specific services in their vicinity, Google Business Profile listings often appear at the top of search results, prominently featuring on Google Maps as well. In fact, a staggering 64% of consumers have used Google Business Profiles to find businesses and their contact information.

This platform is not just a directory; it’s an interactive profile that can engage customers and drive traffic both online and offline.

Here’s why it’s essential:

• Visibility: By setting up a GBP, your business can appear in local searches, making it easier for customers to find you.
• Engagement: Customers can leave reviews, ask questions, and even book appointments directly from your profile.
• Insights: Google provides analytics on how customers searched for your business and where they come from.

2. Google Ads

Suitable for businesses looking for immediate visibility and have a budget for advertising. Google Ads is a paid advertising platform that allows businesses to display their ads on Google’s search results, partner websites, and YouTube. With its pay-per-click (PPC) model, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad, making it a cost-effective way to drive targeted traffic to your website. 

Here’s why it’s beneficial:

• Targeted Reach: You can target specific keywords, demographics, and locations.
• Flexibility: Set your budget, choose where your ads appear, and adjust campaigns in real-time.
• Measurable: Track the performance of your ads and ROI with detailed analytics.

3. Google Organic

Perfect for businesses aiming for long-term visibility and are willing to invest time and effort into SEO. Organic search refers to the non-paid results that appear in Google’s search engine result pages (SERPs). 

These listings are determined by Google’s algorithm, which considers hundreds of factors to rank websites. Climbing the organic rankings requires a strategic approach to local search engine optimization (SEO) that will require continual investment in order to see maximum results.

Here’s why it’s crucial:

• Credibility: Websites that rank high organically are often viewed as more trustworthy by users.
• Cost-Effective: Unlike paid ads, organic traffic is free. However, it requires consistent SEO efforts.
• Long-Term Results: Once you rank high organically, you can maintain that position with regular updates and quality content.

Where Do You Want Your Business on Google?

Deciding where you want your business to appear on Google depends on your goals. Here’s how you can prioritize the three opportunities. 

1. If you want immediate visibility and have a budget, Google Ads might be the way to go. 
2. For local businesses wanting to attract nearby customers, a Google Business Profile is essential. 
3. And for long-term, sustainable visibility, investing in organic SEO is crucial.

In a perfect world you would be investing into all three ways to get your business on Google.

The more links you have on a Google’s local search engine results page (SERP) the more likely you are to earn a click. Plus, appearing multiple times within the local SERP reinforces that your business is a prominent one in Google’s eyes.

Google SERP Overview

The Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP) is where users see the results of their queries. It consists of:

• Paid Ads: These are at the top and bottom of the page and are marked as “Ad.”
• Local Pack: This section displays local businesses related to the search query and is directly linked to Google Business Profile listings.
• Organic Results: These are non-paid listings that Google deems most relevant to the user’s query.

Understanding the SERP components can help you strategize where you want your business to appear. Ideally, you want to get your business on Google in all three spots.

How to Get Your Business on Google: Steps to Success

Now that you have an idea of where your business can appear on Google, let’s talk about some specific steps you can take. Below we’ll guide you through a streamlined approach to getting your business on Google, laying out the essential steps to successfully establish and enhance your business’s footprint on the mighty search engine. At the end of each section we will include additional links to more in-depth guides or information that can help support your efforts.

Google Business Profile: 

If you do not have a Google Business Profile, you can create one for your business for free. You can also use our Google My Business Setup Service for a quick and easy way to get an optimized profile.

How to Set Up a Google Business Profile:

1. Visit the Google Business Profile Website: Navigate to the official GBP site to start the process.
2. Sign In: Click on “Manage Now” and sign in using your Google account. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to create it.
3. Enter Business Details: Provide accurate information about your business, including its name, address, phone number, and category. This information will be visible to users, so ensure it’s correct and consistent with other online listings.
4. Verification: Google will send a postcard with a verification code to the business address you provided. This step is crucial to confirm the authenticity and location of your business. Once you receive the postcard, enter the code on the GBP platform to verify your listing.
5. Optimize Your Profile:
   1. Photos: Upload high-quality images of your business, products, services, and team. This gives potential customers a visual insight into what you offer.
   2. Hours of Operation: Clearly state when you’re open or closed. This helps customers plan their visits.
   3. Business Description: Write a concise and engaging description, highlighting what sets your business apart.
   4. Services/Menu: If applicable, list the services you offer or the menu items if you’re a restaurant.
   5. Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and always respond to feedback, both positive and negative, to show you value customer input.

By setting up and optimizing your Google Business Profile, you’re taking a significant step towards enhancing your local online presence, attracting more customers, and building trust in your community.

Google Ads: 

If you want to start getting calls and leads right away, you’re going to need a Google Ads account. If you do not have one, don’t worry. You can get one set up for your business (or have us do it for you) with a bit of time and effort. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started:

1. Visit the Google Ads Website and Sign Up: Navigate to the official Google Ads website. If you already have a Google account, you can use it to sign in. If not, you’ll need to create one. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your Google Ads account.
2. Set Your Advertising Goals and Budget:
   1. Determine Your Goals: Before creating an ad, decide what you want to achieve. This could be increasing website visits, generating leads, making sales, or raising brand awareness. You should also know how many leads you need, since this will influence your budget.
   2. Decide on a Budget: Google Ads operates on a daily budget. Determine how much you’re willing to spend each day. Remember, you only pay when someone interacts with your ad, so allocate a budget that makes sense based on your conversion metrics. The goal is to get your campaigns to a Cost Per Lead (CPL) that fits your profitability.
3. Create Your Ad and Choose Your Target Audience:
   1. Ad Types: Google Ads offers various ad formats, including search ads, display ads, video ads, and shopping ads. Choose the one that best fits your campaign goals.
   2. Keyword Research: For search ads, identify keywords relevant to your business. These are the terms users might type into Google when looking for products or services like yours.
   3. Targeting Options: Google Ads provides a plethora of targeting options. You can target based on demographics, location, interests, behaviors, and more. This ensures your ads reach the most relevant audience.
   4. Ad Copy: Write compelling ad copy that resonates with your target audience. Include a clear call-to-action (CTA) to prompt users to take the desired action.
4. Monitor and Optimize Your Campaigns for Better Results:
   1. Analyze Performance: Regularly check your Google Ads dashboard to see how your ads are performing. Look for metrics like click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and return on ad spend (ROAS).
   2. A/B Testing: Experiment with different ad variations to see which one performs best. This could involve testing different headlines, ad copy, or CTAs.
   3. Adjust Budget: Based on the performance, you might want to increase the budget for high-performing ads or reduce it for those not delivering desired results.
   4. Refine Targeting: Over time, you’ll gather data on which audience segments are most responsive. Use this information to refine your targeting and reach users more likely to convert.

Google Ads is a dynamic platform that, when used effectively, can drive significant traffic and conversions for businesses. By setting clear goals, continuously monitoring performance, and making necessary optimizations, you can make the most of your advertising budget and achieve your business objectives.

Google Organic: 

You’re going to need a website if you want to show up in the Google Organic search results. That’s too large of a tutorial for this guide, but we do have some SEO tips to help guide your website optimization efforts.

How to Improve Organic Ranking:

1. Create High-Quality, Relevant Content:
   1. Understand Your Audience: Research and identify what your target audience is searching for. Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to gain insights.
   2. Regularly Update Content: Fresh, updated content is favored by search engines. Regularly update your blog, articles, and other site content.
   3. Use Relevant Keywords: Incorporate keywords naturally within your content. Avoid keyword stuffing, as it can harm your rankings.
2. Optimize Your Website for Mobile:
   1. Responsive Design: Ensure your website adjusts and looks good on all devices, including smartphones and tablets.
   2. Mobile-Friendly Test: Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to check if your site meets mobile optimization standards.
3. Build Backlinks from Reputable Sources:
   1. Guest Posting: Write articles for reputable websites in your industry and include a link back to your site.
   2. Engage in the Community: Participate in forums, webinars, and other community events to build relationships and earn backlinks.
   3. Online PR: Reach out to bloggers and journalists with stories about your company and content you’ve created that their audience may find valuable.
4. Ensure Your Website is Fast and User-Friendly:
   1. Page Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check your site’s speed. Optimize images, use caching, and consider using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to improve load times.
   2. User Experience (UX): Ensure your website is easy to navigate, with a clear structure and intuitive design. A good UX can reduce bounce rates and increase time spent on your site.

Achieving a high organic ranking on Google requires time and effort, the benefits are substantial. By focusing on creating valuable content, optimizing for mobile, building quality backlinks, and ensuring a seamless user experience, businesses can enjoy sustained visibility, trust, and higher conversions from their audience.

Use Our Google Business Profile Setup Service

Google offers multiple platforms to help businesses reach their target audience. By understanding each platform’s benefits and implementing best practices, you can ensure that your business has a strong online presence on the world’s most popular search engine.

If you need a Google Business Profile and don’t have expertise or time to do it yourself, our Google Business Profile Set Up Service is perfect for you. Let one of our Google Business Profile experts get you set up and optimized today!

• Introduction
• What is a Google My Business Suspension?
• What triggers a suspension of my Google Business Profile?
• Types of Google Business Profile suspensions
• Top 6 causes of Google My Business suspensions
• How long does a Google Suspension last? 
• How can I fix my suspended Google listing? 
• How to reinstate a Google Business Profile in 5 steps
• Who can fix a Google Business Profile suspension? 
• Making edits after reinstatement 

Introduction to Google Business Profile suspensions

When a small business is just getting started, they often don’t have a huge budget available for increasing brand visibility and attracting new customers. 

Luckily, businesses don’t have to spend money to create an online profile that will make them easier to find for customers. That profile is, of course, on Google. 

Creating a free Google Business Profile can be monumental for local businesses to grow their local organic search traffic by allowing them to personalize their Google profile with a logo, phone number, photos, updated hours of operations, and other business details. 

To take that Google profile even further as a lead generation tool, that business must also create a second free Google My Business account for their profile. 

The Google My Business (GMB) account allows you to manage your Google Business Profile and unlock the additional features that allow you to access, customize, manage, and enhance your Business Profile on Google, all 100% for free.  

Many local and small businesses use the free GMB listing as their primary means to increase brand awareness, engage with customers, generate traffic, and attract new customers to their storefronts. The GMB Profile also provides key insights on a company’s audience, as well as local SEO and search performance analytics, directly through the platform. 

Some of the biggest perks of creating a GMB Profile listing include: 

• It allows customers to find all of the essential information about your business in one, easily-searchable place. 
• It can optimize your local search engine optimization (SEO) rankings.
• It increases your opportunity to engage with customers and build connections. 
• It makes it easier to get marketing insights for your target customers.
• It’s completely free. 

Google Business Profiles have proved to be vital to the success of any brick and mortar business: 64% of customers have used Google My Business to find contact details for local businesses, and 50% of customers say they would be deterred from using a local business if the contact information on their website was not up-to-date. 

With all of these amazing free resources helping businesses attract more customers, it can be panic-inducing for a business to discover that their Google My Business Profile has been suspended by Google. 

What is a Google My Business suspension?

Google may suspend Business Profiles and user accounts that violate their guidelines. 

A Google My Business suspension may remove a GMB listing from being visible on Google and Google Maps, or will list the business as “unverified” and remove the ability for the business to manage their profile. 

This can be calamitous for any business that relies on Google My Business as their primary marketing tool. For businesses that rely solely or heavily on their GMB profile to attract new customers, any problems with their profile can cause significant damage to their sales and online exposure. 

If this has happened to you, it’s important to try and remain as calm as possible so that you can take the appropriate steps to fix the issue that triggered your Business Profile suspension. 

Take comfort in this information: it is possible and extremely likely that you will be able to regain your Google Business Profile, but you have to follow the correct steps to ensure that Google will reinstate your listing. 

What triggers a suspension of my Google Business Profile?

As the presence of fraudulent activity on the internet has increased over time, Google has responded by increasing their sensitivity to suspected spam or fraud on Google My Business listings. 

Google’s strict guidelines benefit both businesses and customers, as cleaner search results create better user experiences, which make it more likely to convert customers and increase sales. The level of detail required for a successful GMB Profile listing can sometimes be hard to maintain, however. 

Google wants users to have the most accurate, up-to-date information about the businesses they feature, so they will suspend listings if the information provided in the Google Business Profile seems inaccurate. Reinstating your suspended GMB listing will require you to prove to Google that you’re running a legitimate business. 

There are a myriad of reasons both big and small that can lead to Google suspending a GMB listing. 

Google won’t proactively alert users when their listing is suspended, but the notification will show up on the GMB Profile dashboard. Google also doesn’t give you the exact reason why your listing was suspended. 

This makes it even more important to actively and frequently monitor your Google My Business Profile to ensure that you are meeting all of Google’s Business Profile guidelines. 

There are a few different types of GMB Profile suspensions, and it’s important to understand which one you’re facing in order to determine the best approach to fixing it. 

Types of Google Business Profile suspensions

There are four main types of GMB Profile suspensions:

• Soft Suspension: A soft suspension is when your business is simply “unverified,” meaning that Google has removed your ability to manage the listing, but the listing itself has remained intact and visible online. Soft suspensions usually occur when your GMB Profile is easier for users to edit, making it more vulnerable to incorrect information or multiple changes being made. With a soft suspension, your profile will still show up on Google and on Google Maps. 
• Hard Suspension: A hard suspension is when your entire Business Profile has been removed from Google. When you look at your listing’s record, it will say “removed,” and your only option is to ask Google to reinstate it. A hard suspension typically results when Google decides that your business doesn’t qualify for a GMB listing or is using shady tactics to increase visibility.  
• Listing Suspension: A listing suspension is when the public no longer has access to your business listing. The owner and profile managers also can’t take further action through the GMB but they can appeal for the listing to be reinstated by Google. If Google permits, they will also reinstate the listing’s owner and managers. 
• Account Suspension: There are two types of account suspensions. The first is when Google removes the owner’s Google Account and all of the associated listings owned by that user. If you appeal the suspension and Google reinstates your Google Account, they will also reinstate your business listings. The second type of account suspension is when Google removes a manager’s Google Account. In this case, the manager will be suspended from the listings they manage, but the actual listings will remain unaffected. If a manager’s Google Account is reinstated, the manager will also regain all managerial access to the listings. 

Once you’ve established which type of suspension you’re dealing with, you need to dive into the work of figuring out exactly what caused your GMB suspension in the first place. 

Some of common events that can lead to a GMB listing suspension include: 

• Information in your listing changed, such as your business name, address, phone number, or website URL. 
• Your primary business category is considered high-risk, including locksmiths, HVAC/heating and cooling, and plumbing. 
• Your address violates Google’s policy due to including a forwarding URL or phone number, or having multiple listings for the same physical location. 
• A misleading business description or content that focuses too much on special promotions and discounts. 

The full list of potential reasons why Google suspends GMB Profiles is exceedingly long. But there are some common problems that can lead to a profile suspension, and several of them are relatively easy to fix. 

Top 6 causes of Google My Business suspensions

1. Ineligible address used by the business. If the address listed on your website is different from the one on your business listing, this will confuse users and can flag to Google that your listing address is incorrect. If another business shares your address or has the same address listed on their GMB Profile, that can also cause a suspension. 
2. Keyword stuffing in the business name field. Keyword stuffing is a bad SEO practice that can get you booted from Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs), as well as cause a GMB listing suspension. If there are extra keywords added into your business name, Google is likely to suspend the listing. 
3. Wrong profile category for business. Google wants to ensure that users are given the most accurate information that is least likely to cause confusion, so it’s critical that businesses select the correct business category when creating their GMB Profile. 
4. Duplicate profile listings for business. If there are multiple listings for the same business or location, or multiple businesses claiming to be at your listed address, Google will flag that some or all of the information is inaccurate and suspend the listing. 
5. Fake reviews on the business profile. Another bad practice is to generate fake reviews on a GMB listing page. If Google has reason to believe that any of the reviews are fake, they are likely to promptly suspend the listing. Even if you had nothing to do with the suspicious reviews, you’re still held liable for what’s posted on your listing. Be sure to closely monitor comments and reviews on your listing and remove all inappropriate or spammy content as soon as you see it. 
6. Bugs related to Google Business Profiles. On some occasions, there can be technical issues with a GMB Profile that cause a listing suspension. If this happens, the business should contact GMB Support, which will likely lead you to this support article to first try and fix the bug yourself.  

Google has become increasingly tough on GMB listings that for any reason signal that their information is false or not up-to-date. 

Fortunately, having a GMB listing suspended is a pretty common experience and Google provides solutions to help you reinstate your listing as long as you follow the correct protocols. 

How long does a Google suspension last? 

Reinstating a suspended GMB listing is a process that can take time, so be prepared to practice some patience. The good news is that having a GMB suspension will not affect your local search engine rankings. 

The amount of time required to fix a GMB listing suspension is dependent on the nature of the issue, and how complicated it will be to resolve. For example, if the issue that caused the suspension was merely an incorrect address, a business can add the correct address into the listing and will likely see their profile reinstated in a matter of hours. 

However, if the suspension was caused by a more nuanced issue, Google Business Profile Support will need time to review your reinstatement request and determine if your listing meets its guidelines. 

The longer the reinstatement period takes, the more time your business remains invisible to customers online, so it’s best to follow the steps to get the problem resolved as quickly as possible. 

How can I fix my suspended Google listing? 

After diagnosing what type of suspension you’re dealing with, and determining the origin of what caused your GMB Profile suspension, it’s time to try and fix the problem before you can get your listing reinstated. 

Whatever you do, do not create a new listing to avoid fixing the suspended profile. This will only make it even harder for Google to trust that you’ll follow its GMB guidelines moving forward. 

Do not file multiple reinstatement requests or reach out to the GMB support team about the same issue more than once–doing so will only cause further delays in reinstating your listing. 

Be prepared to provide Google with proof that you are indeed a legitimate business, with documents such as: 

• State business license
• Professional license
• Photos of the business location
• Utility bills
• Rental agreements/deeds
• Tax identification papers 

There are some occasions where Google will lift a suspension from a simple video or phone verification of your business. You have to submit a reinstatement form for Google to determine if you qualify for these simpler solutions. 

Continue reading to learn the steps you should take to reinstate your GMB listing.

How to reinstate a Google Business Profile in 5 Steps:

1. Review Google Business Profile Terms of Service. If your GMB Profile was suspended, you likely misread some of the fine print on the guidelines for creating and maintaining a successful Google Business Profile. Now is the time to go back and review Google’s guidelines with a meticulous eye to ensure that you won’t be suspended again in the future. 
2. Check Your Business Profile Listing for Violations. Look at the “info” section of your GMB Profile and meticulously review each and every field to see if you can find what could be causing the violation. For example, if your listed business hours are 24/7, make sure to adjust them to reflect the actual hours customers can consistently rely on your business to be open. Ask a trusted colleague to make sure you haven’t missed something. You can also go to the GMB Help Forum and post the details of your suspension to ask for a second opinion from GMB moderators. 
3. Fix Any Issues With Your Current Profile. Fix the associated violations on your GMB Profile page, and then double check them all again to ensure that you don’t have to go through another suspension after submitting your reinstatement request. 
4. File a Google Business Profile Reinstatement Request. After you’re confident that you have fixed the problems with your listing, it’s time to submit an appeal for reinstatement. The appeal form will ask you a series of questions about your business, and it’s important to take your time to fill it out carefully and completely.In addition to filling out a business reinstatement request form, Google often requires you to send proof that documents your business ownership, physical location, or other forms of credibility. These may include a utility bill with the same billing address as the GMB, a business license or tax form, or your GMB listing’s dashboard URL to confirm the business profile, among other types of documentation. 
5. Respond to Any Requests from Google Support. Once you’ve submitted your reinstatement request, Google might reach out with further requests to fix the problems associated with your GMB Profile suspension. Be sure to respond promptly and act accordingly to these requests, as doing so will yield the best chance at reinstating your listing as quickly as possible. 

On average, it takes about two weeks for Google to review and decide on your reinstatement request. 

If you’ve been waiting for longer than three weeks and your listing still hasn’t been reinstated, you can contact GMB support via email to ask for an update. Be prepared to provide your GMB listing’s CID number for Google to easily track your request. 

Who can fix a Google Business Profile suspension? 

• Profile owners: Profile owners can fix a GMB suspension problem and submit a reinstatement form to Google. 
• Profile managers: Profile managers can also fix a GMB suspension problem and submit a reinstatement form to Google. 
• GMB Gorilla: Business owners and managers don’t always have the time to devote to fixing a GMB suspension. You can hire experts at GMB Gorilla to determine the cause of your suspension and work to get your Profile reinstated–saving you both time and frustration. If you’ve already submitted a reinstatement form and the request was denied, GMB Gorilla can scan your profile for additional issues and appeal the request for you. 

Making profile edits after reinstatement 

After you’ve successfully reinstated your GMB listing, it’s important to regularly stay on top of updating your listing as changes occur. Incorporate a Profile check into your weekly admin duties and pay close attention to ensure that your listing always reflects any changes to your service offerings, hours of operation, location, phone number, etc. 

As you create business profiles on other online platforms, such as Facebook or a website, make sure that all of these details are consistent across platforms. 

Having your Google My Business listing suspended can be a stressful and confusing experience. 

While GMB suspensions often stem from simple problems like a duplicate address, they can also happen when you make too many changes at once, or even a glitch on Google’s side of things. The best way to avoid a GMB suspension is to thoroughly review the Google Business Profile guidelines and make sure that all of your business information is updated and accurate. 

Now that you’re aware of the top causes of listing suspensions, and the steps required to get a listing reinstated, you should be better prepared if you face a suspension in the future.

If you need help, check out our Google My Business Suspension Service.

Google My Business (now called Google Business Profile [GBP]) is a free platform that lets businesses manage their online presence across Google services, including Search and Maps. Your GBP can drive a lot of sales to you if you’re proactively promoting it, but it can also become a nightmare if you get suspended.

If Google suspends your account, don’t jump around like a spider monkey! There is a list of steps to get it reinstated before the wolves start howling at the moon.

Google My Business account suspended: How did this happen?

Google suspends Google My Business accounts for various reasons. The most common are spammy practices against terms of service or incorrect information on your profile. Another common cause is registering as a physical address business when you are a service area business.

Reinstating your Google My Business account depends on the type of suspension you received. A soft suspension means your Google Business Profile is still live in the search results, but you won’t be able to modify anything until Google removes your suspension. A hard suspension is when Google removed your profile from search results and the map, signaling a more serious violation.

Google does not charge for a suspension or the reinstatement process. The process can be frustrating and time consuming, so you may want to hire a third-party service to avoid the headaches. That said, you can follow the instructions below to do it yourself!

Google My Business account suspended: What steps should I take?

Here are the steps you’ll need to take to fix a suspension:

1. Review the Google Business Profile TOS

Read the Google My Business terms of service before making any changes to your account. The terms of service spell out for you what is acceptable for the various fields and functions of a Google Business Profile. If you are not familiar with the terms of service, you could have very well violated one of the rules without evening knowing it.

2. Check your suspended profile for issues

Google will not inform you as to why your account was flagged, but many factors can lead to a suspension, such as:

• Keyword stuffing the business name field
• Using a P.O. Box or virtual office for the company address
• Multiple listings exist for the same company
• Google or users detect fake reviews on your profile
• Users reported your profile as spam via the search results or maps
• Profile ownership was recently transferred
• A manager or owner account was suspended, leading to a profile suspension

Examine your profile for any of these common suspension reasons above. Note that “others are doing it,” is not a reason that will be accept by Google. It is only a matter of time before they are suspended too.

3. Fix the issues with the suspended profile

You need to ensure your profile is compliant with GBP policies before you can request reinstatement. If you see one (or more) of the common issues listed above you must take action by updating it. You want to put your best foot forward, but also avoid end less back and forth with Google support, since they will not tell you specifically what is wrong.

If you are in a high-risk industry such as escort services, marijuana, online pharmaceuticals, locksmith services, lotteries, and home services, you may have difficulty getting reinstated. We have seen time and time again that businesses in these industries will have to provide plenty of documentation in order to get reinstated after a suspension. Thank your peers

If you’re unsure what’s wrong with you Google My Business account, hire a professional to help you. Google will not walk you through the process of getting your account reinstated, but GMB Gorilla will!

4. Submit the GBP Reinstatement Form

Once you are certain you’re in compliance with Google terms of service, you will need to fill out a reinstatement form. In addition to the basic questions in the form, you will be asked to submit proof of ownership and location. If so, include one or more of the following:

• A copy of your business license
• A utility bill or phone bill with your business name and address
• Articles of incorporation
• A government-issued I.D. with your name and address
• Photos of your business and signs
• Proof you are not sharing a location with another business

These can be easily attached to your request to unsuspend your account. Remember, the more information you can provide to prove you’re a legitimate business operating at this location in real life, the sooner you will get your suspended account back.

5. Wait for a response from Google

It takes two weeks, on average, to hear from Google. It respond sooner, or take longer. You may also be asked for additional information.

Unfortunately, Google may state that it can’t reinstate your profile because there are still policy violations. If this occurs, you may appeal the decision after fixing the remaining issues with the account.

Google My Business account suspended: Appealing a Google decision

What if Google makes a mistake? If you think you have corrected all the profile issues on your GBP account, you can submit an online appeal to Google. Notification of the outcome comes via email. If Google denies your appeal, you are allowed to re-appeal.

Appealing a decision can be time-consuming, so it’s best to avoid suspension in the first place. Keep your profile updated and accurate, and follow all Google policies.

The appeal process can be frustrating, but don’t try to make Google reinstate your profile by creating a new one. Google will also suspend that account, and you could receive a permanent ban from the platform.

Also, hounding support to see what is taking so long will not help. The best thing you can do is wait patiently for a response from Google.

Google My Business account suspended: When do I hear from Google?

Most businesses will hear back from Google within two weeks. If you have completed the process and submitted all the required information, you should receive a notification from Google within this time frame.

However, some businesses have reported that it can take up to four weeks to hear back from Google. If you haven’t received a response after four weeks, you can contact customer support for help.

When Google reinstates your business account, you will receive an email informing you that your account is active again. You can then log in and make any necessary changes to your profile and listings.

Is your Google My Business account suspended? Let GMB Gorilla help

If Google suspends your account, you may not be sure what’s wrong. When you need a professional to help you get your profile reinstated, contact GMB Gorilla.

Our team works with Google daily to resolve Google Business Profile suspension issues, so we know how to take action and handle problems effectively. If you have any further questions about Google Business Profile suspensions or if you need to get your account reinstated, check out our Google My Business Suspension Service.

Google My Business Profile suspensions can be a serious matter.

If you’re experiencing a hard suspension, your listing has been removed from Google Maps and the search results. This can significantly impact your business, mainly if you rely on organic traffic from Google.

Even if it’s a soft suspension and your profile still appears, it’s awfully frustrating not to be able to make edits and updates to your profile.

What’s even worse is if you think your fixed your suspended profile to be within Google’s Terms of Service, but they won’t lift the suspension for some reason.

The positive news is that you can appeal your suspension if Google does not reinstate your profile.

How long does a Google My Business suspension appeal take in 2023?

Google states it may take up to five days for them to review your appeal.

However, many businesses have reported that it can take much longer — sometimes weeks or months. As of October 2022, suspensions were taking 22 days to resolve, on average.

Things got a little bit better during the holiday season, but we’re still seeing that it takes about two weeks to resolve an appeal.

If you’re waiting for a response from Google, it’s essential to be patient. Do not create another reinstatement request or try to set up a new profile. This will just cause issues and extend the amount of time it will take to get your Google Business Profile live.

If you don’t hear back from Google after two weeks, we suggest you move on to contact Google Business Profile support directly for additional assistance.

How the Google Business Profile Reinstatement Form is used for suspension appeal

The Google Business Profile reinstatement request form is used to submit an appeal for a business that has been suspended.

Step 1. Gather details

To appeal a suspension, you must provide information about your business, including your name, address, and phone number. You will also have to explain why you believe your suspension is unjustified.

Step 2. Find Your Customer ID (CID)

Finding your CID is a good idea. This is a unique identifier for your profile; having it ready will help your situation. There are several ways to locate your CID. The easiest way is using a Google Chrome extension, and there are several you can search for. 

A more technical method involves Google Maps. Search for your business in Google Maps and ensure it is the only search result. Change “HTTP://” in the URL to “view-source:”.

CTRL-F to find “lidocid”. The CID is the string of numbers after “ludocid\\u003d” and before #. 

This process does not work for Service Area Businesses (SABs). Finding the CID here is even more technical, so look it up if you’re interested. Using a Chrome extension may be more (banana) a-peel-ing. 

Step 3. Make sure your profile is in compliance

Fix the problems on your profile before you submit the reinstatement form. You are just wasting time otherwise.

Step 4. Start the reinstatement process

Go to this website. Answer the yes or no questions. If you are eligible, the reinstatement form will appear. Enter your business information.

Step 5. Be detailed in your response

Add the information about the suspended profile, making sure to be as detailed and explicit with your response as possible. Be sure to attach supporting documentation like a business license and or lease / utility bill to assist in proving your location / business are authentic. You will need to list the URL of your Google business dashboard. Do this from a desktop computer. Some users have reported that the URL is unusable when copied on a mobile device.

Step 6. Submit the form

Once you have submitted the form, Google will review your appeal and decide whether to reinstate your listing. Do not submit requests while you are waiting to hear from Google.

What to expect after you submit your business suspension appeal 

You should wait for a response from Google. Submitting repeated requests for information will not help. No weight is given to profiles that have been online for a long time or have a lot of good reviews.

Do not remove your profile or create a new profile. This can result in lost data or a reinstatement delay.

Some experts state that contacting Google more than twice about the same issue may cause confusion and delay response. This is not an official policy, but many users say it’s true.

Do not ask another party to submit an appeal for you if you already have one open. This will also cause confusion and delays.

You shouldn’t go into Google Help forums and demand that your profile be reinstated. This will accomplish nothing except for maybe being banned from the forums. These are free volunteers trying to help.

Read the terms of service before you complete a reinstatement request. You need to understand your violation and fix it to have any hope of your suspension being removed.

Google will email you about your reinstatement request. You can reply with questions, and Google may request more information.

How long does it take before you get a response from Google?

It can take a few days to two weeks, but this varies based on how many requests Google has received. If you haven’t heard anything in two weeks, contact Google support. An excellent way to reach out is through Facebook and Twitter.

COVID-19 restricted contact to email only, but things have gradually been returning to normal, but phone support is still not an option in most cases.

What if your suspension appeal gets rejected by Google?

Unfortunately, this happens more often than not. It can be for numerous reasons. One common reason is that you have not adequately addressed the issue that caused the suspension.

If you didn’t know why your profile was suspended, this is a good time to find out. Google tells you why your profile was suspended in the email they sent when they denied your appeal. If you still don’t understand, Google has a list of reasons why businesses might be suspended.

The next step is to create a new appeal. Google may be more lenient if you have made an honest effort to fix the issue. Provide as much information as you can in your request.

You might want to take a break if you have already submitted multiple appeals and been denied each time. Give it a few weeks and try again. If you continue to be denied, consider contacting GMB Gorilla.

If Google rejects your suspension appeal, don’t despair — there are still things you can do to try to get your listing reinstated.

First, you can reach out to Google directly and ask for an explanation of why your appeal was rejected. You can also try re-submitting your appeal, making sure to address any issues that Google pointed out in their rejection.

You can contact a suspension appeal service like GMB Gorilla if you’re still having trouble. We have a proven track record of assisting businesses to reinstate their listings, even after their appeals have been rejected.

Your reinstated profile is still pending for more than three days

A problem on Google’s end is what usually causes a pending reinstated profile. If your reinstated profile is still pending after three days, contact Google support and explain that your suspension has been removed and you are still waiting.

Google frequently changes its algorithm, and this can result in bugs causing all kinds of problems. These issues are usually resolved quickly, but it may be a reason for your profile being in limbo.

GMB Gorilla can help take the pain out of reinstatement and suspension appeals

If you’re dealing with a Google My Business suspension, the last thing you want to do is deal with an extended appeals process. It can be frustrating when waiting for Google to get in touch. Don’t sit around like a chunky monkey wondering what to do.

Talk to the experts at GMB Gorilla! Working with a team of GMB experts will give you peace of mind and leave you free to work on more pressing matters. We understand the inner workings of Google My Business and can help you get your listing reinstated quickly and efficiently.

If your Google My Business Profile is suspended, you need to understand what went wrong before you can request reinstatement.

Is it a hard or soft suspension?

There are two types of Google My Business profile suspensions: soft and hard.

With a soft suspension, your business information is still visible on Google Search and Maps, but you can’t edit or update the profile. You need to correct the problem and then submit a reinstatement request. 

With a hard suspension, your business information is hidden entirely from view, which can occur after multiple policy violations. You can appeal the suspension, but don’t be surprised when Google asks you for a river of information (or your profile gets suspended again).

Knowing what type of profile suspension you are facing is helpful in taking on the reinstatement process.

Google Business Profile Suspensions: Reinstate My Google My Business Profile

A suspension may seem illogical and may not be your fault, but that doesn’t mean you will be reinstated. You should follow the steps below to improve your chances with Google.

Checking your business listing for violations and fixing any issues with your current profile are essential first steps. Once you have addressed the problems, you can file a reinstatement request with Google Support.

Common reasons for Google Business Profile suspensions

These are some common reasons for Google Business profile suspensions, many of which are covered by one of the following scenarios.

Violation of Google My Business policies

This is the general reason for a suspension, so the first step is to see which policy you violated. You can begin to narrow down your infraction and see what is required for reinstatement.

Inaccurate information

If your business profile is suspended because it contains inaccurate information, you’ll need to update it with the correct information. Once you’ve made the changes, you should submit a request to have your business profile reinstated.

Spam

If your business profile is suspended for spam, remove any spammy content from your profile. You can flag spam content as inappropriate, but you are responsible for everything posted on your profile. You must deal with spam before your profile can be reinstated.

Fake business information

Fake and misleading information is not allowed on Google My Business. If your business profile is suspended for containing phony information, you’ll need to remove the fake data and update your profile with the correct information.

Fake information includes misleading photos, names, phone numbers, and addresses.

Negative reviews

Having a lot of negative reviews and failure to respond to reviews shows Google you offer poor customer support and are not interested in making things right for your customers.

If your business profile is suspended for having too many negative reviews, take steps to improve your customer service and address the issues that led to the negative reviews.

Once you’ve made the changes, you should submit a request to have your business profile reinstated.

Fake reviews

Google reviews impact SEO, so fake reviews are a severe violation. In addition to removing fake reviews, you need to be vigilant about monitoring for fake reviews in the future. Continued violations may result in a hard suspension.

High-risk industries

High-risk industries typically include service area businesses that commonly try to register is a physical address business.

Examples include locksmiths, criminal defense attorneys, plumbers, real estate agents, and insurance professionals.

If your business profile is suspended for going ape in a high-risk category, you will need to change anything that violates Google’s policies.

Keyword stuffing

Keyword stuffing is the practice of filling your business name field with keywords to improve your search ranking. This makes your content difficult to read and violates Google’s policies.

If your business profile is suspended for keyword stuffing, remove the keywords and update your profile with your actual legal business name. 

Using a P.O. Box for a business address

This practice is not allowed on Google My Business. If your business profile was suspended for using a P.O. box as a business address, update your business profile with a physical address.

Business address is a virtual office or co-working space address

These locations cannot be used as business addresses on Google My Business. Add a physical address to your account if your business profile was suspended for using a virtual office or co-working space address. Google may request a photo of your company’s building or building directory.

Online-only business

You may not be eligible for a business profile if your business only exists online. If your business profile was suspended because you’re an online-only business, update your business profile to include a physical address.

Multiple businesses sharing the same address

Having multiple businesses at the same address with the same owner is generally not allowed on Google My Business. If your business profile was suspended for sharing an address with another company, update your business profile with a unique address.

Inconsistent business name

It may be considered inaccurate if your business name is not listed correctly or consistently across your website, social media platforms, and other directories. You’ll need to update your business name to be consistent across all platforms.

You forward users to a different site

Forwarding URLs are prohibited. Users must land on the site designated by your Google My Business profile link. Your account can be suspended if someone clicks on your link and is directed away from the expected landing page.

Re-verification required

A common mistake is to change some information on your profile that trips a suspension. This change can be your phone number, address, category, or name. Re-verifying your listing is vital to maintaining control of it, so make sure to request a new code if you make any changes to these fields.

Reinstate a Google Business Profile in 5 Steps

These steps are to help you if your business profile has been suspended. You can appeal the decision if you think your business profile was incorrectly suspended. Otherwise, go through the following steps in order.

1. Review Google Business Profile Terms of Service

Make sure you understand the Google My Business terms of service before making changes to your business profile. Violating the terms of service can lead to a suspension, so it’s important to be familiar with them before you make any changes.

2. Check your Google Business Profile Listing for violations

Examine your profile for violations of Google’s policies. Violations are not always your fault and may not be obvious, so checking your profile carefully before making any changes is essential.

3. Fix any issues with your current profile

Fix the issues you found with your business profile to meet Google’s guidelines.

4. File a Google Business Profile reinstatement request

Once you’ve made the required changes to your business profile, you can submit a request to have it reinstated. Include as much detail as possible in your request, and make sure to address any specific concerns that led to the suspension.

5. Respond to any requests From Google support

Respond promptly and accurately if Google support contacts you with questions or requests. Taking too long to respond or providing inaccurate information can delay the reinstatement of your business profile.

Making Edits After Reinstatement

Pay attention to policies after your business profile has been reinstated. Making changes that violate Google’s guidelines can result in a hard suspension. Don’t metaphorically swing on a giant tire like an orangutan and risk losing your listing again!

GMB Gorilla Will Reinstate Your Google Business Profile

If you need help reinstating your Google My Business profile, GMB Gorilla will prevent you from going bananas.

Our Google My Business Suspension Service takes the pain away from dealing with Google directly.

We will work with you to correct any problems and update your business profile in no time.

A Google My Business (GMB) Profile suspension is no fun for anyone. If you’re the page owner, you’re probably going bananas trying to figure out how to fix the problem, and if you’re a page manager, you’re probably trying to help the owner fix the issue.

Page suspensions impact your GMB Knowledge Panel, the box on the right side of a Google search results page containing your business name, address, hours, phone number, website, and other important information. It also impacts your appearance on the map and local pack in search results.

There are many reasons why your page can get suspended. Google has strict standards that you can violate unknowingly. Some common causes include:

• Multiple profiles for your business at the same location
• Keyword stuffing the business name
• Updating your profile address
• Several businesses are listed under one address
• Your website URL forwards users to a different site

Google will not tell you why your account is suspended; it can take the company weeks to respond to your questions. Getting your account reinstated will take more time after you receive a response. There’s no need to go ape; you just need to understand Google’s regulations.

There are two primary types of GMB suspensions: soft and hard

A soft suspension is when your business information is still available on Google, but your page is hidden from search results. A hard suspension is when your Knowledge Panel does not appear online.

You must act quickly to resolve the issue if you have a hard suspension. If you have a soft suspension, you may be able to wait a bit longer to take action since your Google Profile will still appear in search and on maps.

With either suspension type, you will not be able to change your information until the suspension is resolved.

Profile owners can fix a Google Business Profile profile suspension

Profile owners are the ones who are ultimately responsible for their business profile page. If there are any issues with the page, it’s up to the owner to fix them. These issues include suspensions.

Owners can add and remove users and change business information. The primary owner can remove other owners and transfer primary ownership. An owner account suspension involves the removal of the owner’s Google account. All information, including reviews, will be removed. 

If you’re the owner of a suspended GMB page, don’t panic. You can take steps to correct the issue and reinstate your page.

First, review the Google My Business Terms of Service. These are the policies you agreed to when you created your profile. If you violate any of these terms, that’s likely why your page was suspended.

Next, check your business profile for any issues. Once you’ve identified the issues, you can start fixing them. Make sure to update your information, so it’s accurate and complete. Then, submit a reinstatement request via the online form.

If you’re unsure how to fix the issue, you can always reach out to GMB Gorilla for help getting your page reinstated.

Profile managers can fix a Google My Business Profile suspension

Profile managers can help fix a Google My Business profile page suspension. If you’re a manager of a suspended GMB page, your first step should be to contact the profile owner. Then you can head on over to the Google Terms of Service to start learning what violations your profile may have.

Profile managers can submit reinstatement requests once a Google Business Profile has been fixed, so if you’re managing a Profile for someone else, you can swing into action to get them to the other side of the river.

GMB Gorilla can fix a Google My Business Profile suspension

You probably heard through the ape-vine that GMB Gorilla offers a Google My Business Suspension Service providing an expert solution to your profile suspension issues.

We work with Google representatives daily and can get answers when you cannot. Our team will handle everything for you, so you don’t need to worry about communicating with Google.

The first step is to describe your problem to your GMB Gorilla account manager and provide access to your account.

Next, we will research your issue and open a ticket with Google. We have lots of experience crafting these tickets, so we know how to tell Google that your GMB account should not have been impacted. Our team will continue to work on your behalf until the problem is resolved.

We cannot guarantee that your issue will be fixed because we cannot control Google’s ultimate decision, but as of January 2023 we have a 98% success rate.

How to Fix a Google profile suspension in four steps

These steps will help you fix a profile suspension in many cases:

1. Review GBP Terms of Service

Reviewing the terms can help you understand why your account was suspended. Google does not monkey around when it comes to enforcing policy violations.

2. Check Your Business Profile for Any Issues

Ensure your page is optimized and your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all platforms.

3. Fix the Issues Causing the Profile Suspension

Fix the problems to the best of your ability and verify all information.

4. File a Profile Reinstatement via Online Form

Let Google know that you have worked to resolve your issues.

Preventing a Page Suspension in the Future

Here are some of the best methods to prevent further suspensions:

• Understand the Google guidelines
• Do not keyword stuff the business name field
• Do not list a post office box or virtual office as your business address
• Do not use a website redirect
• Do not enter incorrect categories
• Do not use service areas you do not actually serve
• Do not buy positive reviews (i.e. fake reviews)

These are just a few of the many things you can do to help prevent page suspensions. There are more that you can research, but these are some of the most important. 

Let GMB Gorilla resolve your page suspension issues

Google My Business suspensions can be a real pain, but there is no need to be a Furious George. We offer expert solutions to resolve any suspension issues.

Our team has years of experience working with Google representatives and knows how to craft a ticket to get your account back on track. If you’re having problems fixing your suspended page, don’t hesitate to reach out for help.

When there’s a will, there’s a way.

A Google Business Profile is a valuable tool that allows people to find your business and its location on Google search results. Better yet, it displays your company’s most important information, such as contact details, hours of operation, or a link to its official website.

As a matter of fact, millions of people use Google every day to research all kinds of information. It’s the world’s most popular search engine, with over 75% of the search market share utilizing it on a daily basis. Google earns nearly 5.6 million searches in a single day. 

There isn’t a better way to make your business accessible to a global audience. As you can imagine, a suspended Google Business Profile won’t do your business any good. Google is known to be strict on occasion, putting GMB listings at risk for suspension. 

There are various reasons why your Google My Business account may have been suspended. It’s especially tricky when you’re unsure what you’re in violation of. Before you get yourself in a tizzy, read what the GMB Gorilla has to say. 

He’s here to take away your Google troubles.  

Google Business Profile suspended? Here’s where to start

Keep calm and keep reading. 

You’ve found yourself in Google’s digital prison. As frustrating as this is, you’re not alone, and there’s likely a solution to your suspension problem. 

First off, remember to keep your cool. Dealing with a Google Business Profile suspension isn’t easy by any stretch, but something can be done about it. Sorry to break it to you, but panicking won’t bring your account back from the suspension grave. 

(Neither will being rude to a Googler!)

All jokes aside, it’s totally possible to reinstate your suspended profile without spending the day on the vine. 

When a suspension happens, you have to resort to detective mode. This is especially the case when you have no idea why Google suspended your profile.   

What is a Google Business Profile suspension?

Let the GMB Gorilla explain.

Google targets Business Profiles and user accounts that go against its Terms of Service. 

If Google finds that you’ve violated its guidelines, this can trigger a suspension. When your Google My Business Profile gets suspended, you lose the ability to edit your profile. Even worse it will often no longer be visible on Google and Google Maps. 

There are two types of suspensions: soft and hard. 

A soft suspension means you’ve lost control over your listing, but it’s still visible on maps and search results. A hard suspension completely removes your listing from search and maps. 

Knowing a little bit more about Google suspensions will help you figure out why you were suspended. This makes fixing your suspender profile much easier.

Why did my Google Business Profile get suspended?

It’s the million-dollar question, folks.

There are various reasons why your Google Business Profile could’ve been suspended. Even if you’re not sure why Google decided to suspend your listing, there are a few common reasons that we come across every week.

The most common reasons Google profile listings are suspended are: 

• Violation of terms of service
• Spammy review practices
• Issues with the Google account managing the profile

On a side note, your profile and or account can be banned permanently if you repeatedly violate Google’s rules. This is why it’s important to understand the rules and stay in compliance.

How to fix a suspended Google Business Profile listing

The moment you’ve all been waiting for. 

Here’s the best process we’ve found for fixing a suspended Google Business Profile listing.

Review the Google My Business Terms of Service

Consider this Google’s very own constitution. You want to be 100% certain that your profile follows Google’s guidelines! Pay attention to each of their recommendations and documentation on what is not allowed for each of the areas / functions of the profile.

Find any violations that explain why your Google Business Listing was suspended

If you stumble across any oopsies on your own profile while reviewing Google’s terms of service, this may be why your account got the boot. Other common reasons include:

• Repeatedly changing address or business name
• Keyword stuffing your business’ name
• Having multiple profiles for the same business location
• Your a service area business posing as a physical address business

To get your profile listing back up and running you’ll need to fix issues like these first by editing your profile. Once you think your profile is in compliance, it’s possible to submit a reinstatement form. 

File a Google Profile Reinstatement Form

This isn’t as scary as it seems. A Google Profile Reinstatement form allows a user to potentially remove their account’s suspension and regain full control of their profile.  

Most users will submit a reinstatement form without thinking, which ensures they will spend a lot of time going back and forth with Google Support. 

Before you submit the reinstatement form, be sure to avoid making one very common mistake. Carefully review the contents of your profile ahead of time. Your profile must be error-free before you can submit the form. 

Additionally, the form must be filled out correctly. If you provide incorrect information, this could delay the reinstatement process and, in some cases, disable your account altogether. 

To avoid either of these scenarios, you’ll want to get familiar with the contents of a Google Profile Reinstatement form. 

To better prepare you, the GMB Gorilla has made a list of the series of questions the form will require you to answer.  Some of them include:

• Have you previously submitted a reinstatement request for this Business Profile?
• Are you the official representative of the company, organization, or account in question?
• Does your Business Profile successfully follow Google Business Profile quality guidelines?
• Do you have various profiles for the same location? 
• Does your business model require that you or a representative of the business travel to a customer’s location?

If you can confidently answer all of these questions, you’re in good shape. Better safe than sorry! 

In addition to the answers to the questions above, you should be prepared to provide Google with items such as leases, utility bills, and other applicable business licenses required by state or federal government for your industry.

We’re also seeing Google use video verification at an increased rate to cut down on the number of people attempting to use fake locations and virtual offices for their profiles.

Peeling Hopeless? Let GMB Gorilla Ease Your Worries

If you’ve already gone down this road, or perhaps you don’t want to attempt the trek yourself, GMB Gorilla can help you out.

We’re Google My Business experts, after all! 

With our Google My Business Suspension Service, one of our Gorilla-Certified team members will restore your profile for just $500. 
Learn more and sign-up for our Google My Business Suspension Service overview here.

You’re on probation from Google – now what? 

Howdy reader! So, you’ve been suspended and you’re scrambling to fix it. You want to break free from the Google’s virtual prison. It makes sense.

If you’re using Google My Business (GMB), you know it plays a huge role in generating leads and sale. When your Google My Business profile is suspended or inaccessible, it will negatively impact your company in more ways than one. Losing online exposure means you’re losing potential customers. Not cool. 

GMB Gorilla is here to help clean up the mess. Let’s dig a little deeper into the forest, shall we? 

How Google Business Profile suspensions work 

Suspensions come in all different shapes and sizes. Let GMB Gorilla guide you on this one. 

Finding out your account has been suspended is extremely frustrating, especially when you don’t know why it happened in the first place. That one time you were suspended from school isn’t quite the same as Google’s definition.  

Google Business Profile suspensions are a fair warning for users to stop violating its Terms of Service or Community Guidelines. If you have violated Google’s rules and regulations, they will issue a suspension at some point (yes, some get away with rules infractions, but usually not for long).

To get your profile reinstated, you’ll have to fix your profile and then get in touch with Google directly. This process can be frustrating and time consuming if you haven’t done it before or don’t know what is wrong with your Google Business Profile.

What’s worse is that Google will not tell you what is wrong. You have to figure out for yourself.

To make things even more interesting, there isn’t just one form of suspension. In fact, there are two. Google has developed a system where there are different levels of punishment when a user repeatedly violates their community rules. 

Luckily for you, GMB Gorilla knows all about Google’s different suspension types.

Soft suspensions vs. Hard suspensions

A soft suspension means that your company’s Knowledge Panel is still visible online, but you won’t be able to manage or update your listing while on suspension. Though other users can still find your listing on search results, a soft suspension leaves you vulnerable to anyone who might post inaccurate information to your profile.

Soft suspensions typically happen when your profile violates Google’s Terms of Service for one of the following fields:

• Address
• Business Name
• Primary Category
• Website URL

A hard suspension is a bit more serious. With a hard suspension your profile will not be visible when you search for what you do and or your business name. You also will not to be able to push any edits or updates live.

Since a hard suspension removes your profile from search and maps, fixing issues related to it are important to restore your rankings, traffic, calls, and leads. Hard suspensions often occur after repeated Terms of Service violations or if Google deems your profile to really be a service area business posing as a physical address business.

Account suspensions vs Profile suspensions

It’s important to note that you Google Business Profile could also be suspended because the ownership account associated with it has been suspended. We have seen cases were Google accounts that were hacked or participating in spammy actions get suspended and take down their Google Business Profile as well.

How long does a Google suspension last?

Less panicking, more reading. 

There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that a suspension only lasts as long as the violation remains on your profile. The bad news is that a suspension may last forever if Google deems your business ineligible for reinstatement. 

So, what factors affect the length of your account’s suspension? The extent of your suspensions ultimately depends on the severity of your case. 

You can file a reinstatement with Google in an attempt to re-verify your profile. You will usually get an initial response with 5-7 business days.

You could receive good news on the first contact, or Google may require you to submit more information in order for them to reinstate the profile.  

In general, we tell everyone to expect the process to take 2-3 weeks.

Going bananas over your Google Suspension? Let GMB Gorilla show you the ropes 

If you’ve been beating your head instead of your chest and don’t want to deal with the rest of the mess, let GMB Gorilla help. With our Google My Business Suspension Service, one of our awesome experts will restore your online presence at just $500. 

Learn more and sign-up for our Google My Business Suspension Service today. 

Google My Business — now called Google Business Profile (GBP) — is a service for companies that deal with customers in person. The service allows businesses to manage their public information, such as their hours of operation and contact details, on Google Search and Maps.

Your Google business listing may be suspended for a variety of reasons. Maybe you used an ineligible address for your business. Perhaps you stuffed too many keywords into your business name field. Wrong profile types and duplicate listings are also common causes of suspensions.

Suspensions are often not obvious, and sometimes they are not your fault. Don’t scream like a howler monkey if you believe your listing was suspended in error. Keep reading to find out why your profile got suspended and what you can do to resolve any issues.

What Is a Google Business Profile suspension?

Google Business Profile suspensions involve your business listing being removed from Google Maps and the search results. Your business profile will still exist, but it will be unsearchable, and you will not be able to edit or manage it.

Most profiles will be suspended at least once, so don’t feel like a criminal if it happens to you. It’s not the end of the world, and it’s usually easy to fix any issues that caused the suspension.

Types of Google Business Profile listing suspensions

The type of suspension you receive will impact what you need to do to get the listing reinstated. 

Hard Suspensions

During a hard suspension, your business listing is completely removed from Google Business Profile. This suspension type is usually permanent and can only be appealed by contacting Google support.

Soft Suspensions 

With a soft suspension, your business listing is still searchable on Google but is marked “unverified,” and you cannot manage its contents. This type of suspension can be lifted by following the instructions on the Google Business Profile help page.

Common reasons for Google Business Profile listing suspensions

The potential reasons for your suspension are widely varied. Examples include:

• You listed an ineligible business address
• You stuffed your business name field with keywords
• You created multiple profiles for the same business
• Your business is in a high-risk category (e.g., locksmiths, lawyers, gambling)
• More than one company is registered at your business address
• The link in your profile directs users to an unanticipated landing page
• You listed the wrong profile type (physical address for a service area company)
• Your business is online only
• Your business address is a PO box or a virtual office
• Your business information is inconsistent on different sites and directories
• Your profile contains fake reviews
• You used a fake business name, address, or phone number
• Your email address’ domain does not match your website’s domain
• You changed profile information and did not re-verify
• You listed a non-existent business address
• Your business hours are incorrectly listed as 24/7
• You transferred profile ownership without notifying Google
• A profile manager was suspended, and this got your profile suspended
• Your profile was flagged as spam

There are many more reasons your profile might get suspended, but these are some of the most common.

Bugs related to Google Business Profiles

Google frequently changes the algorithm that finds data in its search index and returns answers to user queries. These changes can cause issues when they are first released, including causing Google Business Profile records to be suspended for no reason.

Another common bug involves reviews that are not posted. This bug often manifests with the review visible to the user who wrote it but not displayed to anyone else.

Approximately one percent of profiles reinstated after a suspension encounter a reintegration loop. This bug is not something a chimp eats for dinner but instead describes the process of receiving another suspension immediately after your profile goes back online.

Reintegration loops used to happen when a company listed a UPS or FEDEX dropbox as a business address, but now they occur randomly. This issue is rare, but keep it in mind.

A less common bug involves Google removing services from a profile and adding services the listed company does not provide. This bug can really monkey with a business. 

Google usually releases a statement as soon as it learns of an issue. These bugs are typically fixed quickly, and you should only notify Google if it has not acknowledged the problem. Repeatedly requesting a resolution will not have an impact.

How can I fix my suspended Google Business Listing?

If your profile is suspended, resist the urge to submit a reinstatement request immediately. First, you need to fix any problems with your profile and business that led to the suspension.

Follow Google’s terms of service

When you don’t know why your profile was suspended, look at the email Google sent informing you of suspension. This message will sometimes hint at why your profile was suspended. If it’s not clear, you next step is to go over the Google Business Profile terms of service.

Think about items in your profile that could be flagged as violations. The common reasons for suspension we listed above are a good place to start and address.

File for reinstatement

Once you have changed your profile to be in compliance, you should file for reinstatement. If you believe your profile was suspended by mistake, you can appeal the decision by filling out a reinstatement form without making any changes.

You must sign into your Google account first, then select the profile, and then fill out the form. Be detailed when explaining why you believe your listing should be reinstated. You will want to make sure you supply documents such as business licenses, lease or ownership agreements, as well as supporting imagery to verify the details you supplied.

Note: Don’t create another listing or multiple reinstatement requests. This action will just confuse Google and could delay your reinstatement.

Contact Google Support

If it’s been two weeks and there’s no response, try contacting Google Business Profile support. Provide all the information you can, like links to your website and social media profiles, as well as any other information that could be relevant.

You may be asked to prove business ownership, especially if you received a hard suspension. Be prepared to provide documents, such as a business license or utility bill and photos of your storefront or business directory.

Other steps you may need to take

If you have multiple listings for your business, make sure each one complies with Google’s guidelines. You can have only one verified listing per business category at each physical location.

Should you need to delete or merge duplicate listings, sign in to your Google Business Profile and follow these instructions. When you own or manage more than ten locations, you can request bulk deletion of listings.

Reinstating a suspended Google Business Profile takes time

Be patient. Reinstating a suspended Google Business Profile listing can take time, especially as you wait for Google to review your submission. While you are waiting, ensure your website and other online profiles are up-to-date and accurate.

If you are having trouble getting reinstated, don’t give up. You can appeal a reinstatement decision, although after a few tries there is a chance a Google gives a final decision of no. You can also use our Google Business Profile Suspension Service to save you time and frustration.

If this happens, you can still promote your business via local SEO and Google ads until such time you have a location that can be properly verified. Focus on creating quality content that accurately represents your business, products, and services. With a little effort, you can build an online presence that attracts customers and helps your business thrive.

Google Business Profile suspensions are common

Google suspensions are common and can be caused by many different things. Most suspensions are resolved within two weeks, but fixing any problems with your profile is essential before submitting a reinstatement request. 

To increase your chances of reinstating your profile, provide as much information as possible to Google Business Profile support.

Contact GMB Gorilla today about our Google Business Profile Suspension Service to work with a team of experts who will do everything possible to get your Google business profile reinstated. Our team deals with Google daily, so we know what to say and what actions to take. Grab this opportunity and talk to GMB Gorilla immediately!

Your Google My Business Profile is a valuable asset to your company that can influence its image and overall success. A frequent catalyst of Google suspensions involves quality issues. 

In fact, the tech giant suspends a ton of GMB business listings, especially in the event of an algorithm update.This can be extremely frustrating, especially when you don’t know why your listing was suspended. Unfortunately, Google isn’t keen on giving explanations. 

Whenever a business profile listing undergoes revisions, whether minor or colossal, Google’s tools will automatically review and approve these alterations. It’s also possible that your Google Business Profile suspension was triggered by a Google bug or another factor you had nothing to do with. 

While this may be the case, your hands are still tied. Allow the GMB Gorilla to unravel the rope! Stick around, he’s got some information you’ll want to know.  

What to do when quality issues cause your Business Profile to be suspended

Step #1 – don’t flip out. 

While it’s normal to panic when this happens, remember to take a step back and consider your options. When there’s a will, there’s a way, even on the internet. The good news is that it’s possible to get your account reinstated. 

The bad news, however, is that there’s a chance you may never be able to reverse the suspension. Yikes. 

To take steps in the right direction, you need to understand Google My Business Profile’s terms of service and community guidelines. Get to know them before proceeding. Misunderstanding Google’s terms of use puts you at a greater risk of a permanent suspension. 

Understanding the Google Business Profile Terms of Service 

I knows they’re boring to read, but hears me out human. 

To avoid getting suspend (and to get reinstated), familiarize yourself with Google’s terms of service. Consider them to be the golden rules of Google. In other words, take them seriously; you’ll regret it if you don’t. 

In the eyes of Google, you’re responsible for following their terms of service, and violating them will only hurt your profile and ultimately, your business. 

Why your profile has been suspended for quality issues

There are a number of reasons why you may have been suspended. The first thing you want to do is ask yourself: did I include something that I knew was potentially a violation?

Look over the most common reasons why Google suspends GMB accounts: 

• Keyword stuffing in the business name
• Use of a virtual address or PO Box
• Using a physical address profile for a service area business
• Fake reviews were detected
• Google suspended the manager of the GMB profile
• Several listings for one business
• Redirecting the website URL listed in the profile
• Profile information or NAP is incorrect and has been flagged
• The business is not eligible for a profile do to its industry

Take the GMB Gorilla’s advice and do your best to avoid doing any of the things listed above. A frequently violated rule is faking Google My Business reviews. The government has declared faking reviews as illegal, so they are not permitted on Google.

With that said, faking reviews won’t only result in a hard suspension of your Google My Business account, but it will also generate legal trouble. Many users find themselves believing that they can get away with fraudulent reviews if they’re savvy enough. 

However, Google closely monitors a lot of your data, including your location and interactions. Despite good efforts, the company will eventually catch on. You just can’t fool Google.

While we’re on this note, you should encourage your customers to leave positive reviews, but avoid trying to fake them. 

Google does not tell you why your Google my Business Profile was suspended

The reason will remain a mystery.

Well, not exactly. See, Google may not tell you the cause of your profile’s suspension, however, it’s possible to figure this out on your own.

Revert back to the most common reasons why Google suspends GMB profiles. If you think that one or more of these apply to your case, then you’ve got an answer. 

On the other hand, if you’re confident you didn’t commit anything seen on the list, then you can submit a reinstatement form. 

Google does not give you advice on how to fix your suspended Business Profile

True story. 

Ah, the irony. A search engine that has all the information in the world won’t tell you how to fix your suspended Google My Business profile. Well, it’s a good thing the GMB Gorilla goes bananas for suspended profiles.

He wants to help you find a solution.   

How to determine the quality issues affecting your suspended Google Profile

Surprise! There are different kinds of suspensions.

Discovering this information may not be the highlight of your day, but it’ll help you better understand the way Google suspensions work. 

You need to know the type of suspension Google’s Quality Assurance team gave you. There are two types of suspensions: soft and hard. In most cases, Google will issue a soft suspension, however, some users can receive a hard suspension depending on the gravity of their violation.

As you could’ve guessed, one is less significant than the other. Let the GMB Gorilla explain the difference between soft suspensions and hard suspensions.

Soft suspensions for quality issues

The GMB Gorilla has a small assignment for you. Do a search in Google Maps for your business – is it still visible? If so, then you’re facing a soft suspension. This will require you to reclaim and re-verify your business profile.

In most cases, soft suspensions indicate that a listing was “disabled”. While your business listing is still visible in Google Search and Google Maps, you won’t have access to make changes on the account. 

Once you’ve fixed the quality issue that caused your profile to be suspended, then you can submit an appeal for Google to reinstate it. 

Hard suspensions for quality issues

This pill is a bit tougher to swallow. When your profile is dealt a hard suspension, your entire GMB listing is removed from Google Search and Google Maps. 

The account’s manager will still have access to the profile’s dashboard and in search editing experience, but the listing itself cannot undergo any new changes in the duration of the suspension. If this is the case for your profile, you have the option to submit a formal request to Google to reinstate it.

Though this is a viable option, this process can become an endless waiting game. 

How to fix your business profile quality issues 

There’s still hope – trust the GMB Gorilla!

You may have lost access to your Google My Business profile, but you can avoid the frustrating process of regaining access to your account. GMB Gorilla has helped countless individuals in the same position as you, and he’s eager to solve your case and get your account back! 

He works with Google My Business to resolve any issues that are costing you valuable time, energy, and money. 

Struggling to Retrieve Your Google My Business Account? The King of the Jungle Knows What to Do.

Don’t put all your bananas in one basket – trust the GMB Gorilla to get your profile reinstated so that you can get back to business! Get in touch with us to jumpstart your profile reinstatement.