Google Business Profile (GBP) suspension can significantly impact local businesses, leading to loss of customers and revenue. The suspension can occur due to various reasons, including:
- Keyword stuffing in the business name
- Using a P.O. Box or UPS store address
- Setting up the listing at a virtual office or co-working space
- Displaying a physical address for a Service Area Business (SAB)
- Operating an online-only business
- Belonging to a high-risk business category
- Sharing an address with another business
- Making numerous changes to the GBP profile at once
- Redirecting the URL added to the GBP profile to another website or social media page
- Changing the listing from a Storefront to a SAB or vice versa
- Having multiple GBPs in an area with overlapping service areas
- Discrepancies in address or hours listed on the website or other online directories
- Listing business hours as 24/7
- Suspension of a manager's account
- Creating multiple listings for the same business at the same address
- Violating the terms of service of another Google tool or service
- Having an account violation
Before starting the appeals process, it's crucial to understand the violation and fix it. If the appeal is denied, businesses can request an additional review by submitting supporting documents like business registration, business license, tax certificates, and utility bills. For storefront businesses, photos of permanent signage can be provided, and for service area businesses, photos of branded vehicles can be submitted.
The review process can take up to five days, and the results will be communicated via email. This additional review is the final chance to prove the legitimacy of the business to Google. Therefore, it's essential to provide the correct documents and photos and fix any violations in the GBP listing.
