Google Business Profile suspended? What to do and how to appeal

What does a suspended Business Profile mean?

Google says it can suspend a profile that doesn’t follow its guidelines. When a profile is removed, the public can’t get to it and you and your managers can’t act on it. In plain terms, your business stops showing on Google Maps. The way back is to appeal, and you only get one go.

Say a concreter in Logan opens his phone and finds his profile gone. His website still works and his Facebook page is fine. Only the Maps listing has gone.

Why profiles get suspended

Google doesn’t publish a list of reasons for each suspension. The appeals tool shows you the reason for your decision, with a link to the policy it relates to. What Google’s guidelines say you must do gives a good idea of the usual trouble spots:

• Extra words in the business name. The name should be your real-world name. Google rules out taglines, phone numbers, web addresses, service descriptions and location details, and says unnecessary extras could lead to suspension. “Smith Electrical” is fine. “Smith Electrical | Best Sparky Brisbane” isn’t.
• An address that isn’t a real place. Google doesn’t accept PO boxes or mailboxes at a remote location. A virtual office isn’t eligible, and a co-working space needs clear signage and staff during opening hours.
• Showing a home address when you travel to customers. Google says service-area businesses should hide their address.
• More than one profile for the same location. Google says not to create more than one page for each location, with a few exceptions.
• Not being eligible. A profile is for a business with a location customers can visit, or one that travels to customers.
• Categories used as keywords. Google says to use as few as possible to describe your core business.

A profile can also get caught up in an account problem. If your Google account itself is restricted, the profiles you manage are suspended too and you can’t create or claim other profiles. Google says to lift the restriction first, by appealing at myaccount.google.com/restrictions, and then appeal the profile.

How to appeal

These are the steps from Google’s help page on suspended profiles. Sign in to the Google account linked to the profile before you start.

1. Open Google’s Business Profile appeals tool and sign in with the account that manages the profile. Choose Confirm, or Switch account if it’s the wrong one.
2. Select your profile, then Continue.
3. Select the decision you’re appealing, then Continue. The tool shows the decision date, the reason, a link to the policy and whether it can be appealed.
4. Upload your evidence with Choose file, and use the text box to explain why the profile should be reinstated.
5. Tick the confirmation box and select Submit appeal.

Google emails you the decision. The tool shows a status of Submitted, Approved, Not approved, Can’t be appealed or Eligible for appeal. Google’s page doesn’t give a time for the review, so allow some time.

What evidence to send

Google suggests official business registration, a business licence, tax certificates, and utility bills for electricity, phone, water or internet. The business name and address on them should match your profile. For a licensed tradie, your trade licence is the obvious one. For example:

• the ABN or business name registration, showing the name on your profile
• your trade licence with the same name
• a recent power or internet bill with your business address

If your name or address on those papers doesn’t match what you used on Google, say why in the text box. Keep it short and factual.

You only get one appeal

Google says an appeal can only be submitted once. If it’s denied, you can ask for an additional review, and it can include evidence you didn’t send the first time. Google links a contact form for that. So take a few minutes to gather good evidence before you press submit.

What not to do

• Don’t make a new profile for the same business. Google says not to.
• Don’t send the appeal more than once. It only allows one.
• Don’t pay anyone. Google says it never asks for a one-time password or PIN, and it will never try to convince you to pay to maintain your profile. That includes reinstatement. Be wary of anyone claiming to be Google support who wants money.
• Don’t hand over access to someone you don’t know, even if they promise a quick fix.

After you’re back

Google says reinstating a profile restores it and its owners and managers. Then read the rules above against your profile and tidy anything that doesn’t fit, like the name or address. Keep yourself as the owner, remove people who no longer work for you, and use an email alias for the account that manages the profile. Google recommends all of that to protect a profile.

If verification is where you’re stuck instead, see how Business Profile verification works. For setting up a profile properly in the first place, see our Business Profile guide for tradies.

Questions people ask

How long does a Google Business Profile suspension last?

Google’s help page doesn’t give a time. A suspended profile stays off Google until it’s reinstated, so appeal as soon as you have your evidence together.

Can I just make a new profile?

No. Google says not to create a new profile for the same business. Appeal the suspension instead.

Can I appeal more than once?

Google says an appeal can only be submitted once. If it’s denied, you can ask for an additional review with evidence that wasn’t in the first appeal.

Will my website still show on Google?

Your website and your Business Profile are separate. The suspension affects the Maps listing, so your website can carry on showing in normal search results.

Not sure why your profile was suspended, or want a second pair of eyes before you appeal? Send us your details and ask for a free website check. If you’d like us to look after your profile and Maps listing, see our SEO services.