So, you log onto your Google My Business account and discover that your business account has been suspended. Google Business Profile is free, easy, and improves your business’s online visibility. If it gets deactivated due to any reason, your worries are legitimate. Suspension of a Google My Business (GMB) account is a prime setback for any company looking to boost local organic traffic. If GMB accounts provide inaccurate or inconsistent information about a company’s service area, address, service offerings, working hours, and so on, business owners may find themselves in trouble. If your Google Business profile gets suspended, your presence in local search is affected – leaving you with either no listing or a listing you have no control over.
Types of Profile Suspension
Soft Suspension:
This suspension marks your business as”softly suspended,” but you will still appear in search results. Reclaiming and reverifying the listing using a new Google account is usually required. Suspensions like this are not that frequent nowadays. You will lose the authority to manage it until you provide verification proof.
Hard Suspension:
This type of suspension of your account can become a significant issue. If you get a hardly suspended, it removes your business from the listing. You need to follow Google’s instructions and be patient to get your listing back online after it. When you obtain a”hard” suspension, you won’t be able to see your listing record and will receive a removal message when you log in to your account.
Reasons Your Google My Business Profile has been Suspended
Suspension of Google Business Profiles occurs for a variety of reasons. Businesses commit guideline violations by accident – or on intent. A Business Profile gets suspended by mistake at times.
1. Your Business is in a High-Risk Category
Some businesses fall in the spammy or high-risk category. Spammy profiles and fraudulent or false Business Profiles are frequent in these categories. Google scrutinizes specific industries more closely and frequently suspends profiles — especially if they break even the simplest rule. A few names in these categories are Plumbers, Insurance, Lawyers, Real estate and others. If your enterprise falls into a high-risk area, your Business Profile already has a red mark. So make sure you play by the rules and stick to the guidelines.
2. Business Running from a Postal Address
Google says, “P.O. boxes or mailboxes located at remote locations are unacceptable.” In short, you cannot run a business out of a post office or a UPS Store. If your company has a remote address, such as a P.O. box or UPS box, you are ineligible to create a Google Business Profile. In case you get a Google Business Profile, it will get suspended.
3. Spammy or Keyword Stuffed Business Names
Viewers dislike keyword-stuffed business names; similarly, Google despises such business names. A vicinity algorithm update in Google is a recent event in this regard, causing spammy business IDs to fall in ranking. Google provides the guideline, “To help customers find your business online, accurately represent your business name. Your name should reflect your business’s real-world name, as used consistently on your storefront, website, stationery, and as known to customers.”
4. Businesses Using Co-Working Space or Virtual Office
Google does not consider virtual offices and co-working spaces as authentic business locations. A location dedicated to your business is a must-have for owning a stable Google Business Profile. Customers will be able to discover you if you have signage outside that designated office space. When several businesses own a co-working space, none of them is eligible for GBP, and if they get it, they will be at the risk of getting their GBPs suspended.
How to Manage GMB Profile to Avoid Another Suspension
Make sure your listing is up to date with any changes to your service offerings, hours, or location. For various reasons, simply filling out your GMB listing and letting it attract consumers on its own is dangerous. Primarily you must maintain the same business name, address and other details across all online platforms. The problem arises when information across different platforms contradicts. Because of these inconsistencies, Google is more likely to suspend your listing. To help local customers find you easily, add your business name, address, business category, business hours, phone numbers and service area to your GMB listing. When you fill out all forms accurately and your listing contains no mistakes – you reduce the danger of suspension.
Conclusion
Google Business Profile is valuable for your local business. Keep the information in your listing up to date and authentic; otherwise, you will face an account suspension. Hopefully, this guideline benefits you in maintaining an active GMB Profile.