Is your Google Business Profile suspended?
When a Google Business Profile listing — previously called Google My Business — is suspended, it either disappears from Google completely or becomes inaccessible to the profile owner or manager. Either way, it means you’re likely to miss out on valuable foot traffic, calls, and customer inquiries.
A suspended Google Business Profile can have a big impact on your business. Here’s how to minimize its effect by resolving your listing suspension as quickly as possible.
5 Common Reasons for a Suspended Google Business Profile (and How to Avoid Them)
Suspensions are usually triggered for one of two reasons. The first and most common is that Google’s algorithms flag the account for something it doesn’t like, whether that’s suspicious activity or low-quality, inconsistent information. The second is from users flagging your profile. If someone feels that something is wrong or inappropriate about your profile, they can flag it with Google.
However, more important than how your account gets suspended is why. Here are some of the most common reasons your Google Business Profile could be offline right now.
1. Address Violations
The most important piece of information to get right on your business listing is your address.
Small typos in your name or description might be unprofessional, but a wrong address can lead to real-world consequences for customers who might go to an entirely different location when trying to find your business.
Inputting the wrong address is an obvious mistake that can lead to Google suspending your account. Other address-related violations include:
- Sharing an address with multiple businesses: Permitted only if each business is unique, with separate signage and staff (e.g., office buildings or malls).
- Listing an ineligible address: P.O. Boxes, UPS Boxes, virtual offices, or co-working spaces without dedicated offices are not allowed.
- Displaying a home address improperly: Service-area businesses operating from home must hide their address unless it meets signage and customer visit requirements (i.e. if you have signage promoting your business on your house and you allow customers to come inside.).
- Not having a physical presence: Online-only businesses or forwarding addresses are ineligible.
To avoid having your listing suspended due to address violations, verify that your address meets Google’s eligibility guidelines.
Once you know that you’re eligible, make sure you don’t make any mistakes with your address. Set up a regular audit process or use a tool like Chatmeter that can automatically spot any discrepancies in your business address (or other information) across the web.
2. Problems With Your Core Business Information
Like your address, all of your core business information is a crucial part of your business listing. If Google is concerned about whether your basic info is correct, then they may resort to suspending your account to force you to fix the issue before they let you continue.
The core information that Google cares about the most includes your business name, address, phone number, and business category.
Here are a few reasons why Google could suspend your account over your key business information:
- Inconsistent NAP details across directories: Variations in name, address, or phone number can trigger a suspension from Google.
- Frequent or suspicious edits: Overly frequent changes to your core business information — or changes made by irregular IPs (i.e., if you’re based in California but your info was changed by an IP in Japan) — looks suspicious.
- Keyword stuffing in business names: Manipulating rankings by adding unnecessary keywords violates Google’s rules. Calling yourself “Best Pizza Near Me” or other similar names might get your account suspended.
Staying consistent across all of your references across the web is harder than many people might think. For example, if your business is officially named “Smith & Sons Plumbing Co.,” it would be fairly easy to accidentally forget the “.” after “Co.” or write out “&” as “and.”
To avoid these easy mistakes, create a standardized reference document with all of your business information. Share this document with your team and use it as the single source of truth for your business so small mistakes become far less likely.
3. Suspicious Account Activity
Google monitors account activity for signs of unauthorized or irregular use. If Google thinks there is something weird about your account, it isn’t afraid to temporarily suspend you until it knows that you are still in control of your account.
Here are a couple of things that Google is on the lookout for:
- Frequent logins from unfamiliar devices or locations: Google monitors account activity for unusual patterns that might indicate unauthorized access. Logging in from multiple, unrecognized devices or IP addresses can trigger a suspension to protect the account (and customers) from potential fraud.
- Inactivity: No one wants to show up at a business that apparently closed two years ago. If you haven’t touched your account in years, then don’t be surprised if Google suspends it until it confirms you’re still around.
- Manager or owner account violations: Mismanagement or guideline violations by individuals with access to your account, such as review manipulation or inappropriate language, can result in the suspension of your profile.
- Duplicate listings: Creating multiple profiles for the same business location, even to highlight different services, is against Google’s policies. This practice can confuse customers and the algorithm, leading to suspension. Instead, consolidate services into one well-maintained listing.
To avoid suspension, simply stay active on your profile (from your typical device and IP), avoid duplicate listings, and stay on the up and up with Google’s account guidelines.
4. Content Violations
Google doesn’t allow you to put just anything on your Business Profile. Your account must meet their standards to make sure that Google remains a safe, professional, and helpful environment for all businesses.
Content violations that could get you suspended include:
- Spammy or irrelevant content: Keyword-stuffed descriptions, stock photos, or unrelated visuals.
- Misleading claims: False information about services or exaggerated capabilities.
- Improper website links: Using forwarding URLs, affiliate links, or non-direct websites.
- Violation reports: Competitors or customers can report issues via the “Suggest an Edit” feature or Redressal Form.
Most of these kinds of violations come about because business owners get tempted into bad practices for quick wins. Whether it’s keyword-stuffed descriptions or exaggerated claims about your business, these practices are as old as the internet — and Google is aware of them.
Instead of trying to trick your way to the top of the local SERP, focus on showing off your business in the best possible light through smartly worded descriptions, professional photos, and regular updates.
Worried you might be doing something that’s not allowed? Review Google’s content guidelines if you’re ever not sure.
5. Other Prohibited Practices
Certain actions are outright prohibited by Google, and violating these rules can result in an immediate suspension of your Google Business Profile. These include:
- Neglecting verification requirements: Skipping the verification process or providing inaccurate information during setup can lead to suspension.
- Improper address use for SABs: Service-area businesses must hide their physical address unless it meets Google’s requirements. Ignoring this can lead to a suspension.
- Unauthorized third-party management: Allowing unauthorized representatives to manage your profile — especially if they engage in spammy or unethical practices — violates Google’s guidelines.
- Review gating or fake reviews: Manipulating your reviews — whether it’s by paying for them, soliciting biased reviews, or having employees leave reviews — is strictly forbidden.
Avoiding these prohibited practices is about more than just staying on Google’s good side — it’s about building a profile that reflects your business’s integrity and professionalism. Don’t cut corners by missing verification, mismanaging your profile, or manipulating reviews — it will only undermine customer trust in the long run.
Instead, create a profile that accurately represents your business, follows Google’s guidelines, and provides value to your customers. A well-maintained, compliant profile is not only less likely to face suspension but also more likely to attract the local customers you want to reach.
Another way to avoid this issue is to follow SEO best practices for your business. You can learn more about how to do this in our guides to multi-location SEO, restaurant SEO, and healthcare SEO.
How to Contest a Google Business Profile Suspension
Now you know some of the reasons why your account could have been suspended. But what can you do if you’ve been locked out? Take these steps right away to fix your suspension.
1. Find Your Suspension Email
When you get suspended, Google sends an email to the account linked to your Google Business Profile. This email is full of important information and links — if you haven’t seen it, check your different emails, junk folders, etc.
The two most important pieces of information in this email are:
- The kind of suspension you received: A soft suspension means your listing will still show up in Google search results and on Google Maps, but you won’t be able to manage it or make changes until your suspension is resolved. A hard suspension means your business is removed entirely from Google.
- The reason for your suspension: Google will tell you why they’ve suspended your account so you know what to fix.
If you have a soft suspension, create a new Google account and go through the process of reclaiming your listing.
A hard suspension will require a bit more work. Move on to the next step to start the process of lifting this hard suspension.
2. Fix Issues in Your Listing
Once you know why your listing has been suspended, it’s time to address the root cause and resolve the problem. Here’s how you can go about this:
- Review Google’s content guidelines thoroughly: Cross-check your profile against Google’s content guidelines. Look for specific areas of non-compliance, such as incorrect address formats, keyword stuffing, or outdated information.
- Verify and update your information: Ensure all of your info — from your name to address — is consistent across your Google Business Profile, website, and other online directories.
- Remove or replace problematic content: If your profile includes keyword stuffing, irrelevant descriptions, or low-quality images, update it with accurate, high-quality content that aligns with Google’s rules. Use real photos of your business, clear descriptions, and links that lead directly to your website.
- Gather supporting documents: If Google requires verification during the reinstatement process, prepare documents like utility bills, business licenses, or photos of your storefront. These materials help prove your business’s legitimacy and demonstrate that the issues have been resolved.
With your profile fixed, move on to your next step: making your case to Google.
3. Request GBP Reinstatement
Traditionally, you requested a reinstatement through a troubleshooter form in your Google Business Profile help center. However, Google has rolled out a new reinstatement wizard to help you appeal suspensions more quickly.
To use this new wizard, simply:
- Click on the “Appeal” button in the email from Google informing you of your suspension (or on this direct link).
- Confirm that you are signed into the correct account for that particular business.
- Select the appropriate business profile you’re appealing the suspension for.
- Upload any evidence you have to support your appeal (there is a 60-minute time limit on this).
- Hit “Submit” and then await the appeal decision.
Requests typically take around two weeks to process. Don’t be tempted to submit additional reinstatement requests in that time — it won’t help and will be a waste of your time.
If your appeal is successful, you’ll receive a notification, and your listing (and access) should be restored. If it doesn’t work, then you can submit an additional request, including more information that will help sway Google’s moderators.
Stay on Top of your Google Business Profile Listings at Scale
Managing one Google Business Profile listing can be relatively easy to keep on top of. But if you manage multiple listings, you need an easy way to monitor and update them to get the most out of local Google traffic.
Chatmeter makes it easy to manage multiple listings within one tool. Use it to edit listings in bulk, as well as complete any tasks related to individual listings, like fixing incorrect information. Stay on top of your Google Business Profile listings more easily, so you can quickly take action in the event of a listing suspension.