We all know it is important to have a Google My Business profile. Without this, many of our clients may find other companies to do business with. If you find that you have a suspended business profile, stay tuned. We will explain why this may have occurred and what you can do to remedy the situation.
First, let’s delve into what a Google My Business account can do for your customers. By taking the time to fill out your profile, your potential customers will:
- Find out what your business hours are
- See where your business is physically located
- Visit your company website
- Ask questions about the corporation
- Read or write reviews about a company
- Find images of what the company looks like
- Determine what services or goods are offered
- Find the company’s phone number
- Book appointments online
You will qualify for a GMB profile if you have an employee that is able to interact with a customer during your business hours.
When it comes to a suspended business profile, there are two different types your Google My Business profile can be placed under.
A soft suspension will still show your company within the search results. When this occurs, you will generally have to reclaim your listing with a fresh Google ID. These suspensions are not as typical as they used to be.
If you have a hard suspension, your company listing will be taken down. If you desire to have your GMB profile back, you must use the Google protocol. This will take time, so patience is a must.
At this point, you are probably wondering why a suspended business profile can even occur. There are several reasons for this. If Google sees a red flag, feels that you have violated their policy, or sees suspicious activity, you can bet your account will be suspended.
Why is Google even looking for these things? Well, for starters, this process is an excellent way to weed out fake profiles and businesses. Google’s goal is to display only real companies that are legitimate and related to the keywords searched for. By removing fraud accounts, Google is keeping potential clients safe, as well as you and your business.
Google won’t share the rationale that was used to determine why a GMB profile has been suspended. However, there are various things that generally result in a suspended business profile. These include:
- Changed information in your Google My Business profile
- Company name
- Address
- Primary or secondary groups
- Telephone number
- URL of website
- Owner transfer
- Management change
- Different login locations
- Changing to a hidden address service location
- Address violates Google Policy
- Virtual address
- UPS or FedEx store box
- PO Box
- Various listings for the same company/area
- Forwarding telephone number
- Forwarding address
- Online only company
- You do not possess the power to say the address belongs to your company
- The main category is a high-risk industry
- Plumbing
- Home service businesses
- Pest control services
- Window cleaning services
- Lawn mowing or landscape services
- Heating/HVAC/Cooling
- Locksmiths
If you do find that your Google My Business profile was suspended, do not fret. You can fix it in a few simple steps.
1. Sign in to your Google My Business account.
2. Determine if there are any recent modifications made to your GMB account.
3. Analyze recent differences with Google’s GMB regulations page.
4. Change your Google My Business profile data to stay within Google’s rules.
5. Find proof that your company is valid. Attach company licenses, verification of residence (utility & rent), images of your corporation, and tax ID records.
6. Fill out the GMB reinstatement document.
The following tips will help make it an easier process to get your GMB profile back.
- Make sure that any photos submitted are clear.
- In the photos, have the company logo displayed.
- Show images of company vehicles parked in front of the business.
- Take a picture of the door showing the street address of the company.
- Consider using video verification to help reinstate your account.
If you are still not certain how you can fix your Google My Business profile, contact Local SEO Tampa Company in Tampa, FL. They will be able to assist you with your suspended business profile so it can be reinstated once again.