Google Business Profile Suspended: What Should I Do?

If your Google Business Profile has been suspended, read the notice to find the reason, fix whatever broke Google's guidelines, and then appeal through Google's Business Profile appeals tool with documents showing your business name and address. Do not create a new profile for the same business while the appeal is under review, because Google's own guidance says not to. Preparing the evidence is where the effort goes, so gather it before you start the appeal.

Why do Google Business Profiles get suspended?

Google suspends or disables Business Profiles that it judges to break its guidelines for representing a business. Causes can include adding keywords or place names to the business name, listing an address the business does not actually operate from, showing a home address for a business that travels to its customers, and creating more than one profile for the same business.

A legitimate change can also trigger a review of a Google Business Profile, such as a new address, a new business name or a change of category. Our Google Business Profile guide covers the common setup mistakes in more detail, and checking a profile against them is the first step before any appeal.

What is the difference between a suspended profile and a restricted account?

A suspended or disabled Business Profile affects one listing, while an account restriction applies to the Google account that manages profiles. Google's help pages say an account restriction can suspend every profile that account manages and stop it creating or claiming new ones.

The suspension notice or email tells you which of the two applies to your business. Check that before gathering evidence, because an appeal about a single profile and an appeal about a restricted account are made for different things.

Should I create a new Business Profile while I wait?

Creating a new Business Profile during an appeal is the wrong move. Google's guidance is explicit that you should not create a new Business Profile for the same business while an appeal is under review, and a second profile for the same business is itself against the guidelines.

A duplicate profile can turn one problem into two. The better route back is the original Business Profile, because it keeps its reviews, photographs and history.

What evidence does Google ask for in a Business Profile appeal?

Google's appeal process asks for documents that show the business name and address, and its help pages list examples such as business registration documents, business licences, tax certificates and utility bills. The name and address on every document should match what is on the profile exactly.

Have every document scanned and ready before opening Google's evidence form, because the form has a time limit once it is opened. An appeal with mismatched names or addresses across documents is harder to approve than one where everything agrees.

How do I appeal a Google Business Profile suspension?

Appeals are made through Google's Business Profile appeals tool, where you select the affected profile, read the reason given, and submit the appeal with your evidence. Before submitting, correct anything on the profile that breaks the guidelines, such as a business name padded with keywords or an address you do not trade from.

Google reviews each Business Profile appeal and emails a decision, and the appeals tool shows the status while you wait. Keep a note of what you submitted and when, in case you need to refer to it later.

What if my Business Profile appeal is turned down?

If a Business Profile appeal is refused, Google's help pages describe a further review through a separate contact form, where you can provide new evidence. Before using it, look again at the reason given and ask whether the profile genuinely meets the guidelines as they stand.

Resubmitting the same evidence for the same problem is unlikely to change a refused appeal. If the business does not qualify for a profile in its current form, for example because customers cannot visit the address shown, the fix may be changing how the profile is set up rather than appealing again.

Can someone else get my Business Profile suspended?

Anyone can suggest an edit to a Google Business Profile or report it to Google, so changes you did not make can appear on your profile, and a report can prompt Google to look at it. Check your profile regularly for edits you did not make, such as a changed name, category or address, and correct them.

A Business Profile that follows Google's guidelines in every detail gives an appeal a firmer footing, whoever reported it. Keeping the profile accurate also reduces the chance of a suspension happening at all.

Does a suspended Business Profile affect my website?

A suspended Business Profile does not remove your website from Google's ordinary search results, because the website and the profile are separate. While the profile is down, your website is the main place customers can find your contact details, the areas you cover and evidence of your work.

Making sure your website states your services, locations and contact details clearly is worth doing whatever the outcome of a Business Profile appeal. More on how local search fits together is on our SEO page.