How to Regain Access to a Suspended Google My Business Account
As the most frequented website globally, it comes as no surprise that entrepreneurs aspire to establish their online presence on Google. Since 2011, Google has facilitated businesses in creating and overseeing their individualized local listings on the platform. This feature, initially called Google Places for Business, underwent a rebranding in 2015 and is now known as Google My Business (GMB). Through GMB, businesses can seamlessly engage with potential customers directly within search results, enhancing their online visibility and accessibility.
Resolving a Suspended Google My Business Listing
A Google My Business (GMB) listing suspension can occur due to various factors, such as challenges in verifying business ownership or an excess of active services, some of which may be beyond your influence. Regardless of the suspension’s cause, it’s crucial to formulate a strategic plan for swift reinstatement. Below, we outline four key steps for analyzing and recovering from a GMB suspension.
Understanding Google My Business Suspensions
A Google My Business (GMB) suspension can occur for various reasons, including having an excessive number of listings, lacking quality reviews, engaging in spammy tactics, or violating Google My Business policies and guidelines. When your listing is suspended, you lose the ability to edit it, post photos, and may even lose control over it entirely. This suspension can adversely impact your business’s visibility on Google Maps and Search, potentially resulting in a loss of revenue.
Google typically does not disclose the exact reason for the suspension. It often occurs when Google manually reviews your listing and identifies an issue, prompting them to suspend it. Additionally, Google may take swift action based on recommendations from trusted individuals to remove or modify a business listing.
There are two types of suspensions:
- Hard Suspension: This is a severe form of suspension where you lose complete access to your listing, and it may require more effort to resolve.
- Soft Suspension: A milder form of suspension, allowing some limited access to your listing, but with restrictions on certain features.
In some cases, an account suspension may also occur, affecting your overall Google My Business account. Understanding the reasons behind the suspension and taking appropriate steps to address them is crucial to regain control and maintain a strong online presence.
Understanding Hard , Soft and Account GMB Suspensions
Hard Suspension: A hard suspension occurs when your Knowledge Panel is not visible online when searching for your company’s name and city. This is a concerning situation as it means potential customers won’t be able to locate your Google My Business (GMB) listing on Google Maps. Typically, Google enforces a hard suspension when it determines that your business doesn’t meet the necessary qualifications or if it detects the use of spammy tactics.
Soft Suspension: In contrast, a soft suspension allows you to access your Knowledge Panel through your GMB dashboard, and it remains visible online. However, the profile appears as unverified, rendering it unmanageable and unupdatable. Soft-suspended listings are more susceptible to incorrect changes and false information because users can suggest edits more easily. This situation requires vigilant monitoring and corrective action to maintain the accuracy of your GMB profile.
Account Suspension
When a manager’s account is suspended, it primarily restricts the manager’s access to the listing, without directly impacting the listing itself.
However, for Google accounts owned by individuals, suspension results in the complete removal of their accounts. This removal entails the potential loss of all associated listings and reviews. Although the listing can be reinstated once the account is reinstated, there’s a possibility that any reviews associated with the account may be lost if the account is reactivated.
