Google Business Profile’s suspension appeal process recently got an upgrade. Here’s how you can navigate the new process and make sure you’re in compliance with Google’s policies.
Local SEO is a crucial component of many businesses’ marketing strategies, and a Google Business Profile is one of the most effective ways to market a business to local clientele. With a Business Profile, business owners can manage how the company appears on Google Maps, Google Search, and more, and can make it easier for customers to find them.
Among other features, a Google Business Profile allows a business to upload crucial information, such as its hours and phone number; post photos and respond to reviews; and direct customers to its website.
Before, it wasn’t always clear why a Google Business Profile was being suspended. Now, Google actually explains the reason for the suspension, a major relief to merchants trying to fix their Business Profiles in order to comply with Google’s policies. For now, this appeal process has only been introduced in the EU, but a global rollout is expected in the future. So, here’s how it works:
When your Google Business Profile is suspended, you’ll receive a notification in the merchant panel that your access has been suspended, along with an email to the connected account. The email goes into detail about the violation that led to the account’s suspension, and provides a link to Google’s suspension policy for more information. This helps users learn how to fix their Business Profiles before appealing.
The email also contains an “Appeal” button, which takes users to Google’s Appeals tool to manage any appeals. After confirming they’re in the correct account, users are taken to a screen to select the suspended Business Profile. Then, users can select which decision(s) they want to appeal.
In the next section of the appeals process – the evidence form - users have an hour to upload official documents to prove the business’s legitimacy, such as a business license or tax certificate. For this reason, we recommend preparing this evidence prior to opening the evidence form. This page also contains a text box that can be used to explain why a Business Profile should be reinstated and what was changed in order to comply with Google’s policies.
Once a user has uploaded all the necessary forms and information, they can submit their appeal. The status of the appeal will change to “Submitted,” and the user will receive an email with Google’s decision after a few days. After that, the status of the appeal will again change to either “Approved” (yay!) or “Not Approved,” in which case the Business Profile may need some additional changes before it is in compliance with Google’s policies.
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