How to restore a blocked Company Profile on Google? Step-by-step instructions

Your Company Profile on Google plays a key role in visualising your business online, but minor irregularities can lead to it being suspended or removed from Google maps. Here’s a guide to help you understand what can lead to your Profile being blocked and take you through the account recovery process step-by-step.

Company profile invisible on Google. Please take the following actions

Locate your business

Jeśli zarzą­dzasz Pro­filem przez Mene­dżera Pro­filu Firmy, zalo­guj się na busi­ness.google.com przy uży­ciu konta powią­za­nego z Twoją firmą. Jeśli korzy­stasz z prze­glą­da­nia jako zwy­kły użyt­kow­nik, wystar­czy wpi­sać „moja firma” lub nazwę i loka­li­za­cję swo­jego biznesu w wyszu­ki­warce. 

Check the status of your Profile

A suspended business profile will show various messages on the dashboard. Read these messages carefully, as they provide guidance on the status of your Profile and the steps you need to take. If you are using the Company Profile Manager, the messages may be different.

Make sure the data is consistent

Check that the information in your Profile complies with Google’s guidelines. Very often, one of the reasons your profile is blocked is because you are using inappropriate items in your name, such as unnecessary phrases that are not part of your official company name. This can also be due to an incorrect address, choosing the wrong company category or incorrect content in the Profile description.

Other reasons

Sometimes, despite the use of valid company information, Google may decide to suspend or remove a Profile, which often happens during extensive updates and changes to the search engine.

Profile status analysis

The suspended Profile panel contains various messages that offer guidance on the status of your Profile and next steps. The messages may vary slightly depending on how you use Manager, Search or Google Maps.

The most common reasons for Google Profile suspension:

• The Profile contained unauthorised content, did not present authentic company information (see Google Support page for details).
• The company address violated Google’s policies and/or violates guidelines on:
  • Profile set up at a PO Box address,
  • Profile set up on a UPS box address,
  • Profile set up on a virtual office address,
  • Profile set up at an office/co-working space address,
  • Profile set up to a home address that has no visible permanent signage.

Example: Google Profile blocking can be caused by a situation where you are running a business and do not have a physical reception point for customers, but go out to them to do work e.g. plumber (SAB services), you cannot display your address on your Google Profile.

• Making lots of changes in a short space of time – editing basic information i.e. business name, address, phone number or category of business. Editing these key areas too often can be suspicious to Google.
• The Profile Name has too many phrases – so called “phrase stuffing” such as city name, key phrases. Short-term benefits you may get from expanding your company name with keywords are not worth the risk of suspending the Profile.
• The same business has two Profiles for the same location – has the same address or phone number – Google does not want businesses to have Profiles for locations that do not exist.
• You / a competitor has reported a policy violation to Google – any Map user can report changes to your Profile.
• Google’s implementing updates to the Google Business Profile platform can cause various errors, including suspensions of Profiles. This is then usually a global issue.

Re-verification required

If your Profile is suspended, you may be asked to re-verify the information about your business visible in your Profile. This is the lightest level of blocking, but requires additional validation of the data. The company will not be completely withdrawn from Google, but new content, such as posts or photos, will not be available to the public. Additionally, it will not be possible to monitor statistics or respond to feedback.

It is common for owners to be encouraged to make this decision, especially when there have been recent significant changes to key Profile data such as name, address, phone number or website. Make sure all of this information is accurate before proceeding with the re-verification process and proceed to the next steps.

There is no option to bypass verification

Unfortunately, there is no option to bypass verification. Additionally, Google’s algorithm decides how it is carried out. As standard, a card with a verification code is sent to the company’s address, which takes up to 15 working days. If the card does not reach you, another verification method can be requested. Alternative verification methods could be a phone number, text message, email, video, video verification, postcard, or possibly contacting Support and requesting verification.

The profile recognised as a duplicatee

Difficulties occur in this situation. A company profile can be considered a duplicate in several scnarios:

1. You have created 2 Company Profiles with the same address, name and category.
2. Another user has created an identical profile on Google Maps.
3. Your Profile has been reported as a duplicate of another Profile.

This problem also often occurs with brands that have 2 points in the same facility or on the same street. Google then thinks they are the same location, due to their close proximity, and considers them a duplicate.

However, in each case you will receive a similar notification with a link to the original company profile on maps. Google recommends deleting your Profile, although this is not mandatory. You can do this via the Help form, available on the right-hand side of the Manager (the “i” icon). If you manage your Profile using the Finder, you will find it in the drop-down menu, accessible by clicking on the three dots.

Complete the form according to the instructions. Google may request additional documents to prove the existence of your business, such as photos of the entrance with the signboard and name visible, or an electricity bill with your business details. Sometimes this may not be enough. You will receive an application number at the end of the process, which may come in handy for further correspondence.

Warning: Google often responds with automated messages, encouraging you to respond within 24 hours if you still need help. Make sure you check your inbox regularly and respond to such messages.

GBP suspension

If your Profile has been suspended due to data quality violations, please ensure that your profile data complies with Google’s guidelines.

Click ‘More information’ to access a help page with instructions, make sure the rules and accuracy of your Profile data, then use the dedicated form.

Fill in the necessary information in the form. It is possible to attach additional data and documents that may help to confirm the existence of your business. Until your case is processed, your Company Profile on Google will remain inaccessible and unsearchable.

Remember to avoid submitting multiple requests for the same Profile. Making repeated requests will not speed up the process. The waiting period for a response from Google is usually up to 7 working days, although in some cases it can extend to 25-30 working days.

“Deactivated” Company Profile

A business card on Google is deactivated when significant data quality violations are detected. Indeed, the reasons may be similar to those that cause the Profile to be suspended, and it is then necessary to make new data corrections and complete the relevant form.

How to avoid suspension of the Company Profile?

The most important thing is to ensure that the information is accurate and complies with the guidelines. Ensure that the company name and address are confirmed, for example by providing a photo of the signboard and entrance to the company. It is also necessary to ensure the accuracy of the NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information, as well as other relevant data on the website linked to the profile.

It is also worth considering whether there are incorrect items in other areas of the Profile, such as excessive use of keywords in the services tab or the inclusion of a phone number in the body of the company description or in posts.

Please also check what company name it displays to the public on Google. Sometimes, due to technical issues, the platform or maps may show a different name than the one you have set in Profile Manager. If this happens, it is a good idea to use the help offered via the “Help” form.

Summary

Google places great importance on the quality of the data in company profiles. For this reason, it is important to regularly monitor and adjust the data in accordance with the guidelines. The waiting time for a Google response may be shorter or longer, depending on the type of Profile block. Patience is key in the process of regaining access to a blocked company profile on Google. If you need support, we are here to help!