Google Business Profile Suspended? What Australian Businesses Should Do
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If your Google Business Profile has been suspended, don't create a new one. Google says plainly: "Do not create a new Business Profile for the same business" (Google Business Profile Help). Instead, find out which policy Google says you broke, fix the profile so it follows Google's guidelines, gather documents that prove your business is real and matches the profile, then submit one careful appeal. Google says appeals can only be submitted once, so preparation matters more than speed.
What a suspension can mean
Google describes a few different restrictions:
Restriction | What happens |
Profile suspended or removed | That profile is taken down; the public can't see it and you can't act on it |
Account restricted | Profiles you manage are suspended and you can't create or claim others. You must appeal the account restriction first, from your Google account, before appealing the profile |
Owner or manager account removed | Removing an owner's account removes the locations they own; a manager's suspension doesn't affect the locations |
Source: Google Business Profile Help.
Step 1: find out why
Open Google's Business Profile appeals tool while signed in with the account that manages the profile. Google says it shows the decision date, the reason, a link to the policy, whether the decision can be appealed, and its status.
Step 2: fix the profile before appealing
Check the profile against Google's guidelines for representing your business. Problems that commonly cause trouble for small businesses include:
Keywords added to the business name, such as "Smith Plumbing | Emergency Plumber Melbourne". Use your real business name.
An address you don't operate from, such as a virtual office or a P.O. box.
A service-area business showing a home address that customers don't visit. Hide the address and set a service area instead.
Duplicate profiles for the same business.
Recent edits to the name, address or category that look inconsistent with your website and registration.
Step 3: gather evidence
Google says evidence that may help includes official business registration, a business licence, tax certificates and utility bills, and advises that the business name and address on each document match the profile. For an Australian business, that might mean:
Your ABN record or ASIC business name registration
A trade licence or registration, if your trade requires one
A utility bill or lease showing the business address
Photos of signage or a sign-written vehicle, if relevant
Step 4: submit one appeal
In the appeals tool, select the profile and the decision, add your evidence and a short, factual explanation of what you've fixed, then submit. Google reviews the appeal and emails you the decision. It doesn't publish a timeframe.
If the appeal is denied, Google says you may request an additional review and provide evidence that wasn't in the original appeal.
What not to do
Don't create a new profile for the same business
Don't keep editing the profile while the appeal is under review
Don't pay anyone who promises guaranteed reinstatement; only Google decides
Don't submit documents that don't match the profile's name and address
Next step
If your profile has been suspended and you'd like a second pair of eyes before you appeal, book a free 15-minute call with Morphic, or see Morphic's Google Business Profile set-up and management.
Also see Google Business Profile optimisation in Caroline Springs.
Related reading: Why Isn't My Business Showing on Google Maps? 12 Causes and Fixes, Google Business Profile for Service-Area Businesses: Hide Your Address, Show Your Suburbs and Choosing Google Business Profile Categories: A Guide for Trades and Services.
Key Takeaways
Don't create a new Business Profile if yours is suspended; Google says not to.
Use the appeals tool to see which policy Google says you broke.
Fix the profile so it follows Google's guidelines before you appeal.
Prepare documents whose business name and address match the profile.
Google says appeals can only be submitted once, so make it count.
Emon Datta
Founder, Morphic Agency
Morphic Agency is a Melbourne-based UX design agency. We've shipped 50+ products across 15+ countries.
