Why Is My Google Business Profile Suspended?

A Google Business Profile suspension means Google has restricted or removed your business listing from Google Search and Google Maps because it believes the profile violates its guidelines or cannot be trusted.

When a profile is suspended:

• Your business may disappear completely from Google Maps and local results

• Customers see no profile, even if you were ranking well before

• You often receive little or no clear explanation from Google

This makes suspensions stressful — especially for local businesses that rely on calls, directions, and visibility.

The most important thing to understand first

Google Business Profile suspensions are policy-based, not random.

Google suspends profiles when:

• Business information is misleading

• Ownership or management looks untrustworthy

• The business does not qualify under Google’s eligibility rules

• The profile shows patterns associated with spam or abuse

Even honest businesses get suspended — usually because of technical mistakes, incorrect setup, or unintentional violations.

The two main types of Google Business Profile suspension

Most competitors forget to explain this clearly.

1. Soft suspension

• Your profile is visible

• But you cannot manage it

• Google asks you to fix issues or re-verify

2. Hard suspension

• Your profile is completely removed

• It no longer appears on Search or Maps

• You must submit a reinstatement request

Hard suspensions are more serious and take longer to recover from.

The most common reasons Google Business Profiles get suspended

Below are all major causes, including the gaps most articles never mention.

1. Business name violations (very common)

Google requires your business name to match:

• Your real-world branding

• Your legal or widely recognised trading name

Suspensions happen when businesses:

• Add keywords like “best”, “cheap”, “24/7”, or locations

• Change names frequently

• Use different names on their website, signage, or invoices

Example:
❌ Best Plumber Croydon 24/7
✅ Smith Plumbing Ltd

This is one of the top suspension triggers worldwide.

2. Address problems and fake locations

Google is extremely strict about addresses.

You may be suspended if:

• You use a virtual office

• You use a mailbox, PO Box, or shared workspace

• You list an address where staff are not permanently present

• You hide your address incorrectly

• Your address does not match public records

Google wants locations where:

• Customers can physically visit, or

• Service-area rules are followed properly

3. Service-area business mistakes

Service-area businesses (plumbers, electricians, cleaners, consultants, web designers, etc.) must:

• Hide their home address (if no customers visit)

• Set service areas correctly

• Avoid listing multiple cities just to rank

Common mistake:
Showing a home address only to appear local, even though customers never visit.

Google considers this misrepresentation.

4. Ineligible business types

Some businesses are simply not eligible for a Google Business Profile unless they meet strict criteria.

Common ineligible or restricted examples:

• Rental-only properties

• Properties for sale without a staffed office

• Temporary pop-up shops

• Online-only businesses with no in-person contact

• Lead-generation listings pretending to be real businesses

• Businesses operating illegally or without required licences

If Google determines your business does not qualify, suspension is immediate.

5. Verification issues and failed re-verification

Suspensions often happen:

• During verification

• After Google requests re-verification

• When documents don’t match

Triggers include:

• Incorrect video verification

• Address inconsistencies

• Using outdated or unclear documents

• Ignoring verification requests

Verification failure = loss of trust.

6. Rapid or suspicious profile edits

Google monitors change behaviour.

You may be suspended if you:

• Change name, category, address, and hours too quickly

• Switch categories repeatedly

• Edit during verification

• Make changes right after reinstatement

This behaviour looks spam-like, even if unintentional.

7. Review manipulation or fake activity

Google actively fights review abuse.

Suspensions can happen if:

• Fake reviews are detected

• Reviews are purchased

• Incentives are offered for reviews

• Review patterns look unnatural

• Competitors or users report suspicious activity

Even third-party review services can get your profile suspended.

8. Issues with account ownership or profile management

This is one of the least explained but most damaging causes.

A Google Business Profile can be suspended even if the business itself did nothing wrong, if:

• The primary owner’s Google account is flagged for violations elsewhere (Gmail, Ads, Maps, YouTube, etc.)

• A managing agency has a history of spam profiles

• A former employee still has access

• An agency is suspended on other accounts

• Google associates your profile with bad actors

This is often called “guilt by association”.

In severe cases:

• The entire Google account is restricted

• All managed profiles can be suspended instantly

This is extremely difficult to fix and rarely mentioned online.

9. Duplicate listings

If Google detects:

• Multiple profiles for the same business

• Old listings still active

• Profiles created by staff or customers

It may suspend all of them until the conflict is resolved.

10. Website and NAP inconsistencies

Google cross-checks your profile against:

• Your website

• Directories

• Citations

• Social profiles

If your:

• Name

• Address

• Phone number

do not match consistently, trust drops.

Low trust = suspension risk.

Why Google does not always explain the suspension clearly

This frustrates business owners — but it’s intentional.

Google:

• Does not want spammers to reverse-engineer enforcement

• Uses automated systems

• Avoids giving exact triggers

This is why many emails say only:

“Your profile violates our guidelines”

Even when the issue is very specific.

What to do immediately if your Google Business Profile is suspended

1. Do not create a new profile
   This can make things worse.

2. Do not panic-edit anything
   Wait and audit first.

3. Check Google’s Business Profile guidelines carefully
   Compare line by line with your setup.

4. Audit your business name, address, category, and eligibility

5. Check who owns and manages the profile
   Remove risky or unnecessary users.

6. Prepare evidence
   Website, signage, utility bills, licences, photos.

7. Submit a reinstatement request only when ready

Poor reinstatement submissions are the #1 reason for long delays.

How long does reinstatement take?

• Simple cases: 3–7 days

• Complex cases: several weeks

• Account-level issues: longer and unpredictable

Repeated failed requests slow things down.

What causes Google Business Profile suspension?

Policy violations related to business name, address, eligibility, verification, reviews, or account trust.

Can an honest business be suspended?

Yes. Many suspensions are caused by setup mistakes, not intentional abuse.

Can my profile be suspended because of my Google account?

Yes. If the owner’s Google account or a managing agency is flagged, your profile can be suspended immediately.

Are some businesses not allowed on Google Business Profile?

Yes. Certain business types are ineligible unless they meet strict criteria.

Is suspension permanent?

No, but recovery depends on fixing the root cause correctly.

Editorial note on accuracy

Editorial note:
All information in this article is based on official Google Business Profile documentation, Google “Represent your business” guidelines, and publicly confirmed enforcement practices. Google does not disclose every suspension trigger, but the causes listed here reflect the most common and verified reasons businesses lose access to their profiles.