How to restore a suspended Google My Business listing

A Google My Business (GMB) account is an important tool for small business owners looking to increase their online exposure through organic Search and on Google Maps. The free GMB listing provides potential customers with critical directory details for your business – such as your address, hours of operation, and contact information – and can help drive web traffic, phone calls, and in-person visits.But what happens when your Google My Business account gets suspended, and you don’t know how to get it back? If you’re looking for Google My Business support or need help understanding why your account was removed, read on for advice on how to get your profile back online.Why was my listing suspended?Unfortunately, Google doesn’t provide business owners with an exact reason as to why their account was suspended, so it can be confusing to understand what you might have done wrong and what you need to do to get it back. Suspensions can happen as a result of changes you made to the listing, a suggested edit recommended by another user, or if Google decides the account has done something suspicious that has violated the Google My Business account guidelines. It’s worth noting that service area businesses like HVAC, lawyers, plumbers and pest control service are regarded by Google as ‘high risk’ since some bad apples in the industry generate fake listings and spam content. With the goal of protecting consumers from these types of bad actors, Google is more likely to suspend business accounts related to these industries.Tips to avoid a suspension

• Don’t make too many account edits at once.

• Don’t add any prohibited marketing material or illegal content to your listing.

• Don’t stuff your business name with too many keywords.

• Don’t list your business hours as 24/7; provide specific hours of operation.

• Don’t create multiple business listings for the same address.

How to recover your accountStep one: Don’t create a new listingWhile you might be tempted to start fresh and resolve your issue by creating a brand-new listing, this will only complicate your account recovery process in the long run.Step two: Ask for helpLog onto the Google My Business Help page to troubleshoot and uncover some of the issues that might have caused your account suspension. If you need one-on-one Google My Business support, book a video call with one of Google’s dedicated small business advisors.Step three: Fix your Google listing issuesOnce you’ve determined what listing edits would have caused your Google My Business account to be suspended, update the “info” section on your listing to rectify and remove any red flags.Step four: Apply for reinstatementAfter you’ve updated and corrected your listing, fill out the Google My Business local business reinstatement request. You’ll need to answer a series of questions on the online form to verify your Google My Business account. You may also need to submit evidence that demonstrates your business is legitimate, such as a business licence, photos of your storefront or signage, and proof of address.Step five: Be patientReinstatement typically takes about one to seven business days on average, so be patient while you wait for an official response from Google. Once your account has been restored, resist the urge to make any immediate changes, as your listing could be suspended again as a result.Need help with the next steps? Yellow Pages can help you create and maintain your business listing on Google My Business, and 50+ of the most popular search sites and apps. Call 1-877-553-6883 to speak with our certified experts about our NetSync Complete Plus solution.