Dealing with a Google Business Profile Suspension: My Experience and What to Expect

Getting your Google Business profile suspended can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you rely on it for customer interactions and its undeniable SEO benefits.

This happened to me recently with a business I manage. Out of the blue, I received an email from Google on August 10th, 2024 informing me that my Google Business Profile was suspended due to a violation of content policies. This was quite a shock since the profile hardly posts any content—we haven’t even developed a strategy for that yet. So, we were left puzzled as to why this suspension occurred.

Determined to resolve the issue, I clicked on the appeal button provided in the email on 12th August 2024. The appeal process was straightforward, but there was one challenge that had me on edge. I knew that if we missed one verification detail or got it wrong, we might never hear back from Google—except maybe from their support bot. Good luck solving anything with the Google support bot; you’ll need it.

I’ll discuss the challenge (which, fortunately, turned out to be nothing) a bit later.

According to a user on Reddit, you could also reach them via X.

The Google Business Profile Suspension Appeal Process

To begin the appeal, click the appeal button, which will redirect you to the Google Business Profile dashboard.

First, make sure you’re logged into the Gmail account that manages the suspended Google Business Profile listing. Google will prompt you to confirm this.

On the next page, you’ll be asked to select the suspended business. Since I only manage one business, I chose that one. The following screen will show you when the profile was suspended, the reason for the suspension, and whether or not you can appeal:

Cannot be appealed.
Eligible for appeal.

(Note: The above screenshot was taken after the appeal was approved, but it initially indicated ‘eligible for appeal’ in the details section.)

It’s crucial to remember that not all Google Business Profile suspensions are eligible for appeal.

Providing Proof of Business

The next section is where things get serious. Google will ask you to upload proof of your business’s legitimacy, and you have exactly 60 minutes to do so.

If you’re unsure about this process, I highly recommend seeking expert help. Do not start the process until you’re confident you can provide the necessary documentation.

Google Business Profile Suspension Appeal Requirements

Official business registration: Proof that your business is officially established.
Business license: Verification that you’re authorized to operate your business.
Tax certificate: Shows your tax ID and validates your business.
Utility bill at the business’s address: These can include electricity, phone, gas, water, sewage, trash, recycling, TV, or internet bills.

In my case, I opted to submit the official business registration document from the registrar of companies in my country, commonly known as the CR12.

The Challenge That Almost Was

A potential issue arose here. One of the appeal restrictions is that the document you submit must exactly match the current business location listed on your Google Business Profile. I freaked out a bit because my business was registered at a different address than where the Google Business Profile was located, although still within the same city.

What was the worst that could happen? I submitted the appeal anyway, using the existing address. There’s an option to clearly state your case, so I explained that I was not guilty as charged.

Before the 60 minutes elapsed after submitting my appeal, I still had the option to add more evidence or documentation. Once the 60 minutes were up, I received confirmation that my evidence had been submitted. From there, it was a waiting game.

The Outcome

After a 18 days, my appeal was approved! To be honest, I expected a lot of back and forth due to the address issue but the process was surprisingly smooth.

In the approval email, I was informed that the business would go live within 24 hours but to my delight, I received another email just 15 minutes later confirming that the business was now live.