How a Digital Marketing Partner Can Help When Your Google Business Profile is Suspended
Make sure you can trust the person who is handling your digital marketing.
I had a conversation today with a former client who I worked with years ago when I worked for a national digital marketing company. At one time I handled his website, but he had cancelled quite a long time ago because he was looking for different offerings. He didn't know I had started my own digital marketing agency, but he always knew I was pretty savvy when it came to anything related to digital marketing.
The client's primary concern was the suspension of their Google Business Profile, which had severe implications for their business. Prior to the suspension, they had an impressive 213 Google Reviews, consistently securing top placement in the map section for local roofing-related searches.
Initially, I believed the suspension was a recent development, and I was prepared to share my expertise to help them restore their map listing, having successfully assisted other businesses in similar situations. However, upon further investigation and questioning, it became evident that it would be highly unlikely for them to recover those 213 reviews.
The situation was complicated by several factors. Firstly, the suspension had occurred six months prior, during which time the client had sought assistance from their website management company to no avail. Subsequently, they decided to switch to a new digital marketing provider. The client had also opened multiple support tickets with Google in an attempt to resolve the issue.
However, the main problem was that the client had created a new Google Business Profile after losing access to the original one, which had the 213 reviews. They were requesting Google to restore reviews that were never linked to the new business listing. The client was unable to access the original profile due to uncertainty about its creator and whether they ever had ownership of it. Consequently, Google was unable to address the client's concerns effectively, as they could not reference the original business profile that held the 213 reviews.
What would I have done if he were my client?
If this client had been working with my agency, we would have ensured access to their Google Business Profile during the onboarding process. This access enables us to optimize the profile, showcase client reviews on their website, and address potential issues proactively. In this case, we would have identified the lack of access to their Business Profile and taken steps to rectify the situation before the suspension occurred. Every business owner should own their Google Business Profile, know how to access it, and have a trusted marketing partner to help them if they ever have an issue.
It turned out that the client had two Google Business Profiles for the same business, with different names but the same address. This was likely the primary cause of the suspension, as it violates Google's policies. To avoid this situation, I would have advised the client to close one of the profiles, unless they could provide documentation proving the businesses were distinct entities, such as licenses or tax ID numbers.
While some businesses manage to operate outside Google's policies, it's crucial to understand the risks involved, such as having fake addresses or purchasing fake reviews. Engaging in these practices does not make them acceptable or advisable for my clients. Violating Google policies could lead to the loss of all associated business profiles, which is not worth the risk. In this particular case, the second business listing ultimately cost the owner everything.
Time is of the essence when dealing with a suspended Google Business Profile
Had I been granted access to the original Google Business Profile and dealt with the situation 6 months ago, I could have likely been successful in appealing the suspension and recovering their lost reviews. Unfortunately, after waiting for six months and having no evidence of the previous reviews, the chances of successfully resolving the issue are slim.
The client had spent years accumulating positive reviews from their customers, only to find themselves in a worse position. Now, with a new Google Business Profile lacking history, the business appears less established. Even if they were to regain the same number of reviews, Google might view this sudden influx as suspicious, potentially resulting in another suspension. This is because a high volume of new reviews for a seemingly new business may appear artificial, which could raise red flags for Google's algorithms.
Another challenge the client is facing is the loss of online visibility, as their presence in the map section has vanished. By focusing heavily on map visibility, they neglected to invest in optimizing their website, choosing instead to work with an inexperienced, low-cost provider who ultimately failed to deliver results.
Should they choose to engage our services, our priority would be to rebuild their website following Google's best practices and optimize it for search engines. However, even with a well-optimized site, it would still take time to regain their previous online presence.
A crucial aspect of successful search engine optimization is establishing trust with Google, demonstrating that the business is a reliable and trustworthy resource within its industry. For businesses operating in competitive markets, it is essential to not only showcase their value to potential customers but also to Google, as this is key to securing a top spot in search results.
Building trust with Google, much like building trust with people, is a time-consuming process. There are no shortcuts, and neither AI nor any digital marketing agency can bypass the need for consistent, long-term efforts to re-establish a business's online reputation and search engine ranking.
