Permanently closed listings receiving "Disabled" status

[freerunr]

tl;dr: is Google changing profiles that are marked as closed to "Disabled" status?

Managing a very large number of clients, we have a certain average number of suspended / disabled GMB profiles at any given time. We try to keep things squeaky-clean according to the guidelines and advice from PE's here, but some suspensions/disablements are inevitable in our clients' industry.

Between last week and today, our number of disabled profiles almost quadrupled (and no, it didn't go from just 1 disabled profile to 4 disabled profiles ). As I hunt for themes, one obvious variable is that over half of them are marked as permanently closed -- all such instances I've looked at so far are done so appropriately (we often keep profiles marked as permanently closed within our agency account). Generally profiles marked as closed by the owner or Google remain as "Published" or "Verified" status (if they were originally "Verified"). So the question is if Google has begun more frequently changing profiles that are marked as closed to be "Disabled" for some reason. I don't recall that being normal. Curious if maybe it is now part of the "redirect" functionality (ie, the profile marked as closed redirecting to a new one, if applicable). I did spot-check a couple we have marked as closed that are not "Disabled," and I can still find them in Maps, but some of the ones I checked marked as disabled redirect to a new profile.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Hi Kerry,

I haven't heard about this before. Can you contact GMB support and ask them about it? If that isn't fruitful we can do a post over at the GMB Help Community.

 

[Phil Rozek]

@freerunr, like @Colan Nielsen, I haven't seen "Disabled" (yet). Still seeing "permanently closed" across the board. I'd love to see a couple of mugshots of what you describe.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Usually, if it's marked as disabled it's because Google deleted the listing (for a reason other than breaking the guidelines). For ones that are permanently closed and disabled, I have seen them do this for listings that they marked as moved to another listing.

 

[freerunr]

Hi Kerry,

I haven't heard about this before. Can you contact GMB support and ask them about it? If that isn't fruitful we can do a post over at the GMB Help Community.

I've opened a case with GMB Support, like you suggested, @Colan Nielsen.

@freerunr, like @Colan Nielsen, I haven't seen "Disabled" (yet). Still seeing "permanently closed" across the board. I'd love to see a couple of mugshots of what you describe.

@Phil Rozek, maybe not as helpful to you that I'm blurring the NAP, but here are some. These are four unique businesses, and we have plenty more. But it's certainly not the case for all (~30% of our "Permanently closed" listings).

Usually, if it's marked as disabled it's because Google deleted the listing (for a reason other than breaking the guidelines). For ones that are permanently closed and disabled, I have seen them do this for listings that they marked as moved to another listing.

Good to know that you have seen this before, Joy.

 

[Phil Rozek]

Thanks, @freerunr. I mistakenly thought you saw "Disabled" publicly, in the KP, rather than in the dashboard. Still haven't seen it (in either place), though. I'm glad Joy cleared up the mystery.

 

[freerunr]

Update on your recommendation, @Colan Nielsen: my inquiry to GMB Support about why this happened included mention of one of the businesses as an example, and they reinstated that profile on Maps (with a "Permanently closed" label) Perhaps I should have just let it be, because now that profile displays in Maps and a branded search if it is sought out. And perhaps your recommendation to contact Support was based on my lack of clarity about the labels, like Phil alluded to (oops). But I even used the verbiage below in my initial response. I'll probably ask them to undo this.

Curious to see if the phenomenon happens more frequently moving forward.