Uptick in suspensions occurring (not related to reinstatement response times)

[Jaimie S]

Hi All,

Is anyone else experiencing an unprecedented amount of GBP suspensions? I had 3 separate profiles suspend after doing a post on the account. Other accounts are suspending after making changes to business hours or main categories.

These are across 3 different countries and listings are managed by different Users (in different countries, different logins etc).

Its been about 1-2 weeks of this.

Is this the same for any other agencies?

Thanks ahead!

 

[Jaimie S]

I've got a listing that has been suspended right after verifying it with a code via postcard. This is so frustrating.

Was this today?

 

[Jaimie S]

I had 3 listings suspended without making changes. Very frustrating at the lost revenue for the client.

Was this today?

 

[Jaimie S]

I've got a listing that has been suspended right after verifying it with a code via postcard. This is so frustrating.

Was this today? I’m trying to track if it’s improving or not

 

[keyserholiday]

I've got a listing that has been suspended right after verifying it with a code via postcard. This is so frustrating.

That's very common and unrelated to this issue. What is the main category for this business?

 

[keyserholiday]

I had 3 listings suspended without making changes. Very frustrating at the lost revenue for the client.

This is unrelated. It could have been a sweep by Google or a competitor reporting the profile.

 

[Jurant Dika]

Was this today? I’m trying to track if it’s improving or not

Its not improving! Same pace of suspensions for days, without touching or posting anything.

 

[keyserholiday]

Its not improving! Same pace of suspensions for days, without touching or posting anything.

That is unrelated to this issue. Google does sweeps on categories, performs integrity checks on accounts, and competitors report business profiles all the time.

 

[Wilsongs]

We have one location which purchased another local business and moved to a new location. We have verified the new location 4 times by mail. Each time we verify google asks us to verify again. Then they requested video verification but when we went to do the video verification it was no longer available. We've sent images of the old office with a new business in it, the new office with logo and branded vehicles in front and copies of utility bills with company name and new address on it. Then they suspended the listing again. Frustrating.

 

[sarmcl]

Was this today? I’m trying to track if it’s improving or not

Its not. I added a post last week to our agency listing and BOOM suspended.

Just now I ONLY added UTM parameters and listing fell out of verification. This is ridiculous. Falling out of verification is better than a suspension but still causing alot of problems. Its also a bad look when you onboard a new client and all 3 listings we have touched BARELY--1 suspended and 2 fell out of verification

 

[Rosa]

That's very common and unrelated to this issue. What is the main category for this business?

Insurance Agency

 

[Jurant Dika]

That is unrelated to this issue. Google does sweeps on categories, performs integrity checks on accounts, and competitors report business profiles all the time.

Thanks Keyser,
Not understanding what's not related. Are we all seeing suspensions en masse? Triggered by edits, posts etc?

And concerning Google sweeping on categories - we have seen it, in highly spammed verticals. But any thoughts why Google would sweep restaurants - stone and brick, what have been live for +5 years? And what exactly means "integrity checks"?
Lastly, what do you mean by "competitors"? Other restaurants - i.e. GBP owners reporting other GBP owners?

 

[chadkimball]

any updates on this? lots of folks waiting to make changes right now

 

[keyserholiday]

Thanks Keyser,
Not understanding what's not related. Are we all seeing suspensions en masse? Triggered by edits, posts etc?

And concerning Google sweeping on categories - we have seen it, in highly spammed verticals. But any thoughts why Google would sweep restaurants - stone and brick, what have been live for +5 years? And what exactly means "integrity checks"?
Lastly, what do you mean by "competitors"? Other restaurants - i.e. GBP owners reporting other GBP owners?

This thread was about businesses getting suspended after updating information. So if you didn't create a Google post, edit the service area, phone number, add a UTM to the website, or update the description, your issue(s) is unrelated.

I worked with several nationwide franchises and one of the first things I discover is that the addresses are not set up properly. A very common mistake is people add the suite on line one. They don't know to click add a line to add the suite to line 2. So when Google looks at the profile they see a violation and may suspend the profile. Google may take a look at the history of the business profile and if they see a lot of changes that they deem suspicious this can also lead to suspension. I had a client that was denied reinstatement because of their business description. There are a lot of factors that can cause a suspension and nobody can tell you why you were suspended unless we know the history of the profile.

 

[ai2ik]

Was this today?

September 20th and 28th. We are getting the client LegitScript approved (which was approved last Friday), so maybe that was the cause.

 

[JS Girard]

This thread was about businesses getting suspended after updating information. So if you didn't create a Google post, edit the service area, phone number, add a UTM to the website, or update the description, your issue(s) is unrelated.

I worked with several nationwide franchises and one of the first things I discover is that the addresses are not set up properly. A very common mistake is people add the suite on line one. They don't know to click add a line to add the suite to line 2. So when Google looks at the profile they see a violation and may suspend the profile. Google may take a look at the history of the business profile and if they see a lot of changes that they deem suspicious this can also lead to suspension. I had a client that was denied reinstatement because of their business description. There are a lot of factors that can cause a suspension and nobody can tell you why you were suspended unless we know the history of the profile.

Maybe I missed something, but the few times I've had to create a GBP (I usually get involved after a profile is validated), but as far as I know it is literally impossible to add extra lines within the normal workflow that Google pipelines users through for profile creation

I know it is technically possible to get it to work, but it is extremely counterintuitive. You have to specifically not go through the validating method (strike 1), go back to the business.google.com dashboard and navigate to the unvalidated profile that was created there once you reached the validating method screen. None of my colleagues even knew profiles were getting created at that stage, so our agency account was littered with 'em! (strike #2) And then you have to be aware what changes you can actually make to that profile before sending out a postcard and after without fucking things up (strike #3).

None of this is intuitive whatsoever, and no one can possibly expect the average user to be aware of this. I suspect plenty of SEO expert do not either. Our agency's been doing GBP management since the Google Plus era and we found out this summer!

 

[keyserholiday]

I just went to create a new business profile and was prompted to add a line.

 

[JS Girard]

Okay, that's on me. My apologies.

 

[dnp]

@keyserholiday when you said last week that GBPs can get flagged for suspicious activities and suspended after updating information, does that include adding a new user?

Also, what's your take on responding to reviews and messages? They shouldn't be triggering a suspension, should they?

 

[keyserholiday]

@keyserholiday when you said last week that GBPs can get flagged for suspicious activities and suspended after updating information, does that include adding a new user?

Also, what's your take on responding to reviews and messages? They shouldn't be triggering a suspension, should they?

Adding a new user won't trigger a suspension unless that account is blacklisted for spammy behavior. You can reply to reviews and messages. Google is only having an issue with edits.

 

[notmuchtoit]

Any updates on this situation? I have experienced similar problems expressed in this thread.