Appeal a suspended Google Business Profile

Purpose

A suspended profile disappears from Google Maps and Search, and every day offline costs the business calls and enquiries. Appeals are reviewed by people who compare the profile against Google's guidelines and the evidence supplied. This procedure fixes the underlying issue first, then submits one complete appeal with evidence that matches the profile exactly. It is finished when the appeal is approved and the profile is visible again, or a further review has been requested with new evidence.

Scope

In scope

• Finding the suspension reason
• Correcting the profile to meet Google's guidelines
• Preparing evidence and submitting the appeal
• Following up on the decision

Out of scope

• Restricted Google accounts (lift the account restriction first, then follow this procedure)
• Appeals for more than 10 profiles at once
• Legal disputes over business names or trademarks

Roles and responsibilities

Role	Responsibility
Business owner	Supplies evidence and confirms the business details are true.
Local SEO specialist	Diagnoses the issue, corrects the profile and submits the appeal.
Reviewer	Checks the profile and evidence against the guidelines before submission.

Prerequisites

• Sign-in with an owner account for the profile (see WW-023).
• Scans or photos of business documents showing the exact business name and address, such as business registration, a business licence, a tax certificate or a utility bill.
• Photos of permanent signage, the premises, branded vehicles or tools of the trade, if available.

Procedure

Find the reason

Start with what Google says, not guesses.

1. Open the Google Business Profile appeals tool signed in with the owner account.
2. Select the profile. Record the reason given and the linked policy in the work ticket.
3. If the tool shows Can't be appealed, stop and read the linked policy; the profile cannot be restored through this process.

Correct the profile

Fix every likely issue before appealing, not just the first one found.

1. Read Google's guidelines for representing your business end to end.

2. Check the business name matches the real-world name on signage and documents, with no added keywords, locations or taglines.

3. Check the address is a real, staffed location the business can prove. Virtual offices, PO boxes and co-working spaces that the business does not staff are not allowed.

4. If staff travel to customers and customers do not visit, make sure the address is hidden and service areas are set.

5. Check the primary category describes what the business is, and the website and phone number belong to the business.

   [!WARNING] Do not create a new profile for the same business while the appeal is under review. Duplicate profiles make reinstatement less likely.

Prepare the evidence

Evidence must match the profile exactly.

1. Choose two or three documents where the business name and address match the corrected profile character for character.

2. Save them as clear PDF or image files, with any unrelated personal data covered.

3. Prepare a short explanation of what the business does, how customers are served and what was corrected.

   [!IMPORTANT] Once you open the evidence form, you have 60 minutes to submit it. Have every file ready before you start.

Submit the appeal

Submit once, completely.

1. In the appeals tool, select the profile and review the reason and policy shown.
2. Select Submit Appeal, then Submit.
3. When prompted, select Add evidence, check the business details, upload the prepared files and add the explanation.
4. Select Submit and record the date and time in the work ticket.

Follow up

Track the decision and act on it.

1. Check the status in the appeals tool weekly. It shows Submitted, Approved or Not Approved.
2. If approved, confirm the profile appears on Google Maps, then review it with WW-011.
3. If not approved, gather evidence that was not in the first appeal and request an additional review from the decision.

Quality checks

• The suspension reason and policy are recorded.
• The name, address, category, website and phone number meet Google's guidelines.
• Evidence shows the exact name and address on the profile.
• Only one appeal was submitted and no duplicate profile was created.
• The outcome is recorded and, if approved, the profile is visible on Maps.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
Appeal not approved	Evidence did not match the profile, or an issue remained	Correct the remaining issue and request an additional review with new evidence.
Evidence did not attach	The form was submitted after 60 minutes	Request an additional review and submit the evidence promptly.
Profile suspended again after reinstatement	The original issue was reintroduced, often keywords in the name	Restore the compliant details and restrict who can edit (WW-023).
All profiles in an account suspended	The Google account is restricted	Appeal the account restriction on the My accounts page first.

Records

• Keep the suspension reason, evidence submitted, appeal dates and decision in the client record for at least two years.
• Record the corrected profile details so future edits do not reintroduce the issue.

References

• Fix suspended or disabled profiles (Google Business Profile Help)
• Guidelines for representing your business on Google (Google Business Profile Help)
• Manage service areas (Google Business Profile Help)