Google has announced a new appeal process for businesses whose Google Business Profiles (GBP) have been suspended. Previously, business owners were left uncertain as to the reason for the suspension, making it difficult for them to rectify the issue. With the new appeal process, Google will inform business owners of the reason for the suspension, allowing them to address the issue and ensure their profile complies with Google’s guidelines. The process does not introduce any new rules or guidelines, but rather aims to make the existing ones clearer. The appeal process may also evolve in the future based on feedback from users.
To know if their GBP has been suspended, business owners will receive a notification in their merchant panel and an email from Google. The email will specify the violation type, indicating which guideline or policy has been violated. Business owners can click on a link in the email to learn more about the violation and how to fix their profile before filing an appeal. Once the necessary changes have been made to comply with Google’s guidelines, business owners can click on the appeal button in the email and be taken to the Appeals tool.
The new appeal process involves submitting official documents to prove the legitimacy of the business. This includes documents such as business registration, business license, tax certificate, and utility bills. The documents must display the business name and address that match the Google Business Profile. Business owners have 60 minutes to upload these documents once they click submit on the Appeals tool. It is important to double-check that all documents match the profile exactly.
After the submission of evidence, the Details/Status in the Appeals tool will change to Submitted. The Google Support team will manually review the evidence and the business profile for compliance. Business owners will receive an email either approving or denying the appeal. If the appeal is denied, there may be an option to re-appeal, although the process for this is not yet known.
Overall, the new appeal process provides better transparency for businesses whose GBP has been suspended and allows for a smoother appeal process. However, it is important for businesses to ensure their profile complies with Google’s guidelines before starting the appeal process and to provide sufficient and correct documentation to prove their legitimacy. If in doubt, it is recommended to seek the assistance of a product expert.
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