Google has stated that any content added to your Business Profile must accurately represent your location’s business.

Where Is The Complete Google Business Profile Policies & Guidelines?

In this outline, I will share the updated policies and explain the most common issues that businesses may be experiencing. If you need a complete list of the policies and guidelines click =>  View a complete list of Google Business Profile policies & guidelines.

Prohibited And Restricted Content

All of your content that is added to your Business Profile must abide by Google’s prohibited and restricted content policies (such as harassment, misrepresentation, violence, solicitation, etc.). Google’s policies apply to all of your content formats, including but not limited to Reviews, Photos, and Videos. If your profiles and content that do not meet Google’s criteria may be rejected. If for some reason your content does not abide by these rules, you may receive different levels of restrictions. 

Account Level Restrictions

Your Business can lose or have their access restricted to their Google Business Profile for these reasons and more. Remember all of your content must abide by Google’s policies.

Your Google Account Not In Good Standing

If for any reason, your balance on your Google Account is not positive and kept current. Meaning it is not disabled, suspended, or deleted), you may lose your access to your Google Business Profile that is associated with that account.

Your Account Is Restricted From Business Profile Activity

If your business displays a pattern of violating Google Business Profile policies, access to your Business Profile is or will most likely be restricted. 

If your business’s account is restricted, all Business Profiles associated with that account will be suspended. Be careful about who you allow on your Google Business Profile. 

When was the last time you reviewed who has access to yours?

If you ignore Google’s restrictions and still attempt to post content, it will be rejected and Google is tracking everything so all you are doing is making life more difficult in the future when you attempt to make this right.

Your account must be reinstated before all previously removed content can be published or new content added to the profile.

Profile Suspension Due To Other Google Product Account Restriction

If you create a Google Business Profile and it is associated with another Google product like Google Ads, YouTube or other Google Subscription and has been restricted, your Google Business Profile may result in suspension.

All Google accounts must be reinstated and in good standing before all previously removed content can be published or new content added to the profile.

Eligibility For A Google Business Profile

Google is choosing to simplify their restrictions and qualifications for Business Profiles, and I love the transparency. This also makes it easier to speak to their customer service team because everyone is on the same page.

Ineligible Businesses

For your business to qualify to receive a Google Business Profile, your business MUST make in-person contact with customers during its stated hours of operation.

For example, the following businesses are not eligible for a Business Profile:

·        An ongoing service, class, or meeting at a location that you don't own or have the authority to represent.

·        Lead generation agents or companies.

·        Brands, organizations, artists, and other online-only businesses.

·        Rental or for-sale properties such as vacation homes, model homes, or vacant apartments.

For those of you who want to read more, click here: Business eligibility & ownership.

Business Does Not Exist

Yes, People Try To Trick Google

Google’s goal is to provide all of us with a great customer experience and to do this Google must keep their data as accurate as possible. Google uses information from different sources such as user reports and licensed content which means if Google determines that your business doesn't exist in the location you claim, Google will disable your profile. 

P.O. Box Address

You May Get In Trouble For Trying To Do This

If your business only has a P.O. Box address, you are not permitted to own a Google Business Profile. If your business is using a P.O. Box and does not have an actual location, your profile may get suspended.



Ownership – Do you own your digital assets?

If you have a business with a Google Business Profile, are you the manager, owner or primary owner? Because if you are the Manager, then you don’t own your Google Business Profile, someone else does.

Unauthorized Profile Access

If Google finds that someone has access to your Google Business Profile that should not have access Google may penalize your Google Business listing till you remove that “someone” from the account.

Inactive Owner

If you don’t check on your Google Business Profile and are labeled inactive for long periods of time you may have your access revoked and content removed after adequate warnings.

Posting Restrictions

If you post content that is consistently unhelpful, harmful, off-topic or generally violates Google’s Policies, your profile may be limited or suspended from posting user-generated content to your profile. One example would be if a profile receives a series of poor reviews not related to the business itself. Learn more about posting restrictions.

Reasons Submitted Content May Be Rejected

Content added to a Business Profile may be rejected for several reasons.

Deleted, Disabled, And Suspended Profiles

Profiles may have their content and appeals may be automatically rejected and removed by Google. The profile must be reinstated before content, appeals, and reviews can be published.

Verification Required

Google wants to be sure your business is being created to their standards so they may ask you to first verify your business before allowing your profile to populate across Google.

For more guidance on getting verified, follow these steps.



Content That Fails To Publish

Sometimes your submitted content may not be published for non-policy reasons like: You already published this content.

You may not add content you already published. Remember it may take time for published content to make it back to your device. Be sure to give Google some time. Depending on your location and internet speed - the father out you are, the slower your internet is… give Google some more time.

Submission Error

If you receive an error in your submission process, double check that your account is in good standing or you can always reach out to the Google Business Profile support team.

For any of you who want to know everything about Google Business Profile’s policies and guidelines you can view All Business Profile policies & guidelines here.