Common Google Business Profile issues and how to handle them.
Your profile must be verified by Google before it appears. If you haven't completed Google's verification process, this is the first step.
Google suspends profiles for policy violations or unusual activity. A suspended profile won't appear until reinstated. Contact the team via live chat or at [email protected] for guidance.
Profiles missing a business category, description, or photos tend to rank poorly or not appear at all.
New profiles typically take several weeks to gain traction in rankings. This is normal.
Profiles with no recent posts, reviews, or updates tend to drop in rankings over time.
Common reasons for GBP suspension:
To reinstate, submit a reinstatement request to Google. Current clients should contact the team via live chat or at [email protected] for step-by-step guidance.
Google's spam detection systems occasionally remove reviews — particularly from accounts flagged as spam, or reviews appearing to originate from the same device or IP address. Reviews removed by Google's algorithm cannot be recovered directly.
Yes. A large volume of reviews in a short window can appear unnatural and trigger spam detection. The RankONE Reviews reactivation campaign drips requests out over time specifically to avoid this.
Your primary category should be the most accurate single descriptor of your core service — for example, "Roofing Contractor" or "HVAC Contractor." Secondary categories can be added for other services. Accuracy matters more than volume. The Local Leads Pro team handles category selection as part of the service.
More high-quality, real business photos generally help rankings. Google favours consistent, frequent uploads over a single large batch — which is why Local Leads Pro uploads approximately one image every 4 days.
A citation is any online mention of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on a directory or third-party site — such as Yelp, Houzz, or Angi. Consistent, accurate citations are a positive local SEO signal. Inconsistent NAP can negatively impact rankings. Citation management is available as a paid add-on to Local Leads Pro.
Ranking fluctuations are normal. Google regularly A/B tests profiles, so positions move up and down even without changes on your end. The trend over time is what matters. Temporary dips typically recover within 90 days. If concerned, contact the team via live chat or at [email protected].