As an entrepreneur, you need all the help you can get to inform your target market about your products and services. Google My Business (GMB) is one of the most popular free tools on the market today that lets companies capture and engage with audiences. Through this platform, you can announce promotions, respond to reviews, and add photos.
However, four known GMB issues hinder your Google Business Profile from attracting clients. Let’s go through the problems and how you can fix them quickly and effectively.
1. Suspended Listing
There’s nothing more dreadful for a GMB page owner to receive than a suspension warning on the dashboard.
Don’t worry; it’s not as uncommon as you think.
In most cases, Google suspends GMB accounts because they violate the platform’s terms of services. Here are some common errors to avoid:
- The name, address, and phone number (NAP) details on your page don’t match other directories.
- You have multiple listings for one business name or address.
- You displayed a residential address on a profile.
- You stuffed keywords to boost your ranking artificially.
- You listed a forwarding URL as a business website.
The Solution
First of all, don’t panic. Review the Google My Business guidelines to determine any rule you might have violated. Afterward, fill out a reinstatement request to report your GMB concern. Google will then review your appeal, which shouldn’t take more than 72 hours.
2. Vanishing Listing
One of the most pressing GMB issues is to have a listing disappear from your dashboard. In most cases, these instances result from someone removing it.
The Solution
The worst part about losing a listing is that Google will not likely restore it. In this case, the best thing you can do is find out why an account manager deleted the listing and create a new one. You can ask GMB support to transfer old reviews to your new page.
3. The Kansas Bug
The Kansas bug causes some service-area businesses to rank in Kansas, USA. Product experts discovered the phenomenon and have been helping GMB fix it.
The Solution
When this happens to you, grab a screenshot showing that your business ranks in Kansas even if you don’t serve the area. Afterward, contact the GMB support group and inform the team that the Kansas bug affects your business.
4. Inappropriate Reviews
Negative reviews are part of any business, but Google protects organizations from inappropriate reviews. These include ratings from a disgruntled previous employee or a competitor. Read GMB’s conflict of interest guidelines to learn about other such review types.
The Solution
If any of the circumstances above happen to you, flag the review as inappropriate. You can do this by clicking the rating and then the three dots on the right-hand side. The GMB support group should remove any ill-fitting review.
Enhance Your Online Visibility With Google My Business
If you want to make the most out of your Google Business Profile, you need to prepare for potential GMB issues. The platform is one of the most cost-effective ways to help existing clients find you. Request a free GMB consultation with Erie’s leading digital agency now.