How can I manage the risk of getting suspended?

Short Answer: To reduce the chance of suspension, avoid changing crucial business information on your Google My Business listing—such as your phone number, address, company name, or business category—especially if your profile has accumulated many reviews.

Full Explanation

Google My Business profiles are sensitive to significant edits on key business data. Changing essential details like your phone number, physical address, official company name, or the category under which your business is listed can trigger Google’s suspension protocols. This risk increases when your listing has garnered a substantial number of customer reviews, as Google may interpret major changes as an attempt to mislead or manipulate the system.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Identify Critical Information: Recognize that phone number, address, company name, and category are key data points on your Google My Business listing.
Assess the Need for Changes: Before making edits, consider whether changing this information is absolutely necessary.
Weigh the Risks: If your listing has many reviews, understand that altering these details can significantly increase suspension risks.
Avoid Unnecessary Changes: The safest approach to managing suspension risk is to leave these fields unchanged whenever possible.

Real Examples

While no specific examples are provided, it is generally safer to maintain your original business details even as your business evolves. For instance, if your phone number changes, instead of updating the Google My Business listing immediately, consider alternatives that do not involve modifying the profile’s key info.

Common Mistakes

Making frequent or redundant changes to phone numbers or addresses without thorough consideration.
Changing the company name or category to try to attract a different audience or improve rankings.
Ignoring the impact of reviews on suspension risk when deciding to update listing information.

FAQs

Can I change my business phone number on Google My Business safely?

Changing your phone number increases the risk of suspension, especially if your listing has many reviews, so it is usually recommended to avoid this change.

What happens if I change my business category?

Changing your business category is considered a key edit and could significantly raise the chance of suspension, making it advisable to keep the original category.

Why does changing information increase suspension risk?

Google may see drastic edits to critical business data as attempts to manipulate or misrepresent business identity, triggering suspension to protect listing integrity.

Key Takeaways

Avoid changing key business information (phone number, address, company name, category) on your Google My Business listing.
If your listing has many reviews, the risk of suspension due to changes is particularly high.
Maintaining consistent business details is the best way to manage and minimize suspension risk.