Google My Business Suspension Questions

[MarvinMartian]

Hello everyone,

Had a client that wanted me to build him a separate website to hit other areas geographically to get more exposure for his service in areas he was lagging in since competition is fairly high. So I built him a custom website with a different address in a different city(using a virtual office address), different phone number, privacy protection on the domain name and rebranded a wordpress theme with no mention of his other website. Set up google analytics and webmaster tools on a separate email address to not raise suspicion.

I did all of this and then I went to verify his business on google my business. They sent the verification letter and it came in the mail and I verified the property and within 2 days they suspended it. Now reading through the guidelines it says you have to use a physical location that you use as a type of storefront, yet his competitors use virtual offices. I tried to appeal the claim and it sent me an email saying I still can't have the website shown on google maps.

Is there a way to get this pushed through somehow since I know his competitors are using virtual offices? Do I have to just deal with the suspension? If I deal with the suspension and we can't get GMB set up does it make it more difficult to rank in the local SERP without GMB?

Just curious because in the past it didn't seem this difficult to get a GMB page verified.

 

[Deleted member 657006]

the problem was you hide the domain address with the who is

is that aginst there rules when adding a business in the maps of Google?

 

[Topiano]

does it make it more difficult to rank in the local SERP without GMB?

To this, It's not necessary you have a GMB to rank good on Local SERP.

 

[MarvinMartian]

the problem was you hide the domain address with the who is

is that aginst there rules when adding a business in the maps of Google?

I didn't think it would be. I thought I got all my ducks in order but I'm seeing people have to take screen shots of their business license and pictures of their business address to get verified when they are having problems. I've never seen that happen even a year or two ago. But I'll double check to make sure its not an issue to becoming verified. Thanks

 

[MarvinMartian]

To this, It's not necessary you have a GMB to rank good on Local SERP.

Gotcha so it's not necessary to have GMB to rank well in local search. That's a good to hear man! Thanks

 

[UnicornSeeking]

In some niches you can't rank in the map pack if you don't have a physical address in that city. However you can rank in unincorpated towns/areas in the maps.

As Topiano said you can rank in the serps without an address in those cities but you'll need a good city page with unique content describing that city and your services.

 

[MarvinMartian]

In some niches you can't rank in the map pack if you don't have a physical address in that city. However you can rank in unincorpated towns/areas in the maps.

As Topiano said you can rank in the serps without an address in those cities but you'll need a good city page with unique content describing that city and your services.

Cool, thanks! I appreciate the insight. Last question, since I thought that a virtual office would be fine since some of his competition had one, is there any other way that people get websites verified on GMB when they don't have a physical address there? I wonder if people post for something like this and pay people to take the postcard and then just verify it then and pay them once verification goes through? If not I will just have to rank it the way that you guys mentioned. Content that has location based keywords involved with some good images and maybe some back links directed towards that page to assist in helping within the local serps.

 

[ChadTKimball]

OP, what niche are you doing this in? Usually these types of suspensions happen quickly for the more spammy niches.

 

[UnicornSeeking]

Cool, thanks! I appreciate the insight. Last question, since I thought that a virtual office would be fine since some of his competition had one, is there any other way that people get websites verified on GMB when they don't have a physical address there? I wonder if people post for something like this and pay people to take the postcard and then just verify it then and pay them once verification goes through? If not I will just have to rank it the way that you guys mentioned. Content that has location based keywords involved with some good images and maybe some back links directed towards that page to assist in helping within the local serps.

The only way I know is dishing out a couple hundred extra for an office with a physical address. Let's see if any one else has some ideas.

 

[fayaz]

In some niches you can't rank in the map pack if you don't have a physical address in that city.

 

[MarvinMartian]

OP, what niche are you doing this in? Usually these types of suspensions happen quickly for the more spammy niches.

Home repair niche. So it would make sense since this has became a very spammy niche in the last 2 years within my area. I even saw a recent competitor had a virtual office set up and someone on the newer question and answer feature on google my business asked the business " I went to your location and I couldn't find where your business was, is it there?". So I have a feeling google caught onto mine and ended it right after I verified and I also think competitors are reporting other competitors for using virtual offices. Interesting times.

 

[spider pro]

Hello everyone,

Had a client that wanted me to build him a separate website to hit other areas geographically to get more exposure for his service in areas he was lagging in since competition is fairly high. So I built him a custom website with a different address in a different city(using a virtual office address), different phone number, privacy protection on the domain name and rebranded a wordpress theme with no mention of his other website. Set up google analytics and webmaster tools on a separate email address to not raise suspicion.

I did all of this and then I went to verify his business on google my business. They sent the verification letter and it came in the mail and I verified the property and within 2 days they suspended it. Now reading through the guidelines it says you have to use a physical location that you use as a type of storefront, yet his competitors use virtual offices. I tried to appeal the claim and it sent me an email saying I still can't have the website shown on google maps.

Is there a way to get this pushed through somehow since I know his competitors are using virtual offices? Do I have to just deal with the suspension? If I deal with the suspension and we can't get GMB set up does it make it more difficult to rank in the local SERP without GMB?

Just curious because in the past it didn't seem this difficult to get a GMB page verified.

I have gone through this and on appeal they reinstated. Make sure you are not using the company names which looks like a generic keyword and not a company name.

 

[MarvinMartian]

I have gone through this and on appeal they reinstated. Make sure you are not using the company names which looks like a generic keyword and not a company name.

Thanks I appreciate that. I will be using that. We are going to go with a physical address of one of his employees and just put down that we go to customers so they don't have the address showing. The issue is with the virtual office since it seems as if Google has been cracking down on those more recently and they know which locations are being used for that so it looks bad.

Adapting and moving forward!