Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Red Zone: STOP and Call ZipLocal
- The Business Name
- Service Area vs. Brick-and-Mortar
- Categories
- Phone Numbers & Website Links
- The Green Zone: Go For It!
- Google Posts
- Photos and Videos
- Responding to Reviews
- Q&A
- The Bottom Line
How to Make Updates Without Getting Your Profile Suspended
We love it when our clients get involved with their marketing. Your passion for your business is what makes you successful, and nobody knows your customers better than you do.
However, when it comes to your Google Business Profile (GBP), that enthusiasm can sometimes lead to disaster.
We often see business owners log in to make a “quick tweak”—adding a keyword to their name or changing their address settings—only to wake up the next morning to a suspended listing. A suspension means your business effectively vanishes from Google Maps. It is stressful, tedious to fix, and can cost you leads for weeks while we fight to get it reinstated.
At ZipLocal, we want you to have ownership of your profile, but we also want to protect your revenue. Here is your guide to which updates are safe for you to make, and which ones you should always call us for first.
The Red Zone: STOP and Call ZipLocal
These changes trigger Google’s “suspicious activity” algorithms. Even if the information is technically true, changing these fields can trigger an automatic suspension or a demand for video re-verification.
1. The Business Name
The Trap: You want to rank for “Plumbing,” so you change your business name from “Smith Services” to “Smith Plumbing & Drain Repair.”
The Reality: This is called “keyword stuffing,” and it is a direct violation of Google’s policies. Google requires your digital name to match your legal business name and your permanent signage exactly.
- Why call us? We can help you rank for those keywords using descriptions, posts, and services without risking your entire listing.
2. Service Area vs. Brick-and-Mortar
The Trap: You are a service area business (like a roofer or pest control) working out of your home, but you want a “pin” on the map, so you add your home address. The Reality: This is the #1 cause of suspensions we see.- Brick-and-Mortar: You must have permanent signage and staff at the location during business hours.
- Service Area Business (SAB): You travel to customers. Your address must be hidden.
- Why call us? If you mess this setting up, Google views it as a deceptive practice. We ensure your service radius is set correctly so you show up in searches without exposing your private address.
3. Categories
The Trap: You see a competitor ranking for “HVAC Contractor” while you are listed as “Air Conditioning Repair Service,” so you switch your primary category.
The Reality: Changing your Primary Category is a major signal to Google that your business has fundamentally changed. This often triggers an immediate re-verification process (postcard or video interview).
- Why call us? We can adjust Secondary Categories safely to capture that traffic without resetting your profile’s authority.
3. Categories
The Trap: You see a competitor ranking for “HVAC Contractor” while you are listed as “Air Conditioning Repair Service,” so you switch your primary category.
The Reality: Changing your Primary Category is a major signal to Google that your business has fundamentally changed. This often triggers an immediate re-verification process (postcard or video interview).
- Why call us? We can adjust Secondary Categories safely to capture that traffic without resetting your profile’s authority.
4. Phone Numbers & Website Links
The Trap: You get a new tracking number or a vanity URL and update it on your profile. The Reality: Google relies on NAP Consistency (Name, Address, Phone). If the number on your Google profile doesn’t match the number on your Yelp, Facebook, and BBB listings, Google loses trust in your data and may lower your rankings.- Why call us? We need to update your info across the entire web ecosystem simultaneously, not just on Google.
The Green Zone: Go For It!
These are high-value activities that business owners can and should do. These updates keep your profile fresh and tell Google your business is active.
1. Google Posts
Treat this like a mini-social media feed. Posting “Updates,” “Offers,” or “Events” is 100% safe and highly encouraged.- Example: “We are running a Fall Special on furnace tune-ups! Call today.”
2. Photos and Videos
Google loves fresh visual content. As the owner, you are on the ground.- Safe to upload: Photos of completed jobs, your team smiling, your wrapped trucks, or your office lobby.
- Avoid: Stock photos or images with too much text overlay.
3. Responding to Reviews
We encourage you to reply to reviews! It shows potential customers that there is a real human behind the business.- Pro Tip: Keep it professional. If you get a negative review that makes you angry, maybe draft a response and send it to your Ziplocal account manager for a “sanity check” before posting.
4. Q&A
Customers can ask questions directly on your profile. You can (and should) answer these.- Example: “Do you offer emergency financing?” -> “Yes, we do! Here is how it works…”
The Bottom Line
Think of your Google Business Profile like the electrical wiring in your house.
- You (The Owner): Should definitely change the lightbulbs (Posts, Photos, Reviews). It makes the house look great.
- Ziplocal (The Electrician): Should handle the wiring (Name, Address, Categories). If you touch the wrong wire, the lights go out.
When in doubt, reach out. It is always faster for us to make a safe update than it is for us to fix a suspended account.
