There’s a widely held misconception in the local SEO world that unverified or “soft” suspended Google Business Profiles don’t rank well, especially in highly competitive markets. While this may hold in certain exceptional cases, I’ve discovered firsthand that unverified or soft-suspended profiles can continue to rank and perform exceptionally well.

 

“Soft” Suspension

A soft suspension is a situation where a Google Business Profile (GBP) is suspended, but the profile remains live and visible to users. However, the business owner or manager loses all ability to make updates, including changing business information, posting products, adding images, and managing reviews. Essentially, the profile appears in its most basic form—similar to an unverified listing.

While the business loses the ability to optimise its profile visually, it continues to appear in search results and local packs, competing with other profiles in the area.

 

Surviving in a Cutthroat Industry

The business in question operates in a highly competitive industry notorious for aggressive Negative SEO tactics. In this industry, it’s common for competitors to attempt to remove other businesses from search results through malicious attacks on both websites and Google Business Profiles.

Between November 2021 and November 2023, this business’s GBP was suspended and reinstated month after month, without fail. This continuous suspension was due to repeated malicious attempts to trigger Google’s fraud prevention algorithms, causing the profile to be flagged.

 

Why “Soft” Suspension Became Our Solution

After realising that the Google Business Profiles Fraudulent Activity team couldn’t get to the root of the issue, we decided to leave the profile in a suspended but live state—essentially, a soft suspension. The logic behind this decision was simple: the algorithm couldn’t suspend an already suspended profile.

Malicious competitors attempted to exploit Google’s system by using “Suggest Edits” in Maps and submitting Redressal Forms, claiming the business didn’t exist. This Negative SEO attack works by overwhelming the system with false reports. However, by keeping the profile in a soft suspension, the algorithm’s attempts to suspend it were futile because it had already been flagged. No further action was required by the system, thus protecting the profile from further malicious activity.

 

How Negative SEO Targets Business Profiles

For those unfamiliar with Negative SEO, competitors often carry out these attacks using specialised firms that focus on harming a business’s online presence. This can include spammy backlinks for websites or fake reports about a GBP’s existence. One or two reports won’t necessarily cause a suspension, but large-scale, coordinated attacks can trigger action by Google’s algorithms.

 

The Trade-Off

The downside of a soft suspension is that you lose the ability to optimise your profile further. You can’t update business hours, add new products, or enhance your profile with images or posts. It’s frozen in its most basic form.

However, despite this limitation, the business profile has ranked consistently well. Thanks to its soft-suspended status, it has maintained its visibility without any further malicious suspensions since December 2023.

 

Unverified and Suspended Can Rank Well

Back to the actual title and reason for the article, unverified and suspended profiles can rank well in a competitive landscape.
 

 

• Google Search Console Data (16 Months)

 

 
This shows that even with limited control over the profile, it continued to generate significant traffic and maintain a strong position in search results.

• Google Analytics Comparison (12 Months)

 

 

Sep 5, 2023 – Sep 5, 2024:
132,204 Sessions, 113,910 Engaged Sessions, 86.16% Engagement Rate, 1m 54s Avg. Time, 11.76 Events per session
Sep 6, 2022 – Sep 7, 2023:
51,195 Sessions, 43,734 Engaged Sessions, 85.43% Engagement Rate, 1m 53s Avg. Time, 11.68 Events per session

Despite being soft suspended, the profile saw a 158% increase in sessions and maintained a high engagement rate, proving that even a suspended profile can drive meaningful business activity.

 

Recap

 

• Ranking is Possible

Contrary to popular belief, unverified or soft-suspended profiles can still rank well in local search results, primarily if a solid local SEO strategy supports them. The suspension doesn’t inherently cause the profile to disappear or fall in rankings.

• Negative SEO is Real

Malicious attacks on GBPs are a real threat in highly competitive industries. Businesses must be aware of this and take appropriate action if they suspect foul play.

• Soft Suspension as a Defence

If you find yourself in a situation where constant reinstatement and suspension happen due to external malicious activity, a soft suspension can be a strategic defence. The profile will remain live, and the suspension protects it from further attacks.

• Local SEO Still Matters

Even though we couldn’t optimise the look of the GBP, a solid local SEO strategy kept the profile visible and ranking. Keywords, citations, and other off-page SEO factors continued to work in our favour.

 

Suspended Profiles Can Still Succeed

Although the profile is frozen in its current state, its continued performance in rankings proves that unverified and soft-suspended GBPs can still thrive in local search. With a strong SEO strategy and a little creativity, overcoming challenges posed by suspension and malicious attacks is possible.

In the long run, this case highlights the importance of maintaining a well-rounded approach to local SEO, even when faced with adversities like soft suspensions or unverified profiles.

 

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• Optimise Your Google Business Profile