Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey everybody,
welcome back.
Today we're going to be talkingabout something that could
really make or break yourbusiness.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
That's right.
We're diving into Googlebusiness profile suspensions.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Suspensions?
Yeah, and you know you might bethinking well, I follow all the
rules, so why would Google eversuspend my profile?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
And that's a really
good question and, to be honest,
it's a question we get all thetime.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Yeah, I bet.
So what's the deal then?
Why would google suspend abusiness that's not actually
doing anything wrong?
Speaker 2 (00:29):
well, the thing is,
google's really really focused
on making sure that their searchresults are trustworthy right,
they want users to feelconfident that the businesses
they're finding are legitabsolutely makes sense so
they're not just looking at thebusiness itself, but they're
also scrutinizing the accountsthat are associated with its
online presence.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Ah, okay.
So it's kind of like guilt byassociation then.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Exactly, you got it.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
So if, like the
person managing my Google
business profile, has like ashady past, google might think,
hey, this business might beshady too.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Yeah, precisely.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
It's all about
protecting the integrity of
those search results.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Gotcha.
So what kind of history are wetalking about here?
What would make Google raise aneyebrow at an account?
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Well, think about
things like you know mass email
spam or fake reviews, or maybean account has been used to try
and manipulate search resultswith some you know sneaky
tactics that violate Google'sguidelines.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Those black hat
techniques.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Exactly so that
account gets flagged as
potentially problematic.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
And then boom.
Any Google business profilethat's connected to that account
could get caught in thecrossfire.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Wow, that is scary.
I mean for a lot of businessesout there.
Their Google business profileis their lifeline, right.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Oh, absolutely.
Especially for local businesses, you know those brick and
mortar stores or the homeservice pros the GBP is often
that very first point of contactwith a potential customer.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Yeah, it's how people
find your address, your hours,
your phone number, all that goodstuff.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
And of course, those
all important reviews.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Right.
So getting suspended could meanlosing out on a ton of business
.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Absolutely.
And it's not just about thatimmediate hit.
You know the loss of visibilityand leads.
A suspension can actuallydamage your reputation.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Oh for sure, it's
like a digital scarlet letter.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, it makes it
harder to recover your ranking,
even after you're reinstated youknow you've lost that trust.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Okay, so we've
established that Google business
profile suspensions are badnews, even for legitimate
businesses that get caught up inthis whole guilt by association
thing.
Right, so let's talk aboutsolutions, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
What's the first step
to make sure that my GBP is
safe and sound?
Okay, so the most importantthing you can do is conduct a
thorough audit of your Googlebusiness profile users.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
A user audit.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Okay yeah, head over
to your Google business profile
users A user audit.
Okay yeah, head over to yourGoogle business profile manager.
Got it and take a look at whohas access to your profile.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
So I'm guessing it's
more than just looking at names
here.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Right?
Yeah, You're absolutely right.
It's not enough to just see aname and go okay, I recognize
that person.
You really need to understandthe level of access each user
has.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Google has different
roles with varying permissions.
You know you've got owners,managers, site managers, and
each of those roles comes with adifferent set of capabilities.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
So like owners have
the highest level of control,
I'm assuming.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Exactly.
They can do pretty muchanything.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Oh boy, OK.
So should I be worried ifsomeone other than me, like the
actual business owner, has owneraccess?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Well, it's not
necessarily a red flag but, it's
something to consider carefully.
You know, for example, ifyou've hired a marketing agency
to manage your GBP, they mighthave set themselves up as an
owner.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Oh, that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Which you know it
could create problems if you
ever decide to switch agenciesor bring your GBP management
in-house.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Gotcha.
Yeah, I could see how thatcould be a problem.
So essentially I could getlocked out of my own Google
business profile Exactly Ifsomeone else is holding the keys
.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Precisely so.
Ideally, the business owner orsomeone within the business
should retain ownership of theGBP Right.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
That makes sense.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
That way, you always
have ultimate control.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Gotcha, keep control
of your own destiny.
Exactly All right.
So I'm looking at my list ofusers and I'm checking their
access levels.
What if I see some oldemployees or accounts that I
don't even recognize?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Oh yeah, that's a
good question.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
What should I do?
Speaker 2 (04:16):
If you see any
accounts that look suspicious,
ok or are no longer needed, it'salways best to err on the side
of caution Right caution andremove them.
This includes old employees inactive accounts or accounts that
might be associated with pastmarketing agencies.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Okay, so just to be
clear, we're talking about
removing their access to theGoogle business profile.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Right.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Not like deleting
their entire Google account.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Exactly.
You're just revoking theirprivileges to manage or make
changes to your GBP.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Gotcha Okay.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
And it's a pretty
straightforward process.
You can do it right throughyour Google Business Profile
Manager.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Okay, awesome.
So I've cleaned up my user list.
I've made sure the right peoplehave the right level of access.
Great, what's next on the GBPsecurity checklist?
Speaker 2 (05:02):
All right.
So the next layer of securityis making sure that the Google
accounts themselves are secure.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
So think about it
Even if you have the right
people listed, if theirindividual Google accounts are
vulnerable, it puts your entireGBP at risk.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Oh wow, I see it puts
your entire GPP at risk.
Oh, wow, I see.
So if one of my managers, let'ssay, uses a weak password or
doesn't have two-factorauthentication set up, that
could potentially jeopardize myentire Google business profile.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yeah, unfortunately,
that's true.
A compromised Google account islike a backdoor to all sorts of
sensitive information,including your business profile.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Oh, man, okay.
So what are some best practicesthat our listeners should be
following to really lock downtheir Google accounts?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Well, the basics are
essential Strong, unique
passwords for every singleaccount, ok, and enabling
two-factor authentication.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Two-factor OK.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yeah, this adds an
extra layer of security by
requiring a code from your phoneor email in addition to your
password, so it's like doublelocking the door.
Exactly, and it's also goodpractice to regularly review the
devices and apps that areconnected to your Google account
.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Right.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
If you see anything
you don't recognize, revoke
access immediately.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Makes sense.
Okay, so we've secured our GBPfrom the user level.
We've locked down those Googleaccounts.
What else can we do to makesure we're staying on Google's
good side and avoiding thosedreaded suspensions?
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Well, it's not just
about avoiding suspensions, you
know.
It's about building a strong,positive presence on Google, and
that means keeping your GBPactive and engaging.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Okay, what does that
look like in practice?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Well, think of your
GBP as your digital storefront.
Okay, you want to keep it fresh, inviting and informative, so
regularly update your businessinformation, add new photos and
videos that showcase yourproducts or services, and make
use of Google Posts to shareupdates and promotions.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
So it's about showing
Google and potential customers
that we're an active and engagedbusiness.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Exactly the more you
interact with your GBP, the more
Google sees you as a valuableresource for users Right, and
the more valuable you are, thehigher you're likely to rank in
those search results.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Makes sense.
Okay, now what about reviews?
Those seem like a pretty bigdeal for local businesses.
Oh, they're huge, especially incompetitive markets.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Absolutely.
Reviews are social proof.
They tell potential customersthat your business is legitimate
, trustworthy, right andprovides a great experience.
Word of mouth Exactly so.
Encourage your happy customersto leave reviews on your GBP and
don't be shy about respondingto those reviews, both positive
and negative.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Oh, that's a good
point.
Responding shows that you'repaying attention, you care.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
It's all about
building trust and credibility,
both with Google and withpotential customers.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Love it.
Okay, so this is all greatadvice, but I know some of our
listeners might be thinking Ibarely have time to run my
business, let alone become aGoogle expert.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Right, I hear that.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Is there a way to
simplify this whole process?
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Well, that's where
tools and services like
RankGenius from local bizdomination come in.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Ooh, rankgenius.
Yeah, all right, let's talkmore about that.
How can RankGenius help ourlisteners take control of their
GBP and really maximize theironline visibility?
Speaker 2 (08:10):
I'm glad you asked
because RankGenius is like
having your own dedicated GBPexpert Working behind the scenes
24-7 to keep your profile safe,optimized and ranking high.
So it's like a set of toolsdesigned to simplify this whole
Google business profilemanagement thing Exactly it
takes care of all the heavylifting so you can focus on
running your business.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I like the sound of
that.
So what kind of tools are wetalking about here?
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Well, for starters,
it constantly monitors your GBP
user access.
You know like we were talkingabout earlier Right, It'll flag
any suspicious accounts oractivities so you can take
action right away.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Okay, that's good.
So no more constantly checkingfor rogue users.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Nope Rank Genius has
got you covered, and it also
makes sure your businessinformation is always up to date
.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Oh, that's helpful.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
You know like your
hours, your address, your phone
number Right.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
All that important
stuff Exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
It automatically
pushes any changes you make
across all platforms.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
So I don't have to
manually update every single
listing.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Nope, no more tedious
manual updates.
Rankgenius takes care of it all.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Awesome, that's a
huge time saver.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Right, and it also
helps you stay active and
engaging by automating posts andupdates.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Oh, wow.
So it's like having a virtualassistant for my Google business
profile.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Pretty much.
It keeps your profile fresh andinteresting for potential
customers.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Okay, and what about
those ever-changing Google
algorithms?
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Yeah, those can be a
real headache.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
I know.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
But don't worry,
rankgenius keeps an eye on all
the latest updates and makessure your profile is always
compliant.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
So I don't have to
become a Google expert myself.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Exactly, leave the
technical stuff to Rank Genius.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
This sounds amazing.
Yeah, I mean, it could reallyfree up a lot of time for our
listeners?
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Absolutely.
It lets you focus on what youdo best.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Right, running my
business, serving my customers.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Exactly, and all of
that leads to better rankings
and more visibility for yourbusiness.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
More customers
ultimately.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Exactly.
Rank Genius helps you harnessthe full power of your Google
business profile to attract newcustomers and grow your business
.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
This is fantastic.
Okay, so we've talked about theimportance of user audits,
Google account security, activeengagement and, of course,
leveraging tools like RankGenius to make this whole
process way easier.
Any final words of wisdom forour listeners who are ready to
dominate their local market.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I'd say the key
takeaway here is that your
Google business profile it'smore than just a listing.
It's your digital storefront,it's your online reputation and
it's a direct line to potentialcustomers.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
It's your face to the
world.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Exactly so.
Treat it with care, keep itsecure and updated, and don't be
afraid to ask for help fromexperts.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Great advice and
remember we're here to support
you every step of the way,whether you choose to manage
your GBP manually or opt for thepower of Rank Genius.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Right.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
We're dedicated to
helping local businesses like
yours succeed online.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
So go out there, take
control of your GBP yes and get
ready to welcome a flood of newcustomers.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
That's what we like
to hear.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Thanks for tuning in
everyone.
We'll see you next time.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Rank Genius is super
user-friendly, even if you're
not a tech whiz.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Okay, good, because
some of our listeners are.
You know, they're amazing atwhat they do, right, but maybe
technology isn't their strongsuit.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Totally
understandable.
So for those folks, how canRank Genius make managing their
GBP less of a headache?
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Yeah, what's the
secret sauce?
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Well, it takes less
of a headache.
Yeah, what's the secret sauce?
Well, it takes care of a lot ofthe tasks that can be time
consuming and confusing, likewhat, for example, remember how
we talked about the importanceof user audits?
Well, rank Genius constantlymonitors your GBP user access.
It'll flag any suspiciousaccounts or activities so you
can take action right away.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
So it's like having a
security guard for my Google
business profile.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Exactly, and it also
makes sure your business
information is always accurateand up to date.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Okay, so no more
worrying about outdated hours or
incorrect phone numbers.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Exactly, rankgenius
pushes any changes you make
across all platforms.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
So I don't have to
log into a million different
websites and update everythingmanually.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Nope, rankgenius does
it all for you automatically.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
That's amazing.
Yeah, what about staying activeand engaging on my GBP?
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Oh yeah, that's
crucial, and RankGenius can help
with that too.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
How so.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
It can automate posts
and updates.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
So it's like having a
social media manager
specifically for my Googlebusiness profile.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
You got it.
It keeps your profile fresh andinteresting for potential
customers.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
That's great, because
I know consistency is key with
social media.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Absolutely.
You want to stay top of mind.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Okay, Now I have to
ask about the Google algorithms.
You know they're constantlychanging.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
Oh, yeah, tell me
about it.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
It can be hard to
keep up.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Well, that's another
area where Rain Genius really
shines.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Okay, how so?
Speaker 2 (12:41):
It constantly
monitors those algorithm updates
and makes sure your profile isalways compliant.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
So it's like having a
Google Insider on my team.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Pretty much.
It takes the guesswork out ofoptimization.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
That's a huge relief.
Honestly, this all sounds toogood to be true.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
I know it sounds
amazing, but it's the real deal.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
All right.
So to recap, rankgenius handlesuser audits, keeps my
information up to date,automates my posts and keeps me
in line with Google's algorithms.
You got it.
That's a lot of weight off myshoulders.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Exactly it lets you
focus on what you do best
running your business.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
I love it.
Okay, so we've covered a ton ofinformation today.
We talked about the risks ofGoogle business profile
suspensions, right, we talkedabout the importance of user
audits, google account securityand active engagement, and we
even dove into the incrediblebenefits of using a tool like
RankGenius to simplify andstreamline the whole process.
(13:34):
Yeah, it's a game changer.
It really is.
So, as we wrap things up, anyfinal words of wisdom for our
listeners who are ready to taketheir local business to the next
level Absolutely Remember.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
your Google business
profile is your digital
storefront.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
It's often the first
impression potential customers
have of your business.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
So make it a good one
.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Exactly Keep it
updated, keep it engaging and
keep it secure.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Couldn't have said it
better myself, and if you need
help along the way, don'thesitate to reach out to the
experts here at Local BizDomination.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
We're always happy to
help.