(800) 689-1273
Facebook Twitter Youtube Linkedin
Prospect Genius logo

Prospect Genius

Menu
Log In
You are here: Home / Archives for GBP

Google’s Secret, Unpublished, But Very Real Business Hours Rule

Last Updated: September 3, 2025

You’ve probably spent way more time than you’d like to admit fiddling with your Google Business Profile. From double-checking your categories to making sure your service area is up to date, most folks assume that if you just follow the rules, your listing will stay safe and visible. But what if the rules aren’t actually published?

That’s exactly what we discovered with one of our clients in the taxi industry.

The Mystery of the Repeated Suspensions

Over a six-month span, this taxi company kept having its Google Business listing suspended, again and again. Each time, we combed through the profile, double-checked the policies, and made sure nothing looked off. No keyword stuffing, no fake reviews, no duplicate locations. Just a clean, rule-following listing.

So why the suspensions?

After a long back-and-forth with Google support, we finally got a surprising (and honestly, kind of ridiculous) answer: taxi companies aren’t allowed to list business hours on their Google profile.

Wait… what?

The Official Word from Google (Sort Of)

In a message from a Google support rep, we were told:

“Please mark the business hours as open with no main hours on the profile as the taxi services are not allowed to have business hours.”

Email from Google stating that taxi companies are not allowed to list business hours

Let that sink in for a second.

This isn’t mentioned anywhere in the public-facing Google Business Profile guidelines. No footnotes, no asterisks, no helpful tooltip saying “Hey, taxi folks — leave your hours blank.” Nothing. Just a secret, unpublished rule that you’d never know about until your listing gets nuked for violating it.

Why This Matters for Every Local Business

Now, you might be thinking, “Okay, but I’m a plumber — not a cab company.” Fair. But this story isn’t just about taxi businesses. It’s a reminder that:

  • Not all Google rules are public
  • Even if you follow the published rules, you can still get penalized
  • Sometimes the only way to get real answers is to push through layers of generic support until you reach a human who knows what’s actually going on

What You Can Do

If you’re in a niche or highly regulated industry (like taxis, cannabis, locksmiths, or even mobile repair), it’s worth doing a little extra homework, or working with someone who’s been through the wringer with Google before. Here are a few quick tips:

  • Don’t assume the rules are complete. Sometimes, Google makes internal changes that don’t show up in the documentation.
  • Keep records of your interactions with support. If you do get a real answer, you’ll want proof.
  • Join industry-specific forums or groups. Other business owners often uncover these secret rules before Google ever acknowledges them.
  • Work with an expert. If you’re not sure what’s triggering suspensions, a professional can help identify red flags you might not see.

Final Thoughts

Google’s local business ecosystem is powerful, but it’s also a bit of a black box. As this experience shows, even when you’re doing everything “right,” you can still run into invisible walls. The good news? With a little persistence (and the right support) you can figure it out.

And if you’re a taxi company, now you know: don’t list your business hours,  no matter how weird that sounds.

We’ll keep sharing what we learn as we uncover more of Google’s behind-the-scenes quirks. Stay tuned.

 

 

 

Hidden Google Business Profile Rule FAQs


Some taxi company Google Business Profiles can be suspended for listing business hours, due to a hidden rule not published in Google’s official guidelines. Google support informed a client that “taxi services are not allowed to have business hours”—a policy you won’t find publicly.


Yes. Google sometimes enforces internal rules that are not in its public documentation. Businesses may follow published rules perfectly and still face penalties if they violate an unpublished policy.


According to a communication from Google support, taxi companies are specifically instructed to mark their business hours as “open with no main hours” because listing hours is not allowed—yet this restriction is not included in any public guidance.


To uncover unpublished Google Business Profile rules, document all support communications, ask probing questions to support staff, engage in industry-specific forums, and consider speaking with marketing or GBP experts who may have discovered such hidden rules before.


Niche or regulated businesses (like taxi, locksmith, cannabis, mobile repair, etc.) should assume the public guidelines may be incomplete. They should track support records, connect with industry peers, and enlist professionals experienced with Google Business Profile complexities.


Keeping detailed records of support conversations can provide proof of an unexplained rule if a suspension happens. Working with an expert who’s navigated similar issues helps anticipate and avoid unpublished pitfalls before they lead to penalties.

Show Me the Google Business Profile and I’ll Show You the Violation

Last Updated: September 3, 2025

Leer en español

Google feels more Soviet every day. They demand that we “optimize” our profiles, update them often, and keep everything accurate and fresh (in other words, do their work for them.) The problem is that Google’s rules for Business Profiles are so convoluted, ever-changing, and sometimes completely undisclosed that it’s almost impossible not to step on a landmine.

The Moving Goalposts

Remember when they encouraged everyone to set up review kiosks so customers could leave feedback on-site? Business owners invested time and money to follow the advice. But as soon as Google gained ground on Yelp, they flipped the policy. Suddenly, kiosks were forbidden, and anyone using them risked suspension. You changed nothing, yet overnight, you went from doing what they asked to being branded a violator.

These Days: What Triggers Suspensions Now

Fast forward to today, and while review kiosks are no longer the hot-button issue, the story hasn’t changed much. Businesses are still being penalized for well-meaning changes. The most common triggers we see right now are:

  • Adding extra categories that don’t perfectly fit your business, often because a tool or consultant suggested it as a ranking hack.
  • Tinkering with business hours in ways that don’t reflect your true availability, like extending them just to “beat” competitors.
  • Falling into unpublished or hidden rules, where entire industries have restrictions that aren’t even spelled out in Google’s documentation.
  • Adding new locations (for example, trying to add a nearby town) that can trigger Google’s system to suspend or re-verify your entire profile.

Why “Trick-of-the-Day” Advice Is Dangerous

This is where we see the most damage. Tools like Pleper, or sales reps promising quick ranking wins, often push these very tactics. They sound clever in theory (find a low-competition category, set longer hours than competitors) but in practice, they’re landmines.

The truth is, Google doesn’t reward shortcuts. If anything, they punish them. The category that seems like a smart add-on may cause a suspension. The extended hours might flag your profile as misleading. And the unpublished rules? You’ll never see them coming until it’s too late.

A Real-World Example: The Lawyer Who Lost His Reviews

We once worked with a lawyer who frequently handles cases involving juveniles in detention centers. Thinking it would help him show up for relevant searches, he added “juvenile detention center” as one of his business categories. What he didn’t know was that certain categories (like jails, detention centers, and police stations) are not eligible to receive reviews. As soon as he made the change, all of his reviews disappeared overnight.

This wasn’t manipulation. It was an honest attempt at optimization that ended in disaster.

The Bigger Problem

We see situations like this all the time through our GBP Rescue service. Business owners are told to “optimize” their listings, so they do. They’re given advice by tools, salespeople, or even Google itself, and they follow it in good faith. But because the rules are complicated, ever-changing, and sometimes not even published, they end up in trouble anyway.

The worst part is that once you’re caught in a violation, recovery is slow and uncertain. Google gives you limited chances to appeal, and the turnaround time can take weeks. That’s business you may never get back.

Proceed With Caution

This isn’t to say you should never update your GBP or use tools to help. But you do need to be cautious. If a piece of advice sounds like a clever shortcut, or if it feels like a gray area, it probably carries more risk than reward.

At the end of the day, most small businesses just want to play by the rules. The trouble is, Google doesn’t always make those rules clear, and sometimes, they don’t publish them at all. That’s why we recommend keeping your optimizations simple, sticking closely to the guidelines we do know, and getting expert help if you’re unsure. And if you ever find yourself penalized for an honest mistake, our GBP Rescue service is here to help you get back on track.

 

 

 

Google Business Profile Violation FAQs


Your Google Business Profile may have been suspended after updating it due to violating Google’s complex and often unpublished rules. Common changes like modifying categories, altering business hours, or adding locations can trigger automatic suspensions, even if done in good faith.


Common mistakes that lead to Google Business Profile violations include adding extra categories that don’t exactly match your business, adjusting hours to appear more competitive, attempting to list new service areas without proper verification, and unknowingly triggering hidden or unpublished rules.


Yes, adding new categories to your Google Business Profile that do not precisely match your core services can result in suspension. Google may interpret these changes as misleading or manipulative, especially if suggested by third-party tools or consultants.


All your Google reviews may disappear if your business category is changed to one that is ineligible for reviews. For example, adding categories like ‘juvenile detention center’ or ‘police station’ can instantly trigger the removal of all reviews, even if the change was made unintentionally.


Prospect Genius’s GBP Rescue service helps businesses recover from Google Business Profile suspensions and penalties. The service supports owners who were penalized due to unclear rules or bad advice, offering expert help to restore visibility and correct compliance issues.


To safely optimize your Google Business Profile, stick closely to published guidelines, avoid risky ‘trick-of-the-day’ tactics from tools or consultants, and make only accurate, honest changes that reflect your real-world operations. When in doubt, consult professionals like Prospect Genius.

How Long SHOULD Things Take? Setting Realistic Timelines

Last Updated: March 17, 2025

Leer en Español

In today’s digital world, everyone expects instant results. But when it comes to SEO, backlinks, and Local Service Ads (LSAs), things don’t work that way. Many business owners assume that once they launch a website or add a backlink, they’ll see immediate results on Google. In reality, even a Google Ads campaign (arguably the quickest thing to turn on and off) won’t be at peak performance for at least a month or two.

Let’s break it down so you can understand why things take time and what to expect when working on your online presence.

The Search Engine Road Atlas

A great way to think about Google is to compare it to an old-school road atlas. Back in the day, if a new road was built, it wouldn’t appear in printed atlases until the next edition was published, maybe a year later. Google works in a similar way.

When you search for something on Google, you’re NOT searching the live internet. You’re searching Google’s database of known webpages. If Google hasn’t discovered your new site or backlink yet, it won’t show up in the search results.

Here’s how the process works:

  1. Google’s bots (also called crawlers or spiders) find your website. This could take days or weeks, depending on how often your site is updated and linked to.
  2. Google processes and categorizes the data. Your website isn’t immediately visible in search results. It goes through indexing, testing, and ranking processes first.
  3. Google updates its search results. Only after this entire process is complete will your site or backlink start appearing in search results.

If everything happens quickly, you might see your site or backlink appear in a week or two. But if you’re on the slower end of the cycle, it could take two to four weeks or more before anything changes in the search results.

Backlink Delays: Double the Wait

Backlinks (links from other websites to yours) are an important part of SEO. But even after you add a backlink, it doesn’t mean Google will recognize it immediately. There are two reasons for this:

  1. The site hosting your backlink needs to approve and publish it. If you add your business to an online directory, for example, you may have to wait for their team to review and accept your listing.
  2. Google then has to find and process the backlink. Just like with a new website, Google’s bots need to crawl and index that backlink before it has any impact on your rankings.

This means you could be waiting weeks or even months before a new backlink actually helps your SEO.

Local Service Ads (LSAs): No, They Won’t Go Live Today

Some marketing agencies promise they can get your Local Service Ads (LSAs) live in just a few hours. This is completely false.

LSAs require:

  • Business verification: You must submit business licenses and insurance documents.
  • Employee background checks: If your employees enter customers’ homes, they must pass background screenings before your ad is approved.

This process takes days or weeks, not hours. If someone tells you otherwise, they’re either misinformed or lying.

Recent Changes to Google Timelines

If you think SEO and online marketing delays are frustrating now, 2025 has made things even worse.

Google Business Profile (GBP) Appeals Are Taking Longer

  • If your GBP gets suspended and you appeal it, expect delays.
  • Many responses from Google seem AI-generated and unhelpful.
  • Even with aggressive follow-ups, some appeals are taking months to resolve.

Google Business Profile Reviews Are Also Delayed

  • If your reviews disappear from your GBP, getting them back is now a long, uphill battle.
  • We’ve seen cases where it took months of back-and-forth with Google just to restore lost reviews.
  • If your GBP is suspended, your reviews may be stuck in limbo for an extended period.

Bottom Line: Be Patient and Plan Ahead

SEO, backlinks, LSAs, and Google Business Profiles all take time. If you expect instant results, you’ll only end up frustrated. The best approach is to:

  • Plan for delays. Expect at least a few weeks for most online changes to take effect.
  • Work with knowledgeable experts. They can help navigate these roadblocks efficiently.
  • Don’t believe “instant” SEO promises. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

While it’s frustrating to wait, understanding these timeline myths can help you set realistic expectations and avoid unnecessary stress.

Why Were My Google Reviews Removed?!

Last Updated: February 11, 2025

Leer en Español

If you’ve recently noticed that your Google Business Profile (GBP) reviews are disappearing, you’re not alone. The internet has been ablaze for the last week or so as business owners are trying to figure out why they’ve been seeing their hard-earned reviews disappearing from their GBPs. Some have seen their review count drop by dozens, while others have fluctuated wildly, gaining and losing reviews seemingly at random.

So, what’s going on?

A Known Bug (But No Immediate Fix)

Google has acknowledged that this is a known issue with the review counts and claims to be working on a fix. In many cases, the reviews themselves haven’t actually been deleted, it’s just the displayed number that’s inaccurate. On Reddit and other forums, business owners are reporting major drops in their review count overnight.

We’ve seen this firsthand with our own clients:

  • Appliance repair company – started with 1,001 reviews, dropped to 970, then dropped to 926
  • Plumber – started with 200 reviews, dropped to 195
  • Piano instruction business – started with 45 reviews, dropped to 40

Some businesses have seen their review count bounce back temporarily, only to lose them again. One of our plumber clients saw their count drop from 198 to 18, only to return to 198 later.

Another Factor: Inactive Google Accounts Getting Deleted

As we’ve mentioned before, Google announced that it will be deleting accounts that remain inactive for two years. In its support article on the topic, Google states that “all of its content and data can be deleted.” Most experts interpret this to mean that any reviews left by those accounts will also be removed.

However, a smaller group speculates that Google may simply disassociate the reviews from the original account and display them under a generic “Google User” label instead.

If the majority opinion proves correct, this will only add to the chaos because not only will review counts be inaccurate, but actual reviews may also start disappearing permanently.

What Can You Do?

Unfortunately, there’s no magic fix for this situation. But the best thing you can do is keep getting more reviews.

We know, it’s frustrating to hear the same advice over and over, but the only way to combat disappearing reviews is to keep earning new ones. If you’re not actively requesting reviews, now’s the time to make it part of your daily routine. For ideas on how to do this, check out this article from a while back where we put together a guide on getting more reviews: Reviews: Why You Must Get Them (And Tips for Getting More)

If you’re not using our ReviewStream service, you might consider it. It’s an easy, hands-off way to get reviews every month. You just feed it your list of client emails and it will ask them to leave a review each month.

Final Thoughts

Losing reviews is frustrating, but this isn’t the first time Google has had a glitch like this, and it probably won’t be the last. The best way to protect your online reputation is to keep your review count growing so that even if you lose a few, you’re still ahead.

 

ScamWatch: Scammers Threatening to De-List GBP Unless They Get a Ransom

Last Updated: January 15, 2025

Leer en Español 

Remember the old “I will sell you one of the top 3 positions in Google” con? It lingered, for years, in one form or another but now it’s evil cousin is back. The new version of this old scam is now about removal of your listing, rather than placing it at the top. What’s terrible about this is that it leverages the much more powerful fear-of-loss frame work rather than the weaker want-of-gain. And that’s why people are falling for it.

One of our clients, a tax resolution specialist, recently became the target of this scam. They were threatening him with removal of his Google Business Profile (GBP) from Google Maps unless he paid them.

How the Scam Works

Here’s how these scammers operate:

  1. They contact business owners, often through phone calls or emails, with urgent and threatening messages.
  2. They claim they have control over your Google Business Profile and that they’ll delete it or make it invisible unless you pay them a fee.
  3. Some even offer “services” to boost your GBP ranking for a price—an offer that sounds enticing, but is pure fiction.

The goal? To scare you into forking over your hard-earned cash.

Why This Has An Air Of Truth

Most people know that it’s Google who controls the presence (or lack thereof) of the GBPs in both Google Maps and their search results. Many people also realize that it’s possible to community-edit content on there. In fact, there’s still quite a bit of bad behavior related to this, especially between competitors. The ability to affect a change to someone else’s listing is exactly why this scam sounds like it could be believable.

How to Protect Yourself

Stay ahead of the scammers by following these tips:

  1. Verify Claims: If someone contacts you about your Google Business Profile, do not take their word for it. Log into your GBP account to check its status.
  2. Trust Only Known Companies: You should either reach out to Google directly, or to your trusted marketing partner (if you have one). Don’t even trust someone claiming to be Google if THEY initiated the call to you. That is another common scam tactic.
  3. Stay Calm: Scammers thrive on urgency. Take a breath and evaluate the situation before responding to any threats or demands.

The Bottom Line

Scammers are always finding new ways to exploit small business owners, but with a little knowledge and vigilance, you can stay one step ahead. Remember: if it sounds too good to be true, or if someone is pressuring you with threats, it’s likely a scam. When it comes to your Google Business Profile, trust only Google—no one else has the keys to that kingdom.

Stay safe, stay informed, and as always, keep an eye on ScamWatch for updates!

Sign up for our newsletter!

Join our mailing list and receive regular updates on how to effectively market your small business, along with exclusive service promotions.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.