If you manage GBP profiles for clients, Google considers you a Third Party (3P). The key rules are:
- Client must retain ownership or co ownership of their Business Profile. Ideally, the client is Owner and you are Manager.
- Get written or digital consent before claiming or managing a client's profile. Verbal consent alone is not sufficient. Explicit approval is required to respond to reviews.
- Be transparent about your fees. Tell clients that Google Business Profile itself is free and that they are paying you for your management or service.
- Add Google's "Working with a third party" disclosure notice in a clearly visible place on your website and tell new or renewing clients about it.
- Inform clients about changes you make to their profiles and do not disable or change features without consent.
- If a client terminates your service, you must allow them to regain exclusive control and remove your access and permissions within 7 business days.
- Do not make misleading guarantees, such as guaranteed number one rankings, guaranteed visibility at all times, or imply that you are Google or Google Support.
- Do not misuse Google Support, submit false or bad faith complaints, spam support channels, or interfere with Google's auditing or monitoring.
- Do not automatically reject Google updates or suggested edits without first confirming the correct information with the client.
- Do not hold profiles hostage, pressure clients, phish, abuse access, or claim profiles without permission.
- Keep client accounts secure and do not share passwords.
Most important for your reinstatement service
Your website and client process should clearly establish written authorization, explain that GBP is free and your fee is for your professional service, keep the business owner as Owner or Co Owner, and include Google's required third party disclosure notice.
Serious or repeated violations can result in Google suspending the Google Account used to manage client profiles, meaning you may lose the ability to manage Business Profiles.
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Whether you are setting up a compliant client process from scratch or dealing with a Google Business Profile that has already been suspended, I help legitimate businesses and agencies resolve these issues every day.
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