How to Remove Closed GBP from Maps to Avoid Confusion

The Best Of

Mar 17, 2025, 1:37 PM

How make a GBP invisible? ????

A restaurant client is closing 1 of the 3 restaurants in the same city, so the one GBP will soon say permanently closed. They do not want to merge the REVIEWS into one of the nother existing restaurants because the closing restaurant had unique issues that only pertained to that location.

The fear is that someone searching for NAME of restaurant + City will see this closed location first instead of one of the open other two and think they are all 3 closed.

Question: Is there a way to get a closed GBP to totally disappear from maps, never to be seen again?

Forwarded thread from another channel:

akhil s kumar

Mar 17, 2025, 1:48 PM

I think you can permanently close it first and then delete the google account which the gmb was created. This will delete the gmb profile.

Aimee Jurenka

Mar 17, 2025, 4:45 PM

@renee let me know if you try this ????

Renee Roberts

Mar 17, 2025, 4:59 PM

@akhils783 That google gmail account cannot be deleted, it is a person’s email address for the company so that won’t work.

akhil s kumar

Mar 17, 2025, 5:28 PM

Then you can assign the ownership of the GMB page to another new gmail account. Then delete that.

Claudia

Mar 17, 2025, 8:03 PM

It’s actually not a bad idea. If you do this you have to wait 7 days to transfer ownership. Remove the other users also.

Yan Gilbert

Mar 17, 2025, 8:04 PM

hmm, @akhils783 have you tried that tactic before? I'm guessing the listing wont get deleted from public view, all that will happen is that they will lose access.

Claudia

Mar 17, 2025, 8:05 PM

You can also try to change the name so it won’t show up on branded searches. Permanently closed listings don’t show on search unless it’s a branded search it can.

Bhagyesh Patel

Mar 17, 2025, 9:59 PM

Let us know if this works

I Deleted My Google Business 6 Months Ago & This Happened

Darren Shaw

Mar 18, 2025, 1:10 PM

I can’t guarantee this process because I haven’t personally tested it, but:

1. edit the listing and strip it down to the bare minimum removing all info, photos, services, posts, products, etc. try to just leave it with name and address only.

2. Mark the listing as permanently closed.

3. Check the owners/managers on the profile. Everyone needs to remove it from their account. It needs to be orphaned.

4. Go into suggest-an-edit with a high level Google local guide account and mark it as “place doesn’t exist”

Darren Shaw

Mar 18, 2025, 1:10 PM

Have a few local guides do it

Darren Shaw

Mar 18, 2025, 1:11 PM

If the listing has a lot of reviews, it may not work

Darren Shaw

Mar 18, 2025, 1:11 PM

But this is the best approach to maybe get Google to remove a listing

Aimee Jurenka

Mar 18, 2025, 1:15 PM

@renee I'm a local guide, happy to help

Darren Shaw

Mar 18, 2025, 1:16 PM

I am only level 5, but would be happy to submit a takedown edit as well

Renee Roberts

Mar 18, 2025, 1:38 PM

… AND remove it from the main restaurant’s website as a location in the footer I assume would be important.

Darren Shaw

Mar 18, 2025, 2:38 PM

Definitely!

Darren Shaw

Mar 18, 2025, 2:38 PM

Oh, also, try to remove any noteworthy citations:

Facebook

BBB

Key industry sites

Paul Thompson

Mar 18, 2025, 4:18 PM

Definitely on the grayer end of the scale but - strip it down to one owner on a throwaway Google account. Then make edits to get it suspended. Disclaimer - I've seen this done successfully but not personal experience.

Darren Shaw

Mar 18, 2025, 4:24 PM

Ooh, that's a good idea, @paul382

Amy Toman

Mar 21, 2025, 7:23 AM

@renee Late to this party, but you can delete the content and users of the listing, then if it still shows up, suggest an edit that it doesn't exist (and Darren said above). Here's the directions on removing the listing without it showing up as permanently closed:

Remove a Business Profile from your Google Account - Google Business Profile Help

If you no longer want to manage your Business Profile, you can remove its content and managers. After you remove the Business Profile from your Google Account, you can no longer manage the profile on

Claudia

Mar 21, 2025, 8:16 AM

@amy.toman.1 nice to see you here :raised_hands

Amy Toman

Mar 21, 2025, 8:17 AM

Thank you. I've been since the beginning, but I've been quiet. Glad to see your holding down the fort! ????

Claudia

Mar 21, 2025, 10:59 AM

❤️