Hi everyone,

I’m managing a Google Business Profile (GBP) for one of my clients, and I’m facing a frustrating issue. After working hard to optimize the profile, I got it ranking in the top 3 across the board for two key search terms. However, in the past couple of weeks, the rankings have dropped drastically to 20+ positions, and I’m struggling to understand why.

Details:

• Business Type: Barbershop offering general haircut services.
• Issue: The rankings for the two main terms have fallen significantly despite regular updates and optimization.
• Observation: I recently noticed that two of the secondary categories I had initially added were removed without my action. I suspect this might be linked to the issue.

Actions Taken:

1. Ensured all profile details (name, address, phone, etc.) are consistent.
2. Published regular posts, added fresh photos, and encouraged authentic customer reviews to keep the profile active.
3. Contacted Google support to investigate, but I haven’t received a response yet.

Questions:

1. Could the removal of those secondary categories explain the ranking drop?
2. Are there additional steps or tools I should use to diagnose and recover the rankings?
3. Has anyone dealt with a similar situation, and how did you resolve it?

I have screenshots showing the rankings before when it was in the top 3 and after the drop to 20+ in local dominator for anyone who would like to see them.