Ultimate Guide to Fix the Invalid Business Name Error in GMC

Submitting your business information correctly on Google Merchant Center (GMC) is crucial to ensure that your GMC account setup is in accordance with Google’s guidelines. If you make any mistakes, then you are likely to notice some Google Merchant Center errors that can jolt your account’s health and prevent your products from appearing on Google. 

One such error is ‘Invalid Business Name.’ Many merchants encounter it in their accounts and feel lost because they don’t know why it occurred and how to deal with it. If you are also one of those merchants, then don’t worry. Fixing this error is easier than you think. 

In this blog we will discuss what exactly this error is, why you are noticing it in your GMC account, and how you can fix it. We’ll also share best practices to avoid it in the future.

Let’s dive in and get your store back on track today.

Note: The ‘Invalid Business Name’ error can appear alongside red, yellow, or blue color icons within your Merchant Center account. This is because these are the colors used by Google to highlight the different types of GMC errors that exist. However, irrespective of the color of the error icon, and contrary to the popular belief of attending to GMC errors only when they appear with red exclamation marks, we recommend resolving all errors as soon as you notice them. That is because unresolved errors can even lead to permanent account suspensions, and you may never be able to advertise on Google again. Moreover, the color of the errors can change depending on your account’s history, past violations, and many other factors. At the end of the day, Google’s policy team is the final arbiter.

What is the Invalid Business Name Error? 

The ‘Invalid Business Name’ error appears in your GMC account when Google finds that the business display name you have added in the “Business information” section of your account violates their policies. 

These policy violations include, but aren’t limited to: 

1. Using inappropriate content in the business name
2. Adding unnecessary suffixes, such as ‘Inc.,’ ‘GmbH, ’ etc
3. Or even submitting a name that is entirely misleading.  

When your GMC business name has issues and Google doesn’t approve it, then for the time being, Google may start to use your online store URL without the ‘http://www.’ as your business’s display name. 

To better understand the point above, let’s consider an example.

As visible in the screenshot below, our Business name is ‘Example Org. Inc.’, and our online store URL is ‘https://example213test.com’. 

Google has flagged this name most likely because it includes the suffix ‘Inc.’ Now, until we update our business name to resolve the highlighted GMC error, Google will use our store URL without the ‘http://www.’ as the new business name, as highlighted by its systems in the image below.

Impact of the Invalid Business Name Error 

When we talk about the impact of this error on a merchant’s account or products, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. But due to this error: 

1. You may either face no complications at all, and Google might simply start to use your store URL as your new business display name in Shopping ads, free product listings, etc. 
2. Or, depending on the situation, you may even be permanently suspended from advertising across Google. 

Let’s understand this in detail by considering an example. 

If Google finds that your business name in GMC is not acceptable because you are using an emoji in it or some type of special character, then its systems will flag the issue and use your store URL as the business name. 

But let’s say if you use a name like ‘Nike Official’ and pretend to impersonate the brand’s identity, even when your store isn’t actually Nike, then it’s an egregious violation. Most likely, it will result in your GMC account’s suspension due to misrepresentation, and in such cases, the chances of reviving your account are slim.

Thus, the impact of this error depends on the severity of the policy violation. But ultimately, Google’s policy team members are the final arbiters. 

Common Reasons for the Invalid Business Name Error 

Let’s discuss the most common reasons why merchants notice this error. Your business name will be disapproved if: 

1. It is very lengthy. 
2. Includes a legal entity suffix like “Inc.,” “Co.,” or “GmbH.” 
3. It includes additional unrequited phrases like “Online Store,” “Best Deals,” etc.
4. Has promotional text in it. This promotional text can be your phone number, email address, or any type of marketing message. 
5. Includes unnecessary symbols, punctuation, or excessive capitalization. Additionally, even using emoticons, any type of copyright or trademark symbol isn’t allowed. 

For example, if your business name is “John’s Electronics Inc. – BEST PRICES in NY!!! 💥”, it will likely get flagged. 

5. It contains any type of personally identifiable information (PII), such as your full name, phone number, mailing address, etc. 
6. It is an offensive or inappropriate name. 
7. Doesn’t use clear and professional language. 

How to Fix the ‘Invalid Store Name’ in Google Merchant Center?

As we discussed earlier in the blog, if there isn’t any egregious violation from your side, then the ‘Invalid Business Name’ error can be fixed in your GMC account. 

For that, you will have to change your store name, and here’s the step-by-step process that you can follow: 

1. In your Merchant Center account, navigate to “Business info.” 

2. Under “Details,” click on “Edit Business Details.”

3. Update your store name. Ensure that you don’t repeat any of the mistakes that we discussed in the previous section while submitting your new business name. 

4. Save the changes. 

Once you are done changing and saving your new business name, please note that the edits will take some time to reflect. And as per Google, this new business name will go into effect after your product data updates in the system again.

Note: If your GMC account gets suspended due to this error, then the process to reinstate your account will be slightly different and lengthy. You will not only have to update your business name, but also ensure that all your business information is consistent with your website, and that your products and account is in compliance with Google’s product data specifications and Shopping policies.  Once you verify all the data, ensure compliance, and fix the issue(s), you can request a review from Google’s side.  Read more on this Google support page.

How to Prevent the Invalid Business Name Error in GMC? 

To prevent this error: 

1. Ensure that your business name is clear and concise. In fact, as per Google, store names that are longer than 20 characters get truncated in Shopping ads and listings. Thus, when you are choosing a new name, ensure that you are considerate about its length. 
2. Don’t add any type of suffixes to your brand name. 
3. You must closely follow Google’s editorial guidelines, which prohibit the use of excessive capitalization, usage of spacing, numbers, or even repetition of words. You must also avoid using emoticons as well as promotional or any type of gimmicky phrases in your business name. 
4. Avoid using dangerous or derogatory terms, words that advocate harm, or even bully or harass any individual or group of individuals. This is part of Google’s inappropriate content policy.
5. Stay updated with Google’s requirements for adding a business name to your GMC store. These guidelines can be updated as part of Google’s efforts to ensure that customers get high-quality shopping experiences, and thus, you must be aware of all the changes. 

Note: In addition to the points shared above, do ensure that you avoid all the common mistakes (that we discussed earlier in the blog) such as adding promotional text, or personally identifiable information to your business name.

Acceptable vs. Unacceptable Business Names (Examples) 

To enhance your understanding of this topic, let’s also consider some examples to see which types of business names are acceptable and which aren’t. 

Acceptable Business Names

1. GardenBloom: It is short, clear, professional, and doesn’t violate any of Google’s policies. 
2. Alice’s Art & Craft: This business name is also in a clear and simple format, and doesn’t include any objectionable elements. Moreover, the apostrophe and ampersand are part of the name and haven’t been used to spam or mislead users. 
3. Tech Gear Pro: This is also a great example and resonates with all the best practices we have discussed in the blog so far. It doesn’t include any legal suffixes either. 

Unacceptable Business Names 

1. BestDeals – 50% OFF EVERYTHING: This business name has several problems. Excessive capitalization, promotional text, unnecessary punctuation, and so on. Therefore, this will definitely get flagged by Google. 
2. Acme Inc., LLC: Legal suffixes aren’t allowed by Google. It should only be ‘Acme.’
3. BuyCheapGadgets.com Call 800-123-4567: Includes a call-to-action and also PII. Thus, this, too, is problematic. 

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Fixing (or avoiding) the ‘Invalid Business Name’ error is simpler than it seems. All you need to do is: 

1. Ensure that your business names are in accordance with Google’s requirements for business names.

This means that your business names shouldn’t include too many fancy words, excessive spacing, numbers, capitalization, repetition of words, etc. 

2. In case Google flags this issue in your account, then update your title as per Google’s guidelines and wait for your next product data upload. That will ensure that the error is resolved quickly. 
3. But in all cases, ensure that whenever Google warns or informs you about an invalid business name, you take prompt action to resolve it. Otherwise, it can translate into serious issues for your account. 

Over to you! 

FAQs

1. Where can I spot the ‘Invalid Business Name’ error? 

Go to “Products” in your GMC account and click on the “Needs attention” tab. Either you will notice it in the summary cards that appear right at the top, or you will have to click on “View setup and policy issues.” Within that, you will see a list of all GMC errors, and ‘Invalid Business Name’ would be one of them. 

2. What should I do if my store name is still marked as invalid after making changes?

Chances are that you are still violating one or multiple policies from Google. Double-check for compliance. If you still believe that everything is perfect with your business name, contact Google’s support team. 

3. How long does it take for Google to approve a store name change in the Merchant Center? 

According to Google, whenever your product data gets updated next, your store name will be reviewed again. 

So for example, if you use scheduled fetches, and the next feed update is bound to happen in the next week, then most likely the store name will be reviewed at that time. 

4. Does changing the business name affect my ad ranking or product performance?

Yes, if you change your business name, ad rankings, or product performance can be negatively affected. This is because the name change also damages your brand recognition, trust, and search optimization equity. 

5. Can using a different language in my store name cause it to be invalid in Google Merchant Center? 

No, there aren’t any such language requirements.

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