December 2025 continued the downward trend with suspension rates dropping to 47.5%. The holiday slowdown provided some respite, though over 2,500 businesses still faced suspension issues during the critical shopping season.
Note: Weeks 4-5 show reduced overall volume due to holiday closures and reduced business activity.
December marks the third consecutive month of declining suspension rates since October's peak. The 47.5% rate is the lowest since the suspension crisis began, though still higher than pre-crisis levels.
Forum activity dropped significantly during the Christmas week (Dec 22-28), with total threads falling to 825 compared to over 1,400 in early December. This reflects both reduced Google support staffing and businesses focusing on holiday operations.
Despite lower overall rates, the 2,561 suspension threads represent businesses that faced profile issues during the critical holiday shopping season. For retail and service businesses, a December suspension meant lost revenue at the year's busiest time.
Businesses suspended in December reported average revenue losses of 40-60% during peak shopping days. Many couldn't recover visibility in time for the holiday rush.
The consistent downward trend suggests Google may have addressed some of the algorithmic issues that caused October's spike. However, suspension rates remain elevated compared to historical norms. Businesses should remain vigilant and ensure profile compliance heading into 2026.
We expect continued stabilization in Q1 2026, but recommend all businesses conduct a thorough profile audit before January to avoid starting the new year with issues.