You set up your Google Business Profile, added your information, and waited. But when you search for your business on Google, it is nowhere to be found. Sound familiar?
This is one of the most frustrating problems small business owners face, and it is more common than you might think. The good news is that there is almost always a fixable reason behind it. Let us walk through the seven most common causes and how to resolve each one.
1. Your Profile Has Not Been Verified
This is the number one reason businesses do not show up on Google. If you created your Google Business Profile but never completed the verification process, Google will not display your listing in search results or on Google Maps.
How to fix it: Log in to your Google Business Profile at business.google.com. If your profile is unverified, you will see a "Verify now" or "Get verified" prompt. Google typically verifies businesses via postcard, phone call, email, or video verification. The postcard method is most common and takes about 5 to 7 business days. Do not make any changes to your profile while waiting for the postcard, as this can delay the process.
2. Your Profile Was Suspended
Google suspends business profiles that violate their guidelines. Common violations include using a fake address, stuffing keywords into your business name, creating multiple profiles for the same business, or using a virtual office address without a physical presence.
How to fix it: Check your Google Business Profile dashboard for any suspension notices. If your profile has been suspended, you will need to review Google's guidelines, correct any violations, and submit a reinstatement request through the Google Business Profile Help community or support form. This process can take several weeks, so it is important to follow the guidelines carefully from the start.
3. Your Business Information Is Incomplete
Google prioritizes complete, detailed business profiles in local search results. If your profile is missing key information like business hours, a phone number, a website URL, or a business description, Google may rank you lower or not show you at all for competitive searches.
How to fix it: Go through every section of your Google Business Profile and fill in everything. Add your business hours (including special hours for holidays), phone number, website, business description (up to 750 characters), services, products, and attributes. Upload at least 10 high-quality photos including your storefront, interior, team, and work examples. The more complete your profile is, the better your chances of showing up.
4. You Chose the Wrong Business Category
Your primary business category is the single most important factor in determining which searches your profile shows up for. If you picked the wrong category, you could be invisible for the exact searches your customers are making.
How to fix it: Research what categories your top-ranking competitors are using. You can check this with free tools or by looking at competitor profiles. Choose a primary category that most accurately describes your core business. Then add relevant secondary categories for additional services. For example, if you are a plumber, your primary category should be "Plumber," not "Home Improvement" or "Contractor."
5. You Have Duplicate Listings
If there are multiple Google Business Profiles for the same business at the same address, Google may suppress all of them or get confused about which one to show. Duplicate listings often happen when a previous owner created a profile, an employee created one without knowing one already existed, or Google automatically generated a listing.
How to fix it: Search for your business on Google Maps and look for any duplicate listings. If you find one, you can request to claim it (if it is unclaimed) and then merge or remove it. You can also report duplicate listings to Google through the "Suggest an edit" feature on Google Maps. Once duplicates are removed, your main listing should start performing better.
6. Your Website Has SEO Problems
Your Google Business Profile and your website work together. If your website has significant SEO issues, it can drag down your Google Business Profile rankings as well. Common problems include a site that is not mobile-friendly, very slow load times, no SSL certificate (HTTPS), thin or duplicate content, and missing title tags or meta descriptions.
How to fix it: Run your website through Google's PageSpeed Insights and Mobile-Friendly Test tools. Fix any issues they identify. Make sure your website includes your business name, address, and phone number (matching your GBP exactly), has unique and helpful content on every page, and loads quickly on mobile devices. If your website needs a major overhaul, consider investing in professional website design built for both users and search engines.
7. You Are in a Highly Competitive Market
Sometimes the issue is not a specific problem with your profile but simply that you are in a very competitive local market. If there are dozens of established businesses in your area with more reviews, older profiles, and stronger websites, it takes time and effort to break through.
How to fix it: Focus on the things you can control. Get more Google reviews consistently. Post to your Google Business Profile weekly. Create helpful content on your website targeting local keywords. Build local citations and backlinks. Invest in professional SEO to accelerate your progress. It will not happen overnight, but steady effort will move you up the rankings over time.
How Long Does It Take to Show Up?
After making fixes, most changes take effect within a few days to a few weeks. New profiles or recently verified profiles may take up to two weeks to start appearing consistently. Significant ranking improvements from SEO work typically take 3 to 6 months of consistent effort.
Be patient, but also be proactive. Do not just fix one thing and wait. Work through all seven areas above and continue optimizing your profile and website regularly. The businesses that show up consistently on Google are the ones that put in consistent work.
Still Not Showing Up? We Can Help.
If you have tried everything and your Google Business Profile still is not appearing in search results, let the team at Get Clicks Marketing take a look. We specialize in Google Business Profile management and local SEO for small businesses.
Get Your Free Profile Audit →