Local SEO
Show up when people nearby search for what you sell, on Google Search and Google Maps.
Explore this service← All answers
Local visibility
Why is my business not showing up on Google Maps?
This is the single most common question we get, and it almost never has a mysterious answer. In most cases it comes down to four or five things, and you can check every one of them yourself in an afternoon.
Here is the list we work through when an owner tells us they cannot find their own business.
You are searching from your own office
Google personalizes results by location and search history. Searching for your own business from your own desk tells you almost nothing about what a customer two towns over sees.
Check from a phone on cellular data, in a different part of your service area, in a private window. That is closer to reality.
The profile is unverified, suspended, or duplicated
An unverified profile can exist and still not rank. A suspended profile disappears entirely, often after an address or category edit that looked routine.
Duplicates are just as common. Two listings for the same business split your reviews and confuse Google about which one is real. Search your business name and your phone number separately and see what comes back.
Your primary category is wrong
Primary category is the strongest single signal for what searches you show up in. A general contractor listed under Construction Company will lose to a competitor listed under Roofing Contractor on every roofing search.
Pick the category that matches the thing people actually search for, then add secondary categories for the rest.
You are outside the map radius for that search
Google draws the map area around the searcher, not around you. If your nearest competitor is closer to the customer and has similar relevance and prominence, you will not be in the three-pack.
You cannot move your building, but you can improve relevance and prominence, which is what pushes your radius outward over time.
- More complete services and descriptions on the profile
- A steady flow of recent reviews rather than a burst two years ago
- Location-relevant pages on your own website
- Consistent name, address, and phone number everywhere you are listed
The profile looks abandoned
No photos since 2021, no posts, unanswered questions, and reviews with no responses all read as a business that may not be operating. Activity is not a magic ranking button, but inactivity is a real drag.
Related service
More answers
Do Google Business Profile posts actually help your rankings?
Business owners keep asking whether posting on Google Business Profile improves local rankings. Here is the honest answer, what posts are actually good for, and how often to publish them.
Read the answerHow to choose a marketing agency for your small business
Picking a marketing agency is hard when everyone promises the same things. Here is a practical checklist for small business owners: what to ask, what to watch for, and the red flags that should send you walking.
Read the answerHow many Google reviews does a small business actually need?
How many Google reviews a small business needs, why recency beats volume, and how to ask for reviews without being pushy.
Read the answerWant a straight answer about your own business?
Tell us what you are working on and we will follow up within one business day. No pressure, no script.