Why Is My Business Not Showing Up on Google?

I’ve created my Google Business Profile listing. I have my professional website up and running. Everything seems fine on my end – so why isn’t my business showing up on Google?

We get that question often. If your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing isn’t showing up on Google Maps, Search, or anywhere else related to Google, there’s likely an underlying issue you need to address. Fortunately, we know where you probably need to look. 

In this blog, we’re going to share the first several steps to take if your business isn’t showing up on Google. 

But first – let’s look at some potential culprits behind the issue.

Key Reasons Why Your Business Might Not Show Up 

• New Website: If you just launched your site recently, Google may not have crawled and indexed it yet. It can take time for Google bots to discover and index it. 
• Poor Website Structure: If your website has a complex or confusing structure, search engine crawlers might have difficulty navigating and indexing its content. 
• Thin or Duplicate Content: Websites with low-quality or unoriginal content often struggle to rank in Google search results.
• Poor Backlink Profile: Low-quality or spammy backlinks pointing to your website can negatively impact its search engine rankings. Google wants to see trustworthy backlinks.
• High Keyword Competition: If you’re targeting the top-ranking keywords, you may struggle to get on the first page of Google and overpower your competitors. 
• Technical SEO Issues: Behind-the-scenes issues such as slow page speed, mobile usability issues, broken links, or the improper use of canonical tags can hinder your website’s performance in search results. 
• Algorithm Updates: Google frequently updates its search algorithms, which can impact the ranking of websites in search results. You’ll need to stay on top of the latest changes.
• Penalties: In rare cases, Google may penalize your site for violating its guidelines, leading to lower rankings or removal from search results.

These are just a few of the reasons your website might be ranking well (or showing up at all). 

The question is, what can you do to fix these problems?

Let’s talk about it – here are the most important next steps to take.

1. Double-Check Your Google Business Profile Verification

Your first task is to take a look at your Google Business Profile listing. If anything is amiss or any information is missing, that’s likely your biggest issue. Google wants to see your profile fully filled out and updated 

You’ll also need to go through the GBP verification process. It’s a pain and a fairly complicated process, but it’s also an important step in achieving visibility on Google’s platforms.

Image Source: Support Google

As Google states, there are a handful of ways to verify your business. These include: 

• Instant verification. This is the easiest and fastest way to verify. Simply log into your Google Business Profile account and look for the option to instantly verify. 

• Verifying by mail. Google will send a postcard to your business’s physical address, and you will relay the verification code on the postcard to your unverified GBP listing. This is fairly simple, but it could take up to two weeks for the postcard to show up. 

• Verifying by phone. This is the second speediest way to verify, behind “instant.” Just request the call and make the verification on the spot. 
• Bulk certifications. This method is only necessary if you have 10 or more locations associated with your business listing. 

Why is verifying your business with Google important if you want to show up in search results?  

In short, verification is Google’s way of determining your account’s accuracy. They want to know that your physical address and other details are 100 percent correct. Verifying your location encourages Google to actually list your business in relevant local search results.

Google’s New Video Verification Process for GBP Listings

Update:  Google introduced video verification for GBP listings for several reasons. One key reason is to combat fraudulent listings, ensuring that businesses are legitimate. By requiring video verification, Google can enhance the accuracy of business information on its search and maps, providing users with reliable information. This verification process also increases trust and credibility for businesses listed on Google.

Lastly, this method aims to improve user experience by providing more accurate and trustworthy information about businesses, leading to better decision-making for consumers.

Overall, the introduction of video verification reflects Google’s ongoing commitment to quality and accuracy, while adapting to the evolving business landscape.

In this video, Whitespark documented their experience and process with Google’s new GBP video verification process. They provide a step-by-step guide detailing the requirements and demonstrating how they successfully re-verified their own GBP.

Case Study: Unverified GBP Leads Business’ Visibility to a Halt

Challenges:

• Due to Google’s change in the verification method to Video Verification, the client had not attempted to verify the GBP listing for many months.
• Due to an unverified profile of the business, the business rankings were nowhere to be found.

Solution:

• Once the client had completed the verification, the Google Business Profile started appearing in the searches.
• Following the successful completion of the GBP verification, the business experienced a notable increase in visibility, serving as a beacon of hope for digital marketers.

Key Takeaway: Verification is essential for your Google Business Profile to appear prominently in searches.

2. See If You’re Using the Right Google Business Profile Categories

Next, you’ll want to ensure you picked the right Google Business Profile categories in order to play the local search algorithm correctly. If you have accidentally (or purposefully) selected inappropriate/irrelevant categories for your business, Google is less likely to include your business in local search results. 

Not sure which categories to choose for your business? Check out our article on GBP categories for extra guidance.

3. Register Your Business With the Google Search Console

Have you taken a gander at the Google Search Console yet? 

This totally free tool allows businesses to ensure their websites are listed with Google. Sure, Google might stumble across your website organically someday, but if you want to speed the process up and appear in search results sooner, it’s smart to register now.

If you just launched a new website, visit the Google Search Console and select your property type, then “add property.” The Search Console will walk you through the process of adding your domain, then provide you with relevant information such as how many people are clicking on your website, etc. 

4. Look for Inconsistent Business Listing Information

Have you recently altered your company’s name? Switched physical locations? Gotten a new phone number or email address? 

Changes like these can lead to inconsistencies about your business on the web – and Google hates that. Your business might not be showing up on Google because there’s too much incorrect information floating around. The search engine giant doesn’t know what to trust and what to ignore. 

You need to clean up your listings if you want Google to like your business. Here’s a brief overview of how to do just that. 

1. Look up your business in as many directories as possible (Bing, Google, Yelp, etc.) 

2. Correct false or outdated business information as soon as you find it. 

3. Continue to send the correct information to data aggregators (industry-specific communities etc.) 

Just because the information on your Google Business Profile is correct doesn’t mean that you’re presenting a cohesive picture to Google. You need to have consistent, correct information in as many places as possible. Otherwise, Google is going to question your business and include it in fewer local search results.

5. Tap Into the Power of Social Media

If none of the above steps have worked, try increasing your number of business listings via social media profiles. 

When you search for a business, you’ll likely only see one result from their main URL—maybe two. After that, the listings will be from other websites that you don’t necessarily control or that you might not even be associated with. 

The solution? Increase how often your brand shows up on Google with more social media profiles. You want people to find your website, but if they don’t find it, it’s best that they naturally come across your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or other kinds of accounts.

For example, consider the clothing brand Keep Nature Wild. When you search for its name, only the first result is actually from its website or business. The next three are all from its active, professional social media profiles. 

Not only does this make them seem more “legit” to shoppers, but it also encourages Google to think, “Hey, looks like they’ve got everything in order.” As long as your information is consistent on all of your accounts, running social media will likely help your business show up on Google.

6. Ensure Your Business Abides By All Google Guidelines

If you want to show up in as many relevant Google searches as possible, you need to make sure that you’re abiding by all of their guidelines. If you’re not, Google may actively work to remove your business information and listings from its SERPs.

There are many guidelines you’ll need to review and follow, but some of the most important are: 

• Accurately representing your business as it’s represented and recognized in the real world. 
• Including precise, correct addresses and service areas. 
• Choosing GBP categories that actually pertain to your business. 
• Only creating one profile per business. 

Below, Sterling Sky highlights the guidelines on how to represent your business on Google.

Violating GBP guidelines, as well as guidelines that pertain to prohibited content and illegal activities, will automatically make it difficult (maybe impossible) to show up in Google searches. Do your research and know what you’re allowed to do – and what you should certainly not do.

7. Check If Your GBP Is Affected by Possum Update

The Possum update, implemented by Google in 2016, aimed to refine local search results by diversifying listings and combating spam – and as a result, it impacted businesses in several ways. 

Firstly, this update made Google more sensitive to the searcher’s location, potentially affecting businesses located outside the user’s area. Secondly, it implemented stricter filtering for similar listings with identical addresses or phone numbers. 

In other words, if your business was too similar to another, it could have been filtered out from local search results.

To enhance your business’s visibility on Google, ensure your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing is accurate and optimized with the most relevant keywords. Encourage positive reviews on GBP, and perhaps more importantly, maintain wholly consistent business information across online platforms. Staying on top of strategies like these will help you navigate the impact of updates like Possum.

8. Is Your GBP’s Prominence Higher in Comparison to the Competitors?

One of the possible reasons why Google doesn’t show your business is that you don’t have enough prominence. Prominence is a term Google uses to describe how well-known a business is.

When displaying search results, Google prioritizes businesses with high prominence. If your business has many competitors with more prominence than you, you’ll probably be listed below all of them.

To increase prominence on GBP, businesses need to actively engage with the platform by regularly updating their profiles with relevant content such as posts, photos, and offers. This keeps profiles fresh and informative, but it also signals to Google that these businesses are active and engaged with their audiences. 

Case Study: Consider Publishing High-Quality, Relevant Content

Objective: 

• We decided to expand the area where we were tracking their rankings in the local search grid report.

Results:

• Quality content and many 5-star reviews on the Google Business Profile help the business gain prominence over time.
• Since the Google Business Profile is so prominent, the business ranks in the top positions in a very broad area, beating the competitors, who are in closer proximity.

Key Takeaway: Building your GBP’s prominence through content and reviews can lead to wider geographic visibility.

9. Prioritize E-E-A-T

E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness – and nowadays, it’s a crucial concept used by Google to evaluate the quality of content and websites. 

Google’s algorithms prioritize websites that:

• Demonstrate expertise in their field.
• Possess authority in their industry.
• Are deemed trustworthy by users and other reputable sources. 

This framework plays a significant role in determining which businesses get ranked well on Google search results.

So, how do you showcase these things on behalf of your business? Well, for starters, prioritize creating high-quality content. 

Well-written, informative, and accurate content is a surefire way to boost your business’s credibility and increase your chances of ranking well. The more you can address the needs and interests of your target audience, the better. 

Secondly, seek backlinks and citations from authoritative websites. These will signal to Google that your business is recognized and respected within its industry and contribute to your website’s overall authority. 

Customer reviews and testimonials can also contribute to E-E-A-T by providing social proof of your business’s reliability and quality of service. Positive reviews can influence potential customers, but they also signal to Google that the business is trustworthy and deserving of higher search rankings.

Case Study: Highlight Your Expertise and Experience in Your Content

Objective: 

• Create in-depth and authoritative content.

Results: 

• The business demonstrates expertise in its field.
• The business shows that it possesses authority in its industry.
• And with the help of amazing reviews on Google Business Profile, contributing to E-E-A-T, the business achieved a strong presence in the Google search.

Key Takeaway: E-E-A-T is crucial for ranking well. Invest in creating high-quality content and earning positive reviews.pen_spark

10. Home-Based Business? Consider Showing Your Address in GBP

If you have a home-based or service area business, you may be considering adding an address to your GBP – but it’s complicated. You’ll need to evaluate various factors to decide what’s right (and safe) for your situation. 

Displaying an address can enhance transparency and credibility for customers questioning the legitimacy of your business – but it may not always be feasible or desirable, particularly if you’re operating out of a residential space and have privacy concerns.

However, opting to show an address can also help improve your local search visibility, as Google tends to prioritize businesses with a verified address in search results. Additionally, having a physical location can facilitate trust-building with potential customers, providing a sense of permanence and reliability. 

Ultimately, the decision depends on your specific circumstances and preferences. Just know that there are benefits to listing your address in your GBP, if that’s possible and advisable for your business. 

Case Study: Display Your Address to Boost Your GBP’s Rankings

Challenges:

• When we started working on the project, the client’s GBP was showing as home-based, i.e., the business address was not publicly displayed in the Google Business Profile.

Solution:

• When Sterling Sky published a new case study proving that displaying a business address in a Google Business Profile gives businesses a certain edge in terms of rankings over those that do not, we decided to display the address in GBP after getting the client’s authorization.
• As a result, the business’s ranking shot up, and it gained considerable visibility in Google Searches.
• All the money keywords are now ranking in the top position.

Key Takeaway: Even for home-based businesses, displaying your address can be a significant ranking factor.

11. Consider Other External Factors

Staying on top of algorithm fluctuations and updates is a crucial part of navigating Google search ranking challenges – but you also need to continuously assess your competition and the market. 

Where do you stand in comparison to your local competitors? How can you mimic their strategies and improve your own business’s listings? 

Additionally, how can you do things differently so your business can stand out from the crowd? 

If your business isn’t showing up on Google, other similar businesses in your area may simply be playing the game better. In that case, you need to read up on the latest search engine algorithm updates, assess the competition, and make significant changes to your GBP strategy. 

12. Optimize With AI

Lastly, artificial intelligence (AI) has become an indispensable tool for businesses looking to optimize various aspects of their online presence. 

AI can now automate and streamline the process of optimizing listings across multiple platforms, ensuring consistent, accurate information. This can help you manage your listings, update information in real-time, and enhance your overall visibility in local search results.

Moreover, AI plays a crucial role in analyzing data to uncover insights and trends that inform your strategic decision-making. By processing vast amounts of data quickly and accurately, these new algorithms can identify patterns, detect correlations, and generate actionable recommendations for improving your business’s performance. 

We also need to mention AI-powered voice search optimization tools, which can enable businesses to tailor their content to better align with voice search queries – something that’s becoming increasingly prevalent with the rise of smart devices and virtual assistants. 

We’d also be remiss if we didn’t discuss AI-driven predictive analytics, which can empower businesses to anticipate future trends and behaviors based on historical data and patterns. 

By forecasting customer preferences, market trends, and potential business outcomes, these revolutionary analytics enable businesses to make more informed decisions, allocate resources effectively, and stay ahead of the competition. 

All in all, it’s high time you started leveraging artificial intelligence to optimize your business listings, analyze data, optimize for voice search, and generally enhance your online presence. This is the way of the future!

What If None of These Tips Work?

If you’ve thoroughly examined all of the possibilities listed above and done everything you can to show up on Google, it’s time to turn to the professionals.

At Foxxr, we’re experts when it comes to local SEO services, web design, digital marketing, and most importantly, getting found on Google. We know what Google wants from businesses of all kinds, and we’re ready to ensure you’re on the right track to a highly visible online profile.

Call (727) 329-2207 for a free consultation. Our team will listen to your problems and concerns, then suggest a course of action with our help. It’s never too late – or too early – to begin building a strong relationship with Google and other search engines.

First published on: Jan 29, 2021

Updated on: Jun 5, 2024