Why is my business not showing on Google Maps?

First, work out which problem you have

There are two very different situations, and the fixes are different.

1. You do not appear at all, even when you search your exact business name. This is a visibility problem. Something is stopping your profile from showing.
2. You appear for your name, but not when people search for your trade near them. This is a ranking problem. Your profile is live, but Google is choosing other businesses ahead of you.

Search your exact business name on Google and on Google Maps, ideally from a phone that is not logged in to your account. Then search your main service plus "near me" from a few places in your service area. That tells you which situation you are in.

If you do not appear at all

Your profile is not verified

An unverified profile does not show publicly. Sign in to your Google Business Profile and look for any message asking you to verify. Google may verify by video, phone, text, email or postcard, depending on your business. Follow the steps it gives you, and if you are asked for a video, show your signage, your business documents and your work vehicle or equipment as instructed.

Your profile is suspended

If your profile breaks Google's guidelines, or Google thinks it might, it can be suspended. You will normally see a notice when you sign in. Common triggers include keywords added to your business name, an address that is not a real place of business, such as a virtual office or a mailbox, or sudden changes to key details. You can request reinstatement through Google's appeal process. Fix the cause first and have evidence ready, such as your business license and photos of your signage.

You have a duplicate profile

Two profiles for the same business can cause one to be hidden or merged, and splits your reviews. Search for your business name and phone number on Google Maps to see if another listing exists. If it does, you can request that Google removes or merges the duplicate.

Your profile was recently edited

Big changes, such as a new name, address or category, sometimes trigger a review by Google, and the profile can disappear or show old information while that happens. If you made changes recently, give it a few days and check for messages in your account.

If you appear for your name but not your trade

This is the more common situation, and it comes down to how Google ranks local results: relevance, distance and prominence.

Your primary category is wrong or too broad

Your primary category is one of the strongest signals for which searches you appear in. A plumber listed as "Contractor" will struggle to show up for "plumber near me". Choose the most specific category that matches the work you most want, then add secondary categories for your other main services.

Your services and description are thin

If your profile does not mention a service, Google has less reason to show you for it. List every service you offer in your profile's services section, in the words customers use, and write a clear business description of what you do and where.

The searcher is too far away

Distance matters a great deal. Google tends to favor businesses close to the person searching, so most businesses rank strongly near their address and weaker further out. If you are a service area business, set your service areas accurately, and build prominence through reviews from customers in the areas you want to reach. You cannot fully overcome distance, but a stronger profile reaches further.

Your competitors look more established

Prominence covers how well known and trusted your business looks: the number and recency of your reviews, links and mentions from other websites, and how active and complete your profile is. A profile with forty recent reviews will usually beat one with six from two years ago. See our guide on how to get more Google reviews.

Your business details do not match across the web

If your name, address or phone number differs between Google, your website, Yelp, Bing, Facebook and other directories, Google may be less confident about your business. Old addresses and previous phone numbers are especially common after a move. Finding and fixing these is covered in our citation building service.

Google is filtering you out

When several businesses share an address or look very similar, Google sometimes shows only one of them and filters out the others. If you share a building with a competitor in the same category, or have more than one listing at the same address, this can explain sudden disappearances. People in the SEO industry often call this the "possum filter", although that is not Google's term.

A quick checklist

• Search your business name: do you appear at all?
• Sign in to your profile: any verification or suspension notices?
• Check your primary category is the most specific match for your main service
• Make sure every service you offer is listed
• Confirm your hours, phone number and website are correct
• Search for duplicate listings of your business
• Compare your reviews with the top three businesses for your main search
• Check your business details match on your website and the main directories

For a deeper walkthrough of everything your profile should have, see the Google Business Profile optimization checklist, and for what moves you up once you are visible, read how to rank in the Google map pack.

If you would rather have it looked at for you

On a free Maps audit we check every one of these causes for your business, show you where you rank across your service area and which issue is holding you back most. Get your free Maps audit.

Questions owners ask

Why do I show up when I search my business name but not my trade?

That means your profile exists and is visible, but Google does not see it as one of the most relevant or prominent options for searches like your trade near me. Your profile is visible, so this is a ranking problem, and it usually comes down to categories, services, reviews, distance and how established your business looks online.

How long does it take a new profile to appear on Google Maps?

Once verified, a profile usually appears within days, but it can take weeks or months to rank well for competitive searches. New profiles start with no reviews and little history, so they have to build prominence.

Can I have more than one Google Business Profile?

Only if you have genuinely separate locations staffed during business hours. Creating extra profiles at addresses where you do not really operate breaks Google's guidelines and can get all of your listings suspended.