Your business needs Google. Be it on Google Search, Google Shopping, or other associated Google service; your business needs to be online. This can be managed with a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). If you don’t have a business profile, you will ask yourself why your business doesn’t show up on Google Maps.
Most Google tools are free yet powerful in what they do – magnify your presence on search engines, social media, and so on. In fact, 70% of people will be more likely to walk into your business establishment if they find you online. That’s possible with a complete Google Business profile.
Another interesting fact – around 46% of searches on Google consist of local searches. In simpler terms, this means there are many people who want to find you online. This is possible with local SEO.
Creating a Google Business Profile (GBP) is just the beginning. There’s a lot more to it. This guide will explain what you need to keep in mind to enhance your business visibility online.
Why is my business not showing up on Google Maps?
Made a GBP for your local business? If your profile is still not appearing on Google Maps as a proper business listing, it could mean either of these two things:
Your profile isn’t showing up in the top three positions
Businesses want to appear on the first page of Google. Similarly, if your GBP listing is not showing up in the top three results, most users won’t see it. However, remember that Google Business profile shows three profiles by default.
Your profile is not showing up anywhere.
Some profiles don’t show up at all, irrespective of the competition.
If this happens to you, not to worry. These things happen due to ten potential reasons. We will list all of them so that you can fix why your business isn’t showing up on Google Maps at all.
- Does your business name include keywords?
Regarding ranking, your business name can benefit from Google’s algorithms based on the words you choose. Businesses today place a lot of emphasis on having specific keywords in the business name. The competition is also looking to exploit this advantage.
In short, have a keyword-optimized business name in your profile.
Do’s and don’ts for a business name
- Don’t stuff your business name with keywords. Doing so could lead to a suspended Google Business profile.
- Make sure you follow Google’s guidelines and avoid unnecessary keywords.
- Businesses that have their location in the business name also stand to benefit i.e. Virginia Autos
- Business names that mention their services also do well i.e. Bob’s Pizzas
- If you haven’t registered your business on Google yet, think up important keywords to include in your business name.
- Is your business making use of Google Business Profile categories?
Is your business not showing up on Google Maps yet? Make sure you are using enough categories in your Google Business Profile.
By default, you can add up to 10 business categories related to your business. Currently, there are 4000 categories to choose from.
Each category boosts your visibility on Google. If you are a restaurant that offers Lithuanian cuisine, choose ‘Lithuanian Restaurant’ as your primary category.
You can also choose secondary categories. In this case, you could choose Family Restaurant, Restaurant, etc.
But keep in mind that choosing totally unrelated ones can harm your online visibility.
- Is your Google Business Profile complete?
This is pretty straightforward. The more information you provide Google about what your business is about, the better job it will do to connect you with potential customers.
Leaving your Google Business Profile incomplete is not recommended. That’s a major reason your business pages can’t be matched with user search intent.
Some businesses don’t include their physical addresses in GBP due to a multitude of reasons. Even a lack of location can hurt your business, so make sure you fill that part out. Google gives you the option to hide your address from the public.
Make sure you provide as much information as possible to Google to increase your chances of showing up in the top three results on Google Maps. Users who are searching for your products or services will have an easier time discovering you online.
- Is your business location too far away?
Thanks to local SEO, Google serves up results of locations that are nearest to you.
This also means that if a business you are searching for is too far away from your location, it is unlikely to show up.
To help enhance the reach of your business, you should look into getting more Google reviews.
- Is your business getting Google reviews?
Here’s a secret to dominating the local SEO search rankings – tap into the power of Google reviews.
The quantity and quality of reviews that people leave for your business online have a far-reaching effect on how Google ranks you.
Reviews are great for many things:
- They serve as social proof
- They serve users’ search intent
- They tell people how great/not great your business is
It is a good idea to encourage your customers to leave a review for you. Yes, it will take some time, but the payoff is worth it. It is a surefire way to compete against established businesses in your area.
Review Grower can guarantee you google reviews. You can Sign Up and try it out for FREE which is valid over 30 days.
Focus on delivering a superior quality of products and services. Google relies on service quality more than quantity to rank you.
- Do you have a service area business?
What is a service area business? It is a particular business that relies on delivery or visits to customers’ premises instead of the other way around. This could include pest control companies, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and more.
Service area businesses are unique in the sense that they don’t need to list their physical address on their profile. This makes it hard to compete against brick-and-mortar stores. However, with as much detailed information as they can include, they have a chance to rank higher.
- Do you have enough NAP citations?
NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number. NAP citations serve as references to your business details online.
Simply put, Google feels more confident about you as a legitimate business if it is mentioned elsewhere on the internet. This helps Google to rank you higher.
Businesses can take advantage of NAP citations by getting listed on high-quality online directories or by using services like BrightLocal’s Citation Builder.
- Do you have a verified profile?
Here’s the biggest reason why most profiles don’t show up on Google Maps – they don’t have a verified Google Business profile.
How to tell if your business listing has been verified? Use Google Search to search for your business. Make sure you use your business name and location. It will show up on the right-hand side, even if you haven’t verified it yet.
Now follow these steps:
- Click on your profile on Google, and check the option “Suggest an Edit.”
- Look for an option called “Own this business?”
- If you see this, your business is not yet verified on Google.
- You will have to click on the “Claim this business” option.
Now here’s how you can verify your Google Business listing:
- Go to your account, select your listing, and click “verify.”
- Verify through email or Google will send you a postcard. This process can take up to 14 days.
- When you receive the email or postcard, go back to your Google Business Profile account.
- Click on “Enter verification code.”
- Enter the five-digit code on the postcard you received.
- Choose the “Verify” option and your account is now 100% verified on Google.
- Are you using an unrelated search query?
Is your business listing still not showing up when you use a particular search query on Google? Chances are that the query is unrelated to your business.
You might consider adding more keywords in your business description section if it is related.
Make sure you don’t end up stuffing this section with too many keywords. You want it to sound natural.
Make sure you do your keyword research with tools like Google’s Keyword Planner. It will show you words you can use on your profile for optimal results.
- Is your Google Account suspended?
Google suspends your account in two ways – soft suspension or hard suspension.
Soft suspensions are temporary. This usually happens when your profile has been deactivated due to unresolved issues. It can be as simple as re-verifying some missing details.
If your Google account has a business listing, it won’t show up online until you have reverified your account. Your ranking stays the same once your account has been reactivated.
Now, hard suspensions are bad. They happen almost always due to serious breaches of Google guidelines. Usually, Google acts this way if it finds your business unsuitable. This could mean anything from selling weapons to pornography.
Accounts that have been removed with a hard suspension can be restored with an appeal, but that’s rare.
You must have heard that prevention is better than cure. In this case, you need to prevent suspensions from happening. Follow Google’s guidelines and make a habit of regularly reviewing your profile.
Is your business showing up on Google Maps now?
To conclude, you need to have a Google Business Profile. You also need to fill out as much information about your business as possible.
Do your keyword research, follow Google’s rules, and rely on Google reviews to stand out from the rest.
People won’t have trouble with your business showing up on Google Maps now.
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