If your local business is not showing on Google Maps, then the frustration is absolutely justified. In today’s digital era, people use Google Maps for everything small and big be it a nearby cafe or a trusted hair salon. When your business is not visible there, it becomes difficult to reach new customers. “Local business not showing on Google Maps” is a common issue, but there is a solution to it all you need is a little patience and right steps. Today I am going to explain this whole process from my personal experience, in which you will understand why your Google Maps listing is missing and how you can fix it.
Have you created a Google My Business profile?
The first question you need to ask yourself is: “Have I created my Google My Business profile?” Many times people just search for their business name and when they don’t get any results, they think something is wrong. But actually, if you haven’t created your listing, how will Google know that you exist? You need to go to Google and search for “Google My Business” and start from there. Creating a profile is free but you must enter accurate information. GMB profile will show only if you enter correct business name, location, phone number, and timings.
Verification process
You have created your GMB profile but still having issue with Google My Business not appearing? Then the next step is verification. Google verifies every business to avoid fake entries. Mostly, this verification happens via a postcard that comes to your business address, which contains a unique code. Unless you verify this code, your business location will not appear on Google Maps. Personal tip: Enter the address absolutely correct at the time of verification, otherwise the postcard will get lost and the whole process will get delayed. Unless verification happens, your visibility will be limited.
No Chance of Incorrect information
Often people complain that their GMB profile is not showing even though they did everything right. But when checked in detail, it is found that there was a spelling mistake in the address or the map pin was placed in the wrong place. Google gets confused when location is not clearly defined. Once I set up GMB for a local boutique but it was not showing later I found out that they had written the flat number wrong. This small mistake can become the reason for all your Google business profile issues. It is important to double-check every detail.
Business temporarily closed? Google will hide you
Google is smart, and it prioritizes listings based on user experience. If your GMB profile says “Temporarily Closed” or you haven’t updated for some reason, it’s possible that Google is hiding you. I know a restaurant owner who restarted his business after COVID, but didn’t update on GMB result? His business was not found on Google Maps. As long as you keep your profile active and updated, you will not have visibility on Google Maps. So, be sure to review your profile once a month.
Google Maps SEO: Just making a profile is not enough
Now let’s talk about SEO. Your business may be shown, but if it is hidden below, then no one will click. Google Maps SEO means that you are optimizing your business so that it comes on top. Reviews play a very important role in this. The more and positive reviews, the better the ranking. A client gathered 100+ positive reviews of his salon and within 2 weeks, he came in the top 3 results. You can also politely ask for reviews from your regular customers. Also, correct use of images, services, and keywords is important in the profile.
Local SEO: Appearing in Nearby Search is a must
Another major factor is local SEO for Google Maps. Google Maps shows results mostly based on “nearby” searches. If your business is not optimized with local keywords, you will not appear in relevant search. Example: If you are a dentist in New York, you should use long-tail keywords like “dentist in New York”, “New York dental clinic” in your GMB description, services, and posts. Such efforts will help you increase visibility on Google Maps. Google needs to understand where you are relevant for which service.
Listing Suspended? Then it’s time for troubleshooting
Sometimes, your business is visible at first and one day it suddenly disappears. The reason for this can be GMB suspension. If Google feels that your profile is spammy or breaking guidelines, then it suspends your listing. Once one of my clients stuffed unnecessary keywords in a category, and his Google My Business listing went missing. If you feel that something like this has happened, then you can appeal by going to the GMB dashboard and using the “Request Review” option. Explain to Google clearly that your business is genuine.
Multiple Listings: What does having more than one profile mean?
If your business has multiple Google Maps listings, Google may get confused and penalize both. Sometimes employees or agencies accidentally create duplicate listings. This directly affects your visibility. I once saw a grocery store have 3 separate listings with different phone numbers and timings. Result? None of the listings got consistent reviews and Google pushed them all to the bottom. You should go into your GMB dashboard and merge or remove duplicate listings to improve your visibility.
Importance of Real-Time Updates and Regular Activity
Google gives more priority to those listings which are active. If you just create a GMB profile once and then leave it, Google will assume that you are inactive. Regular updates like uploading photos, posting posts, answering reviews all these have a positive effect on your Google Maps ranking factors. A florist business that I managed used to post weekly photos of new flower bouquets and offers its listing was always in the top 3. This is a practical and simple way to optimize Google My Business profile.
Conclusion
Your business may be the best in the world, but if it doesn’t show up on Google Maps, how will you get customers? This may seem like a small problem, but it has a big impact. In today’s time, visibility = credibility. So if you want your local business to show up on Google, start troubleshooting your listing from scratch. From verification to regular updates, every step is important. This is not a one-time job – it is an ongoing process that will grow your business online. So, take action now, and boost your Google Maps visibility.
Want to boost the online visibility of your local business? Then contact Ghallu Grow today – we will take your Google Maps presence to the expert level!
