First, check how you are searching
"Not showing" can mean two different things. Search for the business by its exact name. If the profile appears, Google has the listing, and the real problem is ranking: it doesn't appear when people search for the service, such as "plumber near me". If it doesn't appear even by name, the problem is the listing itself.
Results also depend on where the searcher is. A business 20 minutes away may not appear for someone searching from the other side of town, even when it ranks well near its own address.
When it doesn't appear even by name
Work through these in order:
- There is no Google Business Profile yet. A website alone does not put a business on the map. Create a profile at business.google.com.
- The profile is not verified. Unverified profiles may not appear at all. Finish verification in the profile; it can take a few days.
- A recent edit is under review. After changes to the name, address or category, Google may hide or hold the profile while it checks them.
- The profile is suspended. You'll see a notice when you open the profile. Fix whatever broke the guidelines, then request a review through Google's appeals tool.
- There is a duplicate listing. Two profiles for one business split its reviews and confuse Google. Report the duplicate and keep the one with the most reviews.
- The business is marked as closed, temporarily or permanently.
When it appears by name but not for searches
Google ranks local results on three things: relevance (how well the profile matches the search), distance (how far it is from the searcher), and prominence (how well known and well reviewed it is). The usual gaps:
- The primary category is too broad or wrong. "Contractor" will not rank for "roofer".
- The services, description and website don't mention what people are searching for, or the area.
- Competitors have many more reviews, or more recent ones.
- The website is thin, slow, or doesn't name the service and city on its main pages.
- The name, address and phone number differ between the profile, the website and other directories.
Service-area businesses
If you visit customers rather than having them visit you, you can hide your address and list the areas you serve instead. The profile still appears in map results, but it is ranked from the address you verified with, so it rarely ranks across a whole region. Listing a wide service area does not change that; strong reviews and a website with a page for each main area help more.
New profiles take time
A newly verified profile with few reviews usually ranks low at first, especially in busy categories. Complete every field, add photos, start asking every customer for a review, and give it a few weeks before judging.
Find out which applies to you
Our free audit checks whether Google finds your profile, whether it is complete and matches your website, where you rank for your category in your city, and how your reviews compare with the businesses ranked above you. It turns the checks above into a short list of what to fix first.