The majority of businesses that approach us with this issue have the same underlying cause.
It's not a technical glitch. It's not a penalty. It's because they have not made a simple decision about who they actually serve.
The first question we always ask
If a business tells us they are not appearing on Google Maps, the first question we ask is: who are they targeting?
The answer is typically "everyone." The whole country. Anyone who needs the service.
Then we ask who they have actually worked with.
And almost without fail, the answer changes. It turns out they mostly work with clients in their city or region. There is plenty of work here. That's where the business actually operates.
But the strategy says otherwise.
This is more common than you'd think. Not all businesses see themselves as local businesses, so they attempt to go everywhere. And when you try to target everywhere, Google has no reason to show you anywhere in particular.
What happens when you target too broadly
Google Maps rankings work differently to standard search rankings. Proximity matters. Relevance to a particular area matters.
A business may show up in results even if it's not optimised for a local area. But they'll be sitting around position ten. And most clicks happen within the first four or five results — the ones that are visible when the map loads.
If you're not in those top positions, you're essentially invisible.
People rarely scroll further.
The Google Business Profile mistakes we see constantly
Once a business commits to going local, the next problem is usually the profile itself.
This is what we step into nearly every time:
- No secondary categories. The main category may be right, but secondary categories are completely absent. These help Google understand the full scope of the business.
- No services listed. Almost universal. Services tell Google what the business does and match the profile to the right searches.
- No review strategy. Around 90% of businesses are not actively asking for reviews. Reviews are a direct ranking factor — and most businesses are simply letting it slide.
- Discrepancy between profile and website. If the services listed on the Google Business Profile don't match the website, it creates confusion for Google. Consistency matters.
Any one of these is a problem. All of them together is why the business isn't showing up.
What happens when it's fixed properly
Things don't always happen quickly. But they can.
Rankings can shift rapidly if there is little competition in the area. In a low-competition market, a well-optimised profile can rise significantly in a short time.
More competitive areas take longer. Reviews in particular take time — you have to wait for customers to leave them. Getting a consistent review process in place matters a lot here.
Once the profile is set up properly and the services align with the website, momentum builds. Local SEO can move faster than standard SEO. It's a smaller, more defined playing field.
The honest summary
If you are a local business that wants to rank everywhere, you will rank nowhere well.
Be clear about who you serve and where. Optimise the profile properly. Ensure that your services are listed and consistent with your website. And begin requesting reviews.
It's not complicated. But it does need to be done properly.
If you want to understand how local SEO fits into a broader search strategy, read about our approach. Or if you're ready to talk about your profile specifically, get in touch.
