Why Isn’t My Business Showing Up on Google Maps? (And How to Fix It)

Search Google Maps for your business by its exact name. If nothing comes up, the profile is probably missing, unverified or suspended, so start with section 1. If it does come up but not when you search for what you do, it's there but ranking low, and sections 2 to 6 are where to look.

Verification is the first thing to check. Google says verifying tells it you are authorised to represent the business, so it is more likely to show up in search results (opens in a new tab). If you have never claimed and verified your profile (the old "Google My Business"), you are missing out on that. An unclaimed, auto-generated listing can also exist with wrong details, which can send customers to the wrong place.

The fix: go to google.com/business, claim the listing and verify it. Google decides which verification options you are offered, and its verification page (opens in a new tab) lists phone or text, email, video and postcard. Then fill in everything, not the bare minimum. Opening hours, services, a proper description, real photos of your shop, your van, your work. Google says businesses with complete and accurate info are more likely to show up in local search results (opens in a new tab), and it lists adding photos and videos among its tips. A profile with a name and nothing else gives customers, and Google, very little to go on.

NAP means name, address, phone number. Your details turn up across the web: your website, Facebook, Yell, Checkatrade and old directory listings. If your address says "Unit 4" on Google but "Unit 4a" on Facebook, and an old listing still has your previous mobile number, that is a mess of conflicting information. Customers, and Google, can be left guessing which details are right.

The fix: pick one exact format for your name, address and phone, down to the punctuation, and make it identical everywhere. Audit every listing you can find, correct the wrong ones and remove duplicates. It is tedious, but it is one of the most useful jobs you can do for your online listing.

If you work from home or from a van and customers do not visit you, think mobile mechanics, electricians and cleaners covering Sunderland, Durham and South Shields, you are a service-area business. Set your profile up wrong and it may not reflect the patch you actually cover.

The fix: Google says that if you do not serve customers at your business address, remove your address from your Business Profile (opens in a new tab) and set your service area instead. List the towns and postcodes you genuinely serve. Do not stuff in 50 areas you will never travel to. Google's guidelines say to make sure your address and/or service area is accurate and precise (opens in a new tab). A tradesperson covering the SR postcodes and into Gateshead should list exactly that.

Sometimes the business above you is bending the rules, stuffing their name with keywords, using an address that is not real, or similar. Google's guidelines say unnecessary information in a business name isn't permitted (opens in a new tab), and that an address should be precise and accurate.

The fix: you can report problems through Google. For misleading business names, phone numbers or URLs that look fraudulent, Google points to its Business Redressal Complaint form (opens in a new tab). Do not count on it being fast. Your energy is usually better spent making your own profile stronger than policing theirs.

Why does my business show up on Google but not on Google Maps?

Google says verified businesses are more likely to show up in search results, so check that your profile is actually verified. If it is still pending or unverified, sort that first.

I've verified my profile but I'm still not appearing in the map pack. What else could it be?

Most likely your category does not match what people are searching for, or your details are incomplete or inconsistent across your website, social media and directories. Also check your address is right. If your address is slightly wrong (postcode missing, street misspelled) Google might think you are in a different part of Sunderland entirely.

How long does it take to show up on Google Maps after I fix my profile?

Changes to a profile do not always show straight away. For example, Google says service area edits may take up to 48 hours to show on your profile. Do not expect instant results. Consistent, correct information over time is what moves the needle.

Does my business need a physical shopfront to appear on Google Maps?

No. Google has a category for service-area businesses, those that visit or deliver to customers directly but do not serve customers at their business address. If you run a service business from home, set your service area and remove your address (opens in a new tab) rather than listing it as a shopfront.

My competitor has fewer reviews than me but ranks higher. Why?

Reviews help, but they are not the only factor. Google also weighs relevance and distance. Your competitor might be physically closer to where people are searching, or their category and details might match the search better than yours. Check their category, photos and description against yours.