Is Your Google Business Not Ranking? Here’s Why:

Ever wonder why your Google Business profile isn’t showing up in local searches? You’re not alone. Many business owners find themselves frustrated, asking, “Why isn’t my Google Business ranking?”

The reasons are simpler than you think, but they can have a big impact. Let’s break down the most common culprits and how you can fix them.

Also, Before making you read this entire article. Make sure you haven’t forgotten to claim your Business Profile since it’s a very common issue.

Table of Contents

1. Incorrect Business Information

One of the biggest issues that can tank your Google Business ranking is inconsistent business information. This isn’t just about a typo in your business name—your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) details need to match across all online directories. If your NAP data is inconsistent, Google gets confused, and your ranking suffers.

Quick Fix: Double-check your business information across all platforms—Google Maps, Apple Maps, Yelp, and even your social media profiles.

If you’ve recently changed your phone number or moved, make sure everything reflects that. Consistency is key.

2. Wrong Business Category

Choosing the wrong Google business category can mislead customers and confuse search engines, pushing your profile lower in search results.

If your business category doesn’t align with what you actually offer, Google’s algorithms might decide you’re not relevant for certain searches.

Quick Fix: Revisit your business categories. Be specific. If you used to offer plumbing services but don’t anymore, update your categories to reflect what you do now.

This helps Google match your profile to relevant searches.

3. Incomplete Google Business Profile

An incomplete Google Business profile is like handing out a blank business card—it’s not going to do much for you. Missing details like business descriptions, photos, and hours can all hurt your ranking.

Quick Fix: Fill out every section of your Google Business profile. Upload a high quality cover photo, write a detailed business description, and make sure your hours are up-to-date, especially around holidays.

4. Lack of Google Maps Reviews

Think reviews don’t matter? Think again. Google pays attention to your reviews—both the quantity and quality. Maybe you recently bought a lot of fake reviews all of a sudden and now your GMB Profile is flagged.

If so then do your best to try and remove the fake reviews. A lack of reviews or a series of unaddressed negative reviews can seriously hurt your ranking. Check out this article on the how to get your first Google Maps reviews to learn everything you need to know on the topic.

Quick Fix: Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews. Place QR codes in your store or on receipts to make it easy for them.

Always respond to reviews, both positive and negative, to show that you care about customer feedback. Aim for at least 20 – 30 GMB Profile reviews, use the top competitors as a reference point to gauge just how many you need. learn more about getting reviews by clicking here.

5. Inconsistent Citations (NAP) Data

Citations are mentions of your business name, address, and phone number on other websites. If these citations are inconsistent, it can drag down your Google ranking. It’s like telling Google, “I’m not really sure where my business is located.”

Quick Fix: Audit your citations across the web. Make sure your NAP information is correct on every directory and platform. Fix any inconsistencies as soon as possible to help boost your ranking.

6. Poor Keyword And Key Phrase Placement

Keywords matter, but stuffing them everywhere can backfire. Whether it’s in your business description or your website content, poor keyword placement can make your profile look spammy, which Google doesn’t like.

A good reference is to start looking at your top competitor’s GMB Profiles who are ranking the highest to give you an idea of what Google likes. But this is usually one of the largest culprits for this issue.

Quick Fix: Do some keyword research to find the most common terms your customers are searching for. Use these keywords naturally in your business description, website, and even in your responses to reviews.

A good starting point is not to use your target keywords more than 2 times per paragraph in your about page.

7. Slow or Non-Mobile Friendly Website

If your website is linked to your Google Business profile and it’s slow or not mobile-friendly, that’s a problem. Google considers user experience when ranking profiles, and a slow, clunky website can hurt your rankings.

Quick Fix: Optimize your website for mobile use. Compress large images, clean up your HTML, and make sure your site loads quickly. A smooth user experience will help your ranking on Google.

A Recap of What You Can Do Right Now

By focusing on these areas, you can significantly improve your Google Business ranking and make it easier for customers to find you. If you are dealing with a suspended GBP profile then click here.

If you’ve done all this and your Google Business still isn’t ranking, it might be time to get some expert help. You can book a free consultation with me and I’d be happy to dive deeper into your specific issues.

My name is Ramzy from Vortex Ranker and you can always count on us for all your Google My Business or Website Ranking challenges. Good luck, and don’t give up. Good luck, and don’t give up. Your business deserves to be seen.