A trade business, such as a plumber’s or a roofer’s, doesn’t show on Google Maps when its Business Profile isn’t verified or has been suspended. A new profile can take up to a month to rank, and an edit can take up to three days to appear, according to Google’s help pages. If your business shows when you search its name and town, the profile works and other firms are ranking ahead of you for the job.
Do this today
- Search your business name and town on Google Maps.
- Sign in to the Google account that manages your profile and look for a notice from Google.
- Check that your profile says it’s verified.
- If you edited it in the last three days, wait for the change to show.
- Search the job you do and your town. Note who shows above you.
Missing, or just not ranking?
- It doesn’t show when you search your own name. Something is stopping the profile from showing. Work through the four reasons below.
- It shows for your name but not for “roofer” and your town. The profile is fine. Google is ranking other firms higher for that search. Skip to when it shows by name only.
Search while signed in to the Google account linked to your profile, using your business name and town. Google’s help page gives that as the first step.
Four reasons a trade business doesn’t show on Google Maps
Your profile isn’t verified
Google says “Only verified businesses can show their business info on Maps and Search.” Open your profile and check it says verified. Google may ask you to verify by video. Here’s how to set up a Google Business Profile for your trade, including verification.
Your profile has been suspended
A profile that breaks Google’s guidelines “becomes disabled or suspended and won’t show to other users on Google”. Google sends a notice to the account that manages the profile. If you’ve had one, here’s Google Business Profile suspended? Help for trades.
You’ve only just set it up
“Rankings for new businesses can take up to a month to appear in search results,” Google’s help page says. A new profile can be verified and still not show for your trade yet.
You changed something in the last few days
Changes to your business details “can take up to three days to appear”. Make the edit, then give it three days.
While you’re in your profile, check your details too. Google advises keeping your business info “correct, complete and up to date”. Check your name, category, phone number, hours and service areas.
When it shows by name but not for your trade
Then the profile is fine, and other firms are ranking ahead of you for that search. Google ranks local results on relevance, distance and prominence. Our guide on how to rank higher on Google Maps for trades covers what you can work on.
What not to do
- Don’t make a second profile. Google says not to create a new Business Profile for the same business (its guidelines). If you’ve already made one by mistake, here’s how to delete a Google Business Profile as a trade.
- Don’t keep changing your details while you wait. An edit can take up to three days to appear.
Questions about not showing on Google Maps
Why is my business not showing on Google Maps?
Common reasons are that the profile isn’t verified, has been suspended, is less than a month old or was changed in the last three days. If it shows when you search your own name, it is on Maps, and other firms are ranking ahead of you for that search.
My business shows when I search, but customers can’t find it. Why?
You’re searching your business name. Customers search the job. Google’s results for a job depend partly on how far each firm is from the person searching, so their results differ from yours. Ask a customer what they typed.
Can you sort it out for me?
Yes. Start with a free forecast. It estimates how many people search for your work in your towns and how many firms compete for the same jobs. Our local SEO for trades covers your Google Business Profile.