8 Reasons Your Google Business Profile Is Not Showing Up on Maps (And How to Fix It)
Your Profile Isn’t Verified
One of the most common reasons your business isn’t showing on Google Maps is also the simplest. You haven’t verified your Google Business Profile.
Until verification is complete, Google treats your listing as unconfirmed. That means it won’t appear in search results or Maps. To fix this, log in to your Google account and check the status of your profile. If it’s not verified, you’ll see a prompt asking you to complete the process.
Verification usually takes up to five business days and may involve a postcard, a phone call, or a video. Once confirmed, you’ll receive a notification from Google. If it’s been longer, you can use Google’s verification support tool to check on progress.
You're Using the Wrong Primary Category
Your primary business category tells Google what your business actually does. Choosing a general or mismatched category can prevent your profile from showing in the searches you care about most.
For example, if you’re a wedding photographer and you just select “Photographer,” you may not appear when people search specifically for “wedding photographer near me.”
Fix this by searching your top-performing service keyword in Google Maps. Look at the top listings and see which primary category they’re using. Then update your profile to match.
Your Profile Is Incomplete or Not Optimized
If your profile has the basics—like name, address, and phone number—but lacks details, Google may push it down in rankings or not show it at all.
A complete and optimized profile includes:
- A strong business description
- Updated business hours
- Accurate service listings
- Regular photo uploads
- At least one or two reviews
- Secondary business categories
Google prioritizes listings that demonstrate active management and detailed content. If your profile is half-finished, your visibility will suffer.
Already filled everything out and still not showing? Request a profile audit from Space Age Mediaworks.
Your Business Isn’t Located Within the Target City Limits
If you’re located just outside the city you're targeting, even by a few blocks, Google won’t include you in search results for that city name.
For instance, if your business is in a suburb but you're trying to show up for searches in a larger nearby city, your chances are slim unless you have a physical address within that city’s official boundary.
You can check this by typing the city name into Google Maps. Google will highlight the area it recognizes as that city. If your business falls outside that shaded region, your only real solution is to move or open a second legitimate location within the target area.
You Removed Your Address from the Listing
If you run a service-based business and have hidden your address, you may notice a drop in visibility. According to Google’s guidelines, businesses that travel to clients (like electricians or mobile groomers) are not supposed to display an address.
However, listings without a visible address often perform worse. Profiles without a physical location get less exposure on Maps and may be excluded entirely from some searches.
The fix? Invest in a legitimate business location with a lease and signage. It doesn’t have to be large, but it needs to meet Google’s criteria for an office space. This gives your profile a foundation Google can anchor to.
Someone Else Edited Your Listing Without Your Knowledge
Anyone can suggest edits to your Google Business Profile, and Google may apply those suggestions without alerting you.
Changes could include:
- Marking your business as “Temporarily Closed”
- Changing your phone number or address
- Altering your hours or primary category
To protect your listing, monitor it regularly and reject any incorrect edits as soon as possible. Tools like WhiteSpark’s GMB monitoring service can notify you when changes are made to your listing. It costs just $1/month and gives you full control.
A Google Algorithm Update Affected You
Google constantly updates its local ranking algorithms. Some updates are minor, while others can seriously shake up visibility for thousands of businesses.
If your profile has suddenly disappeared from results and you haven’t changed anything recently, an algorithm update may be the cause.
Use Local RankFlux by BrightLocal to check if there has been a major shift. If their dashboard shows a spike in fluctuations for your industry, it’s likely you’ve been impacted. Consider updating your profile or seeking expert help to adapt.
Your Profile Is Being Filtered by Google
This is the silent killer. Google’s local algorithm often hides listings that appear redundant. If your business shares the same address and category as others—like multiple lawyers in the same office suite—Google may filter your listing out.
Even adding a suite number won’t help. Google sees all units at one address as the same place.
You can break the filter by:
- Changing your primary category to something more specific
- Choosing a niche category that none of your neighbors are using
If you’ve exhausted your category options and still get filtered, the last resort is relocating your business to a new address without direct category competition.
Final Thoughts
If your Google Business Profile isn’t showing up, it’s not random. It’s fixable. From verification and optimization to address strategy and algorithm awareness, visibility comes down to knowing the rules and adjusting accordingly.
Need help identifying what’s holding your profile back? Reach out to Space Age Mediaworks for a Google Business Profile audit.
