Originally published in July 2016. Last updated on December 10, 2024.
If your business isn’t showing up on Google, you’re probably missing out on leads. After all, if a potential customer can’t find you online they may not know you exist.
But just because your business isn’t showing in local search results today doesn’t mean it won’t in the future. You just need to understand why your business isn’t listed and address the problem.
Keep reading to learn why your business might not be showing up on Google and what steps you should take to build your online presence and start bringing in more leads.
Reasons your business may not be showing up on Google:
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You haven’t claimed your Google Business Profile
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Your Google Business Profile is outdated or incorrect
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You don’t have a website
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Your website isn’t optimized
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You aren’t using Google Local Services Ads
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You haven’t waited long enough
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You have a lot of competition
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You don’t have any Google reviews
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Why is it important to show up on Google?
1. You haven’t claimed your Google Business Profile
A Google Business Profile is a free tool provided by Google that businesses can use to create listings that appear in Google Search and Google Maps.
Your Google Business Profile includes information like your:
- Business name
- Business hours
- Business address
- Business category
- Website
- Services
- City or town
- Photos
- Google reviews
If you don’t have one, your chances of showing in Google are slim. Thankfully, claiming your Google Business Profile and getting set up is easy and won’t cost you a thing.
2. Your Google Business Profile is outdated or incorrect
If you already have a Google Business Profile but it’s not appearing in search results, it could be because you haven’t updated or optimized your information.
If the details in your Google business listing aren’t accurate or incomplete, your listing may not show up. Like if it has the wrong phone number or you never bothered to set your service area.
To fix this issue, go to your Google Business Profile and optimize your listing by:
- Updating old or incorrect business information
- Filling out missing details
- Adding photos, reviews, or a service description
- Defining your service area
- Manage and respond to reviews
Optimize your Google business profile. It’s where the majority of your leads will come from for almost every service business.
READ MORE: How to delete a Google review
3. You don’t have a website
Your website is an important part of online lead generation. If you have one, your business is more likely to appear in Google’s search results if someone in your service area searches for your business name or services.
Google uses your website to understand your business, services, and location, telling it when and how to tell potential customers about you.
Without a website, Google won’t be able to list it in the search results.
To make one, you have a few options. You can make one yourself using a site builder like WordPress, you can hire a web designer to make one for you, or you can use a tool like Jobber to get a professional website ready to go in no time.
Jobber’s website building software can link to your Google Business Profile and comes with a built-in request form so potential leads can start reaching out right away.
4. Your website isn’t optimized
If you have a website but still aren’t seeing your business on Google, it could be because it isn’t optimized. Simply having a website isn’t enough for Google to show it to potential leads—you need to apply search engine optimization (SEO) strategies to improve your positioning in the search results.
This means doing things like:
- Using keywords for your service and industry. For example, a lawn care business might use keywords like lawn mowing, grass trimming, weeding, or fertilizer applications.
- Having meta descriptions and title tags for each page. These are the titles and descriptions Google uses in search results with your listing. Writing one for each page helps Google understand what kind of content users will be taken to if they decide to click on your link.
- Having multiple pages on your website. For example, a home page, service page, and contact page with a quote button.
- Creating content. Writing FAQs, blog posts, or articles about your services helps you cover more keywords and provide value to your customers. It also positions you as an expert, building trust and showcasing your professionalism.
Basically what you want to try to do is put your business in the eyes of people who are already searching for it.
Optimizing a website is made up of many different factors and can take a lot of time and effort. If you’re not sure how to get started, you can hire a local SEO expert or marketing agency. Or if you want to take a more hands-on approach, you can use an AI tool like Jobber Copilot to help you come up with content ideas and give suggestions for optimizing your website.
5. You aren’t using Google Local Services Ads
Relying on your website and Google Business Profile isn’t always enough to guarantee a spot on Google. Especially if there’s a lot of competition in your area.
Google Local Services Ads (LSAs) boost your chances of showing in Google’s search results and include additional trust signals for users, like Google Guaranteed or Google Screened badges. Demonstrating to potential customers that you’re a legitimate service business worth hiring.
These Google ads are shown to leads in search results and Google Maps, boosting your business’s potential to be seen and helping you to get found.
READ MORE: Google Local Services Ads: A guide for service businesses
Using Jobber’s Local Services Ads integration, users can even book your services straight from Google, making it easy to turn leads into clients.
6. You haven’t waited long enough
It takes time to show up on Google. If you only recently made a website or completed your Google Business Profile, you may need to wait a while before you start seeing results.
For example, while a Google Business Profile may take a few days to a few weeks to start showing in Google, a new website can take up to three months to be found.
Whenever you employ a new strategy, give it some time to start generating traffic before writing off your efforts.
Pro Tip: Use Google Analytics and Google Business Profile Manager to track your performance.
7. You have a lot of competition
Even if you do everything right, there’s still a chance that your business may not get found on Google as often as you’d like. If that happens, it could be because there’s a lot of competition in your area for the services you offer.
To address this problem, consider highlighting what makes you stand out. Do you specialize in a niche your competitors don’t? Do you service a different subset of customers? Or do you offer a premium experience?
Whatever it is, tailor the content on your website and in your Google Business Profile and ads to include the things that set you apart. That way, you have a chance of ranking for different search terms than your competitors.
For example, there’s likely more competition for a keyword like “Boston cleaner” than for “Boston eco-friendly cleaner”.
Use Google Analytics to see what people your clients are actually searching for. So might be landscaping instead of lawn care, that kind of stuff. Look for hyperlocal neighborhoods and parts of your city. Don’t just look at Chicago, look at the neighborhoods around you.
8. You don’t have any Google reviews
Google reviews don’t just tell potential customers about your business, they also help Google confirm you’re a legitimate business. By collecting reviews from happy customers, Google can use them to verify your business is trustworthy.
And the more high-quality, authentic reviews your business collects, the more Google will prioritize your listing.
If you’re short on time, use Jobber’s marketing tools to automate the review process so you can boost your online presence.
Why is it important to show up on Google?
If you’re wondering whether it’s worth all this effort to get found on Google, the answer is yes. Having your business in Google search results helps you to:
1. Reach new leads
Many potential customers rely on search results to find and choose service providers. If you aren’t on Google, you’ll miss out on valuable leads.
2. Build an online presence
Your online presence, like your website, social media pages, and reviews, is what leads use to research your business. The more information they can find about you online, the easier it will be for them to decide whether you’re the right contractor for the job.
3. Boost trust
Most businesses can be found on Google nowadays. Appearing in search results establishes trust, adds legitimacy to your business, and builds credibility with potential customers.
4. Stay competitive
If your competitors are showing up on Google, then you should too. Otherwise, they’ll book jobs that could have been yours.
5. Generate free leads
While some aspects of Google cost money, like Google LSAs, having your website listed or claiming your Google Business Profile is free. This cuts down on your marketing spend and gives you room to invest in other strategies, like paid ads.
6. Increase customer engagement
When you have an online presence, customers can visit your website, reach out for quotes, ask questions, or leave reviews. And the more opportunities your customers have to interact with you, the more opportunities you have to demonstrate your professionalism and expertise.
7. Analyze your marketing efforts
Because online marketing efforts are usually trackable, they can be easier to analyze than things like flyers or door hangers. This allows you to get insights about what’s working, what’s not, and where you have opportunities to experiment or make adjustments.
Plus, when you use Jobber’s marketing tools to do things like generate reviews and build a website, Copilot can take care of the analysis for you, giving you data and suggestions you can use to grow your business.