PixelGangsta
Guide for UK small businesses

Why is my business not showing on Google Maps?

You search for your business on Google Maps and nothing comes up, or a competitor appears instead. Here are the usual reasons, and what you can do about each one.

Written by PixelGangsta. Published 17th October 2026.

In one picture
Five things on a Google listing that stop a business appearing
  1. 1Not verifiedGoogle only shows businesses it has verified. Sign in and check whether it is asking you to verify.
  2. 2Details missing or out of dateCategory, hours, phone number, website and description should all be filled in and match your website.
  3. 3Few reviewsReviews and your rating count towards prominence. Ask every customer in the same way, and reply.
  4. 4Profile suspendedA profile that breaks the guidelines is hidden until it is fixed. Check the managing account for a notice.
  5. 5Listed the wrong wayIf you visit customers, remove the address and set the area you serve instead.

1. Your profile is not verified

Google only shows business details on Maps and in search for businesses that are verified. Sign in to the Google account that manages your Business Profile and check whether it is asking you to verify. Google shows you the ways it can check your business, so follow the steps it gives you.

2. Your business or your changes are new

Google says it can take up to a month for a new business to start appearing in local rankings, and that edits to a profile can take up to three days to show. If you have only just set up or changed your profile, give it a little time before changing anything else.

3. Your details are missing or out of date

Google ranks local results on three things. Relevance, distance and prominence. Relevance means how well your profile matches what someone searched for, and complete details help. Check your business category, opening hours including holiday hours, phone number, website and description. Every one of them should be correct and match your website.

4. The person searching is further away

Distance is one of the three things Google looks at, and it is the one you cannot change. Someone searching from across town may see businesses closer to them first. A better test is to search for your business by name. If it shows up then, your profile is live.

5. You have few reviews

Prominence includes how many reviews you have and your rating. Ask every customer for an honest review in the same way, for example with a short message after each job, and reply to the reviews you get.

Be careful here. UK law bans fake reviews, and guidance from the Competition and Markets Authority says that only asking the customers you expect to be happy may break the law. Never write, buy or filter reviews.

6. Your profile has been suspended

If a profile breaks Google’s guidelines, Google disables or suspends it and it will not show until the problem is fixed. Google sends a notice to the Google account that manages the profile, so sign in to that account and check for a message from Google.

7. You are listed the wrong way for how you work

If you visit customers rather than them visiting you, such as a plumber or a mobile hairdresser, Google says to remove your address from the profile and set the area you serve instead.

Can I pay to show higher?

No. Google says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. Be wary of anyone who promises you the top spot on Google Maps.

Want someone to sort it for you? Our Google profile set up starts from £120, and you never share your password.

Google profile set up

Sources

Prices and figures were checked on 17th October 2026 and may change.