Why your business isn't showing on Google Maps

Search Google Maps for your exact business name and town. Repeat the search in a private browser window so you can check the public result separately from your management tools. A private window does not remove the effect of your location, but it helps you see the listing without the signed-in editing controls.

Then sign in to the Google Account that manages the profile and search for the same name. If you manage several businesses, select the right one. Write down what the account actually says. A request to verify, a pending edit and a suspension notice are different problems.

• If the named profile is visible publicly but not in a general service search, investigate local ranking rather than creating another listing.
• If you can manage it but cannot find the public profile, check verification, policy notices and duplicate status.
• If a public listing exists but your account cannot manage it, investigate ownership or whether you have signed in with the wrong account.
• If neither search finds a listing, check whether the business has actually been added and whether it is eligible.

Verification confirms that you are authorised to manage the business. Seeing a listing on Maps does not prove that you own or have verified it. Conversely, a saved profile in your account does not prove that its information is ready to appear publicly.

If your account shows Get verified, follow the method offered. Google chooses the available methods and may require more than one. Recent changes can trigger a further request. If a video was rejected, open Review issues and address the reasons shown rather than repeatedly submitting the same recording.

Verification reviews usually take up to five working days, sometimes longer. Keep any reference numbers and emails. If you need the setup steps or are not sure whether an online-only business qualifies, read How to set up a Google Business Profile, and the mistakes that get it suspended.

A saved edit may still be pending. Google's edit guidance says most reviews take about 10 minutes, but some take up to 30 days. Accepted means the update appears on the profile. Pending means Google is still reviewing it. Not approved means the change has not been accepted, for example because Google could not confirm its accuracy.

New-business ranking is a separate process. Google's guidance says rankings for a new business can take up to a month to appear. That is not a promise of a top position or a reason to ignore a suspension or verification request.

Look at the status of the specific change. Google can also update a profile from other information it receives, so check for alerts in Edit profile. Keep the real details accurate and ask support about an unresolved problem through the relevant help page. Do not keep changing the name or address to try to force publication.

If someone else manages the correct listing, request ownership. Losing access to your account does not automatically remove the public listing. For service-area businesses, Google's ownership guidance directs you to contact support for a transfer.

A profile marked as a duplicate will not show on Search or Maps. Search for another version of the business using its name, address and previous details. Do not create a third profile. Google's duplicate guidance explains how to merge genuine duplicates or appeal a duplicate status when two separate eligible businesses have been confused.

If you have moved, update the existing profile rather than opening another one at the new address. Record which listing contains your real reviews and history before removing anything.

A service-area business travels or delivers to customers without serving them at its base. It should hide that address and show the places it serves. You should not expect a public street address on a correctly configured service-area profile. Search for the named business rather than treating the absence of a customer-facing address as proof it has disappeared.

Do not expose your home or invent a shopfront to try to gain visibility. A virtual office or mailbox is not a replacement for a genuine operating location. Read How to run a service-area business on Google without showing your home address for the settings and verification evidence that fit this business model.

Check the profile status and the email account used to manage it for a suspension or disabled-profile notice. Google's appeals tool shows the restriction reason and the relevant policy. Common policy problems include an embellished business name, an ineligible address, duplicate profiles and a business that has no qualifying in-person customer contact.

Correct the problem and prepare evidence before appealing. Google allows 60 minutes to submit evidence after you open its evidence form. Do not create another profile for the same business during the appeal. The setup guide, How to set up a Google Business Profile, and the mistakes that get it suspended, explains the preparation in more detail.

If the underlying Google Account is restricted, Google's guidance says to appeal the account restriction first. Once it is lifted, appeal the profile suspensions. A promise of guaranteed reinstatement is not a substitute for this process.

Google says local results mainly depend on relevance, distance and how well-known the business is. Relevance means how well the profile matches the search. Distance is how far the business is from the searcher. Being well-known includes signals such as links from other websites and reviews.

A customer near your business can get different results from someone in another town. A listing can appear for its own name but not near the top for a competitive service. One search on your phone does not establish how visible you are to every potential customer.

Google says you cannot request or pay for better local ranking. Advertising is separate from that unpaid ranking. Be wary of anyone who guarantees a particular Maps position. Adding distant service areas, extra keywords in the name or an invented address is not a sound response to a low position.

Once you have ruled out access, verification and policy problems, work on accurate information rather than repeated searches. Complete details help Google understand the business and help customers decide whether it suits them. No checklist guarantees a first-place ranking.

• Check that the main category describes your actual business and that the services section lists work you genuinely offer.
• Keep the phone number, website, opening hours and special hours current. Include an accurate address only where customers genuinely visit.
• Add real photographs that show the premises, work or equipment. Make sure customers can understand what you do.
• Ask customers for honest reviews using your Google review link or QR code. Do not offer discounts, gifts or payments in exchange for reviews.
• Reply to reviews with useful information, without revealing private customer details.
• Record the search wording, approximate location and date when comparing results. Separate the profile's public availability from its position for a particular service search.