Not on Google Maps after verification: what to check

Why you can be verified and still not show

Google's help page on local ranking says results are based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence. Relevance is how well your profile matches what someone typed. Distance is how far you are from the person searching.

The same page says businesses with complete and accurate info are more likely to show up. It also says wrong info can keep a profile from appearing for nearby searches. Verification proves the business is yours. It does not fill in the rest.

Check that verification actually finished

Google says verification reviews take up to 5 business days after you finish the steps, and on rare occasions longer. A code entered this morning may not be a finished verification yet.

• Sign in to the Google account that owns the profile.
• Search your exact business name while signed in.
• Look for a Get verified button or a verification banner.
• Look for the confirmation email from Google.

Google says that if the Get verified button comes back, it could not fully verify the business and you need to verify again. If you asked for a postcard, Google says most codes arrive within 14 days and expire after 30 days.

How to avoid breaking a pending verification

Google lists two things that slow verification down. Both are easy to do by accident.

1. 1Leave your business name, address and category alone while a postcard code is pending.
2. 2Wait for the first postcard before you ask for another one.
3. 3Use a phone number a person answers, because Google says phone systems with menus will not get the code.
4. 4Pick up the call or text from the number on your profile.

Google also says the verification method is chosen by Google and cannot be changed. If the method offered does not fit, the help page lists video recording and live video call as options for some businesses.

How to check what is missing from the profile

A verified profile with gaps can lose to a complete one. Open the profile and work down this list.

1. 1Compare the business name to your truck, your sign and your invoices.
2. 2Check the phone number and the website link for typos.
3. 3Set one main category that matches the work you want.
4. 4Add your service area or address the way your business really operates.
5. 5Add hours, including holiday hours.
6. 6Add your services and a plain description.

Here is a description you can adapt. Replace the brackets with your own facts.

Use only what is true. A claim you cannot back up will not help you and can cause trouble later.

How to test what a customer sees

Searching your own name tells you very little. Test the searches a customer would type.

1. 1Open Google Maps on your phone and type your trade plus your town.
2. 2Search your exact business name and note whether the profile appears.
3. 3Search again from a spot a few miles away, because distance changes results.
4. 4Write down what showed up for each search and the date.

If your name finds you but the trade search does not, the gap is relevance, distance or prominence. Google says prominence depends partly on how many websites link to you and on your review count and ratings.

If your profile does not appear even for your exact name a week after the review finished, check for a suspension notice and the verification banner. If it does appear for your name, fix the category and details first, then ask for reviews.

What this will not fix

• ×It will not guarantee a spot in the top three for any search.
• ×It will not make Google finish a review faster than its stated time.
• ×It will not help if the profile is suspended, which is a separate problem.
• ×It will not replace a steady flow of honest customer reviews.

Common questions

Root's free check looks at this on your own business.