You claimed your Google Business Profile months ago. You filled in your hours, added some photos, and waited. Your competitor three suburbs over still shows up first and you are nowhere. Here is what is actually going on.
Your Profile Is Not Fully Verified
A claimed profile and a verified profile are not the same thing. If you skipped the verification step or got stuck on it, Google will not rank you in the Maps Pack at all. Check your GBP dashboard. If you see a banner asking you to verify, that is your problem. Google currently verifies most local businesses through a video call or a recorded video walkthrough of your business location. Follow the prompts and complete it.
Your Business Category Is Wrong
This is the most common mistake and the one with the most impact. Your primary category tells Google what kind of searches to show you for. A plumber who selected "Home Improvement Store" by accident is not going to rank for "plumber Coquitlam." Go to your GBP, click Edit Profile, and check your primary category. It should be the most specific accurate description of your main service. You can add secondary categories for other services you offer.
Your NAP Data Is Inconsistent
NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone. If your business name is "ABC Plumbing Ltd" on your GBP but "ABC Plumbing" on your website and "ABC Plumbing and Heating" on Yelp, Google sees three different businesses and loses confidence in all of them. Pick one consistent format and use it everywhere. Check every directory listing you have and bring them into alignment.
You Have No Reviews
Google ranks businesses with reviews above businesses without them, especially in competitive local searches. If you have zero reviews you are functionally invisible in the Maps Pack for any search with real competition. You do not need hundreds. Getting your first five reviews from real customers puts you in a completely different ranking tier. Ask the five clients you have worked with most recently. Most people will leave a review if you ask directly and give them the link.
Your Profile Has Not Been Active
An abandoned GBP is treated like a dormant listing. Google wants to see activity. That means responding to reviews (both good and bad), posting updates at least once a month, and keeping your hours accurate including holidays. If you have not touched your profile in six months, that is part of why you are not ranking.
The One Thing Most Profiles Are Missing
Photos. Not stock photos. Actual photos of your work, your truck, your crew, your job sites. Businesses with 10 or more photos on their GBP receive significantly more direction requests and website clicks than businesses with just the default image Google assigns. Take photos on your next three jobs and upload them.
Not Sure Where to Start?
We set up and optimize Google Business Profiles for all our clients as part of our web design and local SEO packages. If you want us to take a look at your current profile and tell you exactly what is holding it back, get in touch.