Only verified, active Google Business Profiles show on Maps. If yours is verified and you still can't see it, it's usually there but not ranking for what you searched.
Search for your exact business name
Search Google Maps for your business name and town, exactly as on the profile, such as "Smith Plumbing Hamilton". If you come up, the profile is live and you have a ranking question (see below). If you don't, work through the checks in the next section.
Then sign in to the Google account that manages the profile and search "my business" on Google. That opens the profile with its status and any notices from Google.
Check the profile itself
| Check | What to look for | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Verified | Google's help page says only verified businesses show on Maps and Search | Finish verification. Our setup guide covers the options |
| Suspended | A notice in the managing Google account | Follow our guide to getting a suspended profile back. Don't make a new profile |
| Duplicate | Google doesn't show duplicates, often a profile a previous owner or staff member set up | Remove the extra one, or request access to the verified one |
| New or edited | A new business can take up to a month to appear. Edits are reviewed first, usually in about 10 minutes but up to 30 days | Wait for the review before changing anything else |
If you show by name but not for "plumber near me"
That's ranking, not a missing profile. Google's page on local ranking says it weighs relevance (how well you match the search), distance from the searcher, and prominence (how well known you are, including reviews). You can't pay for a better local ranking. What you can control:
- Category. Pick the most specific primary category that fits, such as "Nail salon" rather than "Salon".
- A complete profile. Hours, services, phone, website and photos.
- Reviews. Ask every customer and reply to what you get.
If you work from home and go to customers, a hidden address with service areas is correct, not a fault.
Apple Maps and Bing are separate
iPhone users often use Apple Maps, which takes listings from Apple's free Business Connect. Bing Places has its own listings and can import your details from Google.
When to get help
Most of this you can check yourself. It's worth handing over if someone else set up the profile and you can't get into the account, Google keeps rejecting your edits or marking you as a duplicate, or you've checked everything and still don't show for your own name. Start with a free website check.