Why Your Business Isn’t Showing Up on Google

You started a business, launched your website, maybe even posted on social media — and yet when you Google your name, your business is nowhere to be found.

Frustrating? Absolutely.
Fixable? 100%.

If your business isn’t showing up on Google, it’s not because Google is broken — it’s because your online presence isn’t telling Google that you exist (or matter).

At Vertical Growth Solutions, we specialize in making businesses show up — locally, regionally, and nationally. Here’s why you’re not getting found, and what to do about it.

🚫 3 Common Reasons You’re Invisible Online

1. You Haven’t Claimed or Optimized Your Google Business Profile

For local businesses, this is the #1 visibility factor. Google uses your Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)to decide whether to show you in local search results — the map pack.

If you haven’t claimed it or filled it out completely, Google won’t prioritize you.

Fix it:

• Go to google.com/business and claim your business

• Add categories (choose your primary wisely)

• Add high-quality photos, hours, services, and a clear description

• Ask happy customers to leave reviews consistently

2. Your Website Isn’t Optimized for SEO

Google needs more than a nice-looking website — it needs a technically sound, fast, and keyword-rich website.

What does that mean in real terms?

• Your site should load in under 3 seconds

• Each page should target one main keyword (like “veteran-owned coffee shop in Mount Pleasant” or “Fort Worth business automation expert”)

• Titles and meta descriptions must be filled in

• Pages should be mobile-friendly

Fix it:

• Run your site through pagespeed.web.dev

• Use a tool like Yoast SEO (WordPress) or [RankMath] for guidance

• Optimize image sizes, clean up your homepage, and make your services crystal clear

3. You Don’t Have Local Citations or Backlinks

Google’s algorithm pays attention to consistency and authority. If your business info is missing from local directories (or inconsistent across them), you’ll struggle to rank.

Likewise, if no one else online is linking to your site, Google assumes you’re not credible.

Fix it:

• Submit your business to:

  • Yelp

  • Facebook

  • Yellow Pages

  • Apple Maps

  • Bing Places

  • Chamber of Commerce or local news outlets

• Make sure your Name, Address, Phone (NAP) is identical on every platform

• Ask partners or vendors to link to your site

💡 Bonus Reason: You Just Launched

If your site is less than 30–60 days old, Google may not have fully indexed it yet. It takes time to crawl and understand a new website.

That’s why it's important to set things up right from the start — including submitting your sitemap to Google Search Console.

Quick SEO Fixes You Can Do Today

1. Search “your business name + city”
   – See what shows up. Are you even listed?

2. Check your Google Business Profile
   – Are your services listed? Is your description clear? Are you getting reviews?

3. Install Google Analytics & Search Console
   – Free tools that tell you how people find (or aren’t finding) your site.

4. Add internal links between your homepage and service pages
   – Google loves organized sites with clear connections between topics.

5. Write 2–3 blog posts targeting local or niche keywords
   – Example: “Best coffee in Pittsburg, TX” or “How automation helps small contractors grow”

What Long-Term SEO Success Looks Like

SEO isn’t a one-time fix — it’s a long game that builds momentum. The businesses you see dominating local results?

They’ve done the work consistently.

Here’s what a winning SEO stack looks like over time:

• Google Business fully optimized + 20+ reviews

• Website targeting 5–10 key local services

• 1–2 blog posts per month answering real customer questions

• A handful of quality backlinks

• Active presence on Facebook, YouTube, or LinkedIn (with links to your site)

When all of that works together, Google doesn’t just show your business — it recommends it.

🧭 You Don’t Have to Do It Alone

At Vertical Growth Solutions, we help small and midsize businesses get visible online without wasting time or money.

We take care of:

• Setting up and optimizing your Google Business Profile

• Fixing your site’s SEO structure

• Creating blog content that ranks

• Automating your review system

• Building authority with local citations and backlinks

We’re not just SEO experts — we’re business builders. If you want to grow, we’ll help you show up and stand out.

📩 Want to know where you stand?
We’ll run a free visibility audit for your business and tell you what’s missing.

👉 Visit verticalgrowthsolutions.org or send us a message.