Top 10 Local SEO Mistakes Killing Your Google Ranking
And How to Fix Them Before Your Competitors Do
If your business isn’t showing up on Google, there’s a reason and it’s usually not what you think. You might have set up your Google Business Profile, added your hours, uploaded a photo or two, but still, you're stuck below the top 3.
Chances are, you’re making one or more of these 10 common local SEO mistakes.
Let’s fix them.
1. Your Google Business Profile Isn’t Fully Optimized
Many businesses leave blank sections or forget to update their info. That tells Google you're not active or relevant.
How to fix it: Fill out every section of your profile, including business description, services, categories, photos, and Q&A.
2. You Chose the Wrong Primary Category
Your primary category is what tells Google what kind of business you are. If it's inaccurate, you won’t show up for the right searches.
How to fix it: Choose the most relevant primary category for your core service. Review your competitors’ categories if you’re unsure.
3. Inconsistent Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP)
If your business details are inconsistent across the internet, Google doesn’t trust your listing. That can tank your ranking.
How to fix it: Make sure your name, address, and phone number match exactly everywhere your business appears online.
4. Not Enough Reviews or the Wrong Kind
Google favors businesses with a steady stream of recent, high-quality reviews. Generic or outdated reviews don’t help.
How to fix it: Ask every happy customer to leave a review. Make it easy and stress-free for them. Even better, guide them to include specific keywords in their review.
5. You’re Not Posting on Your Google Profile
Regular posts show Google you're active and engaged with your audience. It also helps build trust with potential customers.
How to fix it: Post once or twice a week with offers, photos of your work, FAQs, or updates.
6. Your Website Isn’t Supporting Your Local Presence
If your website is missing local keywords, is poorly optimized, or has no backlinks, it weakens your map rankings.
How to fix it: Make sure your site includes location-specific pages and content. Link your Google Business Profile directly on your homepage and footer.
7. You’re Missing Key Citations
Citations are online mentions of your business on trusted directories and platforms. They signal credibility to Google.
How to fix it: Get listed on sites like Yelp, Apple Maps, Bing, YellowPages, and niche directories for your industry.
8. Your Photos Are Generic or Low Quality
Photos can make or break a customer’s decision to click. Stock images or low-quality uploads lower trust and interest.
How to fix it: Use real, high-resolution photos of your space, your team, your work, and customer interactions.
9. No Clear Call to Action
If you’re not telling people what to do next, they won’t do it. Your profile needs to guide action.
How to fix it: Add a clear call to action in your business description, in your posts, and even in how you respond to reviews. Invite people to book, call, or visit.
10. You’re Not Keeping Up With Google’s Algorithm
Google updates how it ranks local businesses all the time. If you’re not staying current, you’re falling behind.
How to fix it: Either stay updated yourself or hire a team that does this every day.
Ready to Stop Making These Mistakes?
If you saw yourself in two or more of these issues, your visibility and revenue are taking a hit. But you don’t have to fix it all on your own.
At Rankbusters, we do all of this for you. From audits and cleanup to optimization and reviews. So you don’t just show up. You stand out.
Book Your Free Google Profile Audit
Let our team show you exactly what’s broken and how to fix it fast.
We only take on a limited number of clients each month to guarantee results.