If you have ever asked questions like how do I get my business on Google, how do I make my website show up, or how do I rank higher, the good news is that the process is not as complicated as most people think. You do not need advanced SEO knowledge.
This guide covers five simple steps that will help your business appear on Google Search and Google Maps, improve your rankings, and increase your online visibility.
For this example, let us use a plumber (Joe the Plumber) in a small city such as Ajax.
🔍 Step 1: Know Your Keywords and Your Current Rankings
Difficulty Index: ⭐☆☆☆☆ (2 / 10)
Before your business can show up on Google, you need to know:
- Which keywords you want to rank for
- Where you currently rank for them
Start with your brand name (Joe the Plumber). Appearing on page one or position one is a good sign.
Next, search for industry keywords like:
- plumber + Ajax
Evaluate:
- Are you on the first page
- Are you close to the top
- If not, continue to Step 2
🔗 Use Google Keyword Planner if you need help finding keywords relevant to your business.
https://ads.google.com/home/tools/keyword-planner/
📍 Step 2: Create a Google Business Profile (If You Have a Physical Location)
Difficulty Index: ⭐⭐☆☆☆ (3 / 10)
If your business has a physical location, you should create a Google Business Profile.
You do not need a website for this.
🔗 Create a Google Business Profile
https://www.google.com/business/
After your profile is approved:
- Search your brand name to confirm it appears
- Search plumber + Ajax to check if you appear in the Local 3 Pack
Do not worry if you are not in the Local 3 Pack right away. Improve your visibility by:
✔ Getting customer reviews
✔ Adding new photos
✔ Updating your services
✔ Listing your business in directories (citations)
📝 Step 3: Create Winning Content
Difficulty Index: ⭐⭐☆☆☆ (4 / 10)
After selecting your keywords, compare your content to the top five competitors.
Search your target keyword and ask:
- Is my landing page clearer
- Does it answer the main question
- Does it include visuals, examples, instructions
- Would I choose my page if I were the user
If any answer is no, improve your page.
Once your content becomes superior, rankings often increase within days (for low-competition keywords.
🔧 Step 4: Install Google Search Console and Check Indexing
Difficulty Index: ⭐⭐☆☆☆ (4 / 10)
You cannot rank if Google cannot crawl or index your website.
🔗 Install Google Search Console
https://search.google.com/search-console/about
Check for:
- Indexing problems
- Mobile usability issues
- Crawling errors
- Pages blocked from ranking
- Website performance (Core Web Vitals)
Search Console also shows:
- Keywords you already rank for
- Your average positions
- Click through rate
- Ranking trends over time
Google Search Console has a notification system for critical errors. Read through those errors and try to fix them with the help of your web developer. This is the fastest way to understand why your site is not appearing on Google.
📈 Step 5: Off Page Factors and Building Website Authority
Difficulty Index: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (10 / 10)
If you have:
✔ Winning content that matches the targeted keywords
✔ Crawlable and indexable website
✔ A complete Google Business Profile
but you still do not rank, the issue is usually low website authority.
Google trusts sites that earn:
- High quality backlinks
- Mentions on reputable sites
- Local citations
- Digital PR
- Broad web presence
These items support Google’s E-E-A-T system (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust), which helps Google determine how trustworthy and credible your business is.
If resources are limited, acquiring high-quality backlinks should be the first priority to improve domain authority and support E-E-A-T.
Assuming your keyword is not highly competitive, you do not need hundreds of links, a few strong, authoritative ones can make a big impact.
For highly competitive keywords, however, you will need exceptional domain authority and a more aggressive link-building strategy.
🎯 Final Takeaway
Google’s algorithm is a complicated system with hundreds of ranking factors, formulas, and signals. However, it translates into a much simpler set of actions you need to take on your website.
If you:
- Choose the right keywords
- Create better content than your competitors
- Create a professional, crawlable, and indexable website (most modern CMSs are easy for Google to crawl and index)
- Build authority with strong backlinks
Your business will appear on Google Search and Google Maps, and you will rank for more valuable keywords.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
About the Author: Wisam Abdulaziz
