When was the last time you googled your business name?
Seriously, stop reading and do it now. Type your business name (not your website URL) into Google and see what comes up. The results are what your potential customers see when they search for you, before they ever get to your website, ad or profile.
Here’s what you should look for in 10 seconds or less.
1. Do you show up at all?
If your business name doesn’t show up on the first page, that’s a red flag. It means your site, Google Business Profile or listings aren’t doing their job. Either Google can’t find you, or your info is buried under irrelevant results. You’re basically invisible to the customer who’s trying to find you.
2. Are the results correct?
You might appear in search results, but are the details right? Look at:
- Your Google Business Profile (address, phone, hours)
- Reviews (are they even yours?)
- Facebook or directory listings (are they old or half-filled?)
- Your website (is it showing as the top result or missing entirely?)
Wrong or outdated info is worse than no info. Customers will bounce if they see dodgy details or think you’re not legit.
3. Who else shows up?
If a competitor appears when someone searches your business name, you’ve got work to do. This usually means they’re bidding on your name in Google Ads, or you’re not ranking strong enough organically.
This is common in competitive industries like plumbing, concreting or electrical where leads = gold.
How to fix it
- Have a professional web design agency conduct a quick assessment (at no charge) of any issues your website may have that could be causing this.
- Claim and clean up your Google Business Profile — update contact info, photos, hours and services.
- Google yourself regularly — check what appears and click through the results.
- Use your business name consistently — in headings, titles, content, and listings.
- Get a blog or project page going — Google loves fresh, relevant content tied to your business name.
- Run a quick Google Ads brand campaign — to protect your name if competitors are pinching clicks.
Why this matters
Tradies often think digital marketing means flashy ads or constantly posting on social media. However, long-term trust is built on being easily accessible, consistent, and reliable online. If Google doesn’t even know who you are, customers won’t either.
It takes 5 minutes to do this check and a little effort to clean it up, but the payoff is massive. You don’t need to outspend your competitors, outsmart them.