Why 90% of Businesses Fail on Google (And How to Fix It)

90% of businesses are failing on Google. Not struggling, not doing okay—failing. And it's costing them customers every single day.

We see this constantly: business owners who are excellent at what they do but are completely invisible when people search for their services. Meanwhile, competitors who might not be as good are getting the calls because they show up first.

Here's what's really frustrating: most of these business owners are paying agencies hundreds or thousands of dollars a month to keep failing. These agencies make the same basic mistakes over and over.

Today we're showing you exactly why 90% of local businesses fail on Google and how to fix it. No complicated tools, no expensive agencies—just real fixes that actually work.

Mistake #1: Going After Impossible Keywords

The first mistake we see consistently is local businesses trying to rank for keywords that are way too competitive.

A plumber in Melbourne trying to rank for "best plumber in Victoria"? There are thousands of plumbers in Victoria. You're never going to rank for that, especially if you're just starting out.

But here's what kills us: That same plumber could probably rank number one for "emergency plumber Fitzroy" or "drain cleaning Richmond" in 30 days without massive effort.

The Numbers Tell the Story

Using a keyword research tool like SEMrush or Ubersuggest:

• "Plumber Melbourne": Keyword difficulty 39 (hard to rank for)
• "Emergency plumbing Fitzroy": Keyword difficulty 0 (no competition)

And the people searching for an emergency plumber? They are ready to pay.

Why Agencies Push Hard Keywords

Most SEO agencies will tell you to go after the hardest keywords because then they can charge you more and say it's going to take longer. That's nonsense.

The smart approach: Start with the easy ones first. Get traffic flowing, then go after harder keywords once you've built authority.

The Fix

Use any keyword research tool (SEMrush, Ahrefs, Ubersuggest, or even Google Keyword Planner) and look for keywords with your city or suburb name that have:

• Low difficulty (under 30)
• Decent search volume (20-100+ searches per month)
• Clear commercial intent

Target those first.

Mistake #2: Their Google Business Profile Is Complete Trash

We don't want to be harsh, but we see businesses with three photos total (two of them just their logo), wrong hours, or they never respond to reviews—especially the bad ones.

When you search for "dentist Melbourne," the businesses that show up first aren't necessarily the best dentists. They're the ones with the most complete Google Business Profiles who are actually doing SEO.

They have:

• More photos
• More reviews
• Accurate information
• They actually respond to people

The Agency Racket

Agencies will charge you $300+ per month to "manage" your Google Business Profile. For what? To post a photo once a week?

What You Actually Need to Do (Free)

One-time setup (2-3 hours):

1. Add 15-20 photos of your actual work, services, and team (not just the outside of your building)
2. Write a real description of what you do and who you serve
3. Optimize your products and service descriptions (this is what most people miss)
4. Ensure hours are accurate, especially during holidays

Weekly maintenance (20-30 minutes):

1. Post regular updates (weekly is ideal)
2. Respond to every review within 24 hours, especially the bad ones
3. Add new photos regularly (2-3 per week)
4. Answer questions in the Q&A section

That's it. No agency needed.

Mistake #3: Writing for Robots Instead of Humans

This is the worst mistake because it shows that someone hired a cheap SEO agency (probably from Fiverr) that has no idea what they're doing.

What Keyword Stuffing Looks Like

Bad title tag:

Best Melbourne Restaurant Italian Food Melbourne Victoria Pasta Pizza Melbourne

That's not a title—that's keyword vomit.

Bad content:

What are the best Melbourne restaurants serving Melbourne residents 
with the best Melbourne food in Melbourne, Victoria?

Nobody talks like that. Nobody searches like that. And definitely nobody wants to read that.

This is what happens when you hire a $200/month SEO agency that just stuffs keywords everywhere.

What Actually Works

Write like a human would (because you are a human, right?) and answer the questions your customers actually ask.

Instead of this:

Best Melbourne HVAC Company Melbourne Victoria Furnace Repair Melbourne

Try this:

Furnace Repair in Melbourne | 24/7 Emergency Service

Instead of this:

We are the best Melbourne HVAC serving Melbourne residents with 
quality Melbourne heating and cooling services in Melbourne.

Try this:

We've been keeping Melbourne homes comfortable for over 10 years. 
Whether your furnace breaks down at 2 AM or you need a new air 
conditioning unit installed, we're here to help.

See the difference? One sounds like a human wrote it. The other sounds like AI that just learned English yesterday.

What This Actually Costs You

Every month you're not showing up on Google, your competitors are getting customers that should be calling you.

Think about it this way: If you normally get 10 new customers per month, and your competitor ranks #1 while you're on page three, they're probably getting 20-30 new customers per month.

That's not just lost revenue. That's your competitors growing while you stay stuck.

And the worst (or best) part? These are all fixable problems.

You don't need to spend thousands on an agency. You don't need expensive tools. You just need to know what to fix.

Your Exact Action Plan

Step 1: Find Keywords You Can Actually Rank For

Use keyword research tools to look for keywords with your city or suburb name that aren't impossible to rank for.

Tools to use:

• Google Keyword Planner (free)
• Ubersuggest (free version available)
• SEMrush (paid, but comprehensive)
• Ahrefs (paid, excellent for competitive analysis)

What to look for:

• Keywords with difficulty scores under 30
• Include your location (city, suburb, or region)
• 20-100+ monthly searches
• Clear commercial intent

Step 2: Spend an Afternoon Fixing Your Google Business Profile

Don't assume you're ranking #1 already. If you're watching this, you're probably not.

Action items:

• Add 15-20 real photos showing your work, team, and location
• Write a compelling, human description (not keyword-stuffed)
• Fill out every section completely (services, products, attributes)
• Update your hours and contact information
• Respond to all existing reviews (yes, even the old ones)
• Set a weekly reminder to post updates and add photos

Step 3: Rewrite Your Website to Sound Human

Include your location naturally:

• In your title tags
• In your H1 headings
• Throughout your content (but naturally)

Answer customer questions:

• What are people actually asking?
• Use AnswerThePublic to find common questions
• Create content that directly addresses these questions

Build trust:

• Share your story
• Show your team
• Explain your process
• Include real testimonials

Australian Business Specifics

Local Search Patterns

Australians heavily use "near me" searches and Google Maps to find local services. Your Google Business Profile is often more important than your website for initial visibility.

Suburb-Level Optimization

Don't just target "Melbourne" or "Sydney." Target specific suburbs:

• "Plumber Fitzroy"
• "Electrician Bondi"
• "Dentist Fortitude Valley"

These have less competition and higher intent—people searching for suburb-specific services are ready to hire.

Local Directories Matter

Get listed on Australian-specific directories:

• True Local
• Yellow Pages Australia
• Australian Business Register
• Your local Chamber of Commerce website
• Industry-specific Australian directories

Timeline Expectations

This isn't going to make you rank #1 overnight. SEO takes time. But these three fixes will get you moving in the right direction instead of spinning your wheels.

Realistic timeline:

• Weeks 1-2: Google Business Profile optimization shows results
• Months 1-3: Start appearing for low-competition local keywords
• Months 3-6: Build momentum, rank for multiple local terms
• Months 6-12: Compete for more competitive keywords

Common Questions

"Can't I just hire an agency to do this?"

You can, but make sure they're not making these same mistakes. Many agencies focus on vanity metrics (rankings for impossible keywords) rather than actual business results (calls and customers from achievable keywords).

"How much should I spend?"

If you're DIYing this with our small business digital marketing course, you can implement these strategies for free or minimal cost. If hiring help, expect $1,500-$3,000/month for quality local SEO work—anything significantly cheaper is likely cutting corners.

"What if I'm in a very competitive market?"

Even in competitive markets like Sydney or Melbourne CBD, suburb-specific and long-tail keywords are achievable. Our online marketing course for small business teaches you how to identify these opportunities even in crowded markets.

Want to Master Local SEO?

These three mistakes are just the tip of the iceberg. Mastering local SEO requires understanding keyword research, technical optimization, content strategy, and ongoing maintenance.

At 20 Minute Marketing, our small business digital marketing training is specifically designed for Australian businesses who want to take control of their online presence. We teach you the complete framework for local SEO, Google Business Profile optimization, and content marketing that actually generates customers.

Our courses cut through the agency nonsense and show you exactly what works—based on real results from Australian small businesses, not theory from overseas.

Whether you're doing it yourself or managing an agency, our small business digital marketing course gives you the knowledge to avoid expensive mistakes and implement strategies that actually generate revenue.

The Bottom Line

The three biggest reasons businesses fail on Google are:

1. Targeting impossible keywords instead of achievable ones
2. Neglecting their Google Business Profile (the easiest win)
3. Writing for robots instead of humans

All three are completely fixable without expensive agencies or complicated tools.

Stop paying agencies to keep you invisible. Start focusing on what actually works: achievable keywords, a complete Google Business Profile, and content written for humans.

Your competitors aren't necessarily better than you—they're just more visible. Fix these three mistakes, and you'll start getting the calls that should have been yours all along.

Ready to stop failing on Google? Explore our small business digital marketing training designed for Australian businesses who want real results.