Client Nightmares: I Googled My Business and It’s Not Ranked as High as Before!

You Googled your business, didn’t see it, and your pulse spiked a little. Let’s walk through why that search might be misleading, and what to do instead.

You typed your business into Google, expecting that reassuring glow of a page-one result. After all, 75% of Google users never go past the first page of the search engine results. But this time, it was crickets. No homepage or listing, just your competitors. You have that sinking feeling in your gut—your business is behind, and you don’t know what to do.

Let’s break down what’s really going on and how to get answers that actually reflect how your site’s performing.

Why self-googling feels right (but isn’t)

Search results are personal, just not in a helpful way.

Here’s the tricky part: Google knows you really well. It remembers what you clicked last week, which site you spent time on, where you’re located, and what device you’re using. That’s great for convenience, but not so great for unbiased SEO diagnostics. 

Here are a few of the biggest reasons googling your business can lead you astray:

• Personalization bias: Google adjusts search results based on your past behavior. So the same search might show your business at the top but only for you.
• Location-specific results: Local SEO varies depending on where the search happens. If you’re looking from a different zip code (or just across town), you might see a totally different lineup.
• Branded vs. unbranded keywords: Local SEO for small business shows how you rank for… well, your business name. That’s not the same as ranking for things like “custom website design” or “financial advisor NYC,” which is where most new customers find you.
• Autocomplete weirdness: If you search for your brand frequently, Google starts trying to “help” by tailoring autocomplete suggestions. This warps your perception of what others see.

Even if you search in Incognito mode, Google still knows your location and doesn’t give an accurate SEO representation. Incognito removes your personal search history and logged-in Google account signals, but results are still influenced by factors like location, device type, and real-time SERP (Search Engine Results Pages) testing on Google’s side. Incognito searches also aren’t a reliable way to measure true position.

So while googling yourself feels like checking the temperature, it’s more like licking your finger and guessing the humidity. Not totally useless, but not reliable enough to base decisions on.

“You don’t know what you don’t know—and Google doesn’t show the same reality to everyone.” — Conrad Strabone, Managing Partner & President | e9digital

So what determines rankings?

Google doesn’t play favorites, but it does have a system.

The inner workings of Google’s algorithm are famously secretive, but we do know the five core ingredients. When deciding what ranks where, Google considers:

1. Query meaning: Are you addressing what users are actually trying to find?
2. Content relevance: At the most basic level, does your page answer the question or match the intent? (it’s more complicated than this)
3. Content quality: Is your site offering trustworthy, original, well-organized info?
4. Usability: Is it fast, mobile-friendly, easy to navigate?
5. Context: Things like location, device, and past behavior play a role, just like when you search.

If one of these elements is off, it can affect where you appear. But none of them are permanent setbacks. They’re all things a good SEO strategy can improve.

And now, there’s a new wildcard in the mix: Google’s AI Overviews. These summaries are starting to appear at the top of some search results, sometimes pulling content from your site without actually linking to it. That means even if your content ranks well, it might get buried below an AI snippet. It’s another reason to make sure your site is optimized for quality, authority, and structured data that AI tools can’t ignore.

The accurate way to check your rankings: work with an SEO specialist

The real story lives in tracked data, not Google searches.

Instead of guessing based on your personal search results, e9digital uses professional keyword tracking tools that strip away bias and show you exactly how your site ranks for the keywords that matter most. Not just the branded stuff, but the search terms people are using when they don’t know your name yet.

At e9digital, we track:

• Keywords: The words in queries that you rank for (and where you need to start showing up)
• Competitors: The rankings of your competitors and the keywords they use. 
• Content: Which blogs and service pages are driving traffic and what’s not pulling its weight.
• Technical issues: Any problems on your website that might be slowing you down.

This way, you have clarity on the keywords that are generating traffic and leads for your business.

“If you only look at where you rank today, you’ll always feel behind. What matters is whether the trend is moving in the right direction.” — Conrad Strabone, Managing Partner & President | e9digital

Take the guesswork out of your rankings with e9digital

Search results are always in motion (especially with AI Overviews). What matters is the long-term trend.

It’s completely natural to feel concerned if you don’t see your site where you expect it. But SEO is a long game. Rankings can fluctuate due to updates, competition, or changes in how people search (ChatGPT, anyone?!?). What you want is a trusted strategy from someone who can help you understand what’s working, what’s not, and how to move forward.

If you’ve been searching your business and getting mixed signals, we’re here to help you sort fact from fiction. e9digital offers expert keyword tracking, SEO audits, and content strategies that are grounded in real data.

We can show you where your website really stands and help you figure out how to get to Google’s first page.

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