Why Your Competitors Keep Showing Up First on Google (And What You Can Do About It)

The Real Reason Your Competitors Are Winning

You do great work. Your customers are happy. So why do your competitors keep showing up ahead of you when homeowners search for your services?

The frustrating truth: It’s not because they’re better than you. They’re just showing up better online.

Here’s what most business owners don’t realize: Google’s algorithm is actively scoring your Google Business Profile RIGHT NOW based on signals you probably don’t even know it’s looking for.

Let’s break down exactly what Google cares about—and answer the questions we hear most often.

The 4 Signals That Control Your Google Rankings

1. Fresh Content

What it is: Google rewards recent activity. If your last photo was 6 months ago, you’re losing to competitors posting weekly—even if their work is worse.

Q: How often should I be posting to my Google Business Profile?

A: At minimum, weekly. Google’s algorithm prioritizes businesses that show consistent activity. Think of it like social media—the more you post, the more Google sees you as an active, relevant business worth showing to searchers. Posts older than 7 days start losing their impact.

Q: What should I even post about? I don’t want to sound repetitive.

A: You have more content than you think:

• Before/after project photos
• Seasonal tips (“Get your roof inspected before winter”)
• Customer success stories (without naming names if privacy is a concern)
• Service spotlights (“Did you know we offer emergency repairs?”)
• Team introductions
• Educational content (“5 signs you need a new HVAC system”)

The key is variety. Google rewards different content types: photos, videos, updates, offers, and events.

Q: Do videos really make a difference?

A: Absolutely. Videos autoplay as people scroll through Google Maps results. Even if you’re ranked #5, that movement catches the eye and drives clicks you wouldn’t otherwise get. More clicks = engagement signal = better ranking. You don’t need Hollywood production—a 15-second clip of your crew working or a finished project works perfectly.

Q: I don’t have time to post every week. What are my options?

A: This is exactly why businesses either fall behind or invest in automation. You can:

1. Block 30 minutes once a month to batch-create posts
2. Use tools that suggest what to post and when
3. Have your team take photos during jobs and schedule them
4. Work with a service like Olly Olly that handles it automatically

The businesses winning on Google aren’t manually posting every week—they’ve systematized it.

2. Review Velocity Signal

What it is: It’s not total reviews—it’s recency. Ten new reviews this month beats 50 from two years ago. Fresh reviews signal to Google that you’re active, which means you’re a trusted business to recommend.

Q: I have 50+ reviews. Why am I still losing to competitors with fewer reviews?

A: Because Google cares MORE about when you got those reviews than how many you have. If all 50 of your reviews are from 2+ years ago and your competitor got 10 reviews in the last 30 days, Google sees them as the “hot” business right now. Fresh reviews = active business = trustworthy to recommend.

Q: How many reviews per month should I be getting?

A: It depends on your market and competitors, but a good baseline is 2-5 per month minimum. Check your top 3 competitors—if they’re averaging 8-10 per month, that’s your target to beat. Google tracks velocity (the rate of new reviews), so consistency matters more than occasional bursts.

Q: How do I get customers to actually leave reviews? They always say they will but never do.

A: The issue isn’t that customers don’t want to help—it’s that you’re relying on memory instead of systems. Here’s what works:

Timing: Ask immediately after completing the job, while they’re still excited. “Mind leaving us a quick review while I’m here? It helps us out a ton.”

Make it easy: Text them a direct link to your Google review page. Don’t make them search for you.

Follow up: Most people need a reminder. Send a friendly follow-up text 2-3 days later: “Hey [Name], just checking in—would you mind leaving us that review? Here’s the link: [URL]”

Automate it: The businesses getting consistent reviews have automated this process. After each job closes, the system sends a personalized text/email automatically. If there’s no response, it follows up naturally. No manual work required.

Q: What if I get a bad review? Will that hurt my ranking?

A: A few negative reviews won’t tank you—in fact, all 5-stars can look suspicious to Google. What matters is:

1. Your overall rating (4.5+ is the sweet spot)
2. How you respond (professional, helpful responses show you care)
3. That you’re still getting fresh positive reviews to dilute the negative ones

Respond to every review, good or bad. Google tracks engagement, and businesses that respond rank higher.

Q: Can I incentivize reviews with discounts or gift cards?

A: Technically, no—Google’s policy prohibits “gating” or incentivizing reviews. But you CAN:

• Make asking for reviews part of your standard process
• Thank customers who leave reviews with a future discount (not offered beforehand)
• Create a “customer appreciation” program that includes review requests as one touchpoint

The key is you can’t condition the reward on leaving a review. Make it part of your customer experience, not a transaction.

3. Completeness Signal

What it is: If a service isn’t listed—like “emergency repair”—Google assumes you don’t offer it. You’re excluded from those searches entirely.

Q: What exactly does Google consider “complete”?

A: Google evaluates your GBP on dozens of factors:

• Business name, address, phone (NAP)
• Business category (primary + secondary categories)
• Service areas
• Hours of operation (including special hours)
• Services list (every single service you offer)
• Attributes (women-owned, veteran-owned, online estimates, etc.)
• Business description
• Photos (exterior, interior, team, products, services)
• Q&A section

Profiles at 100% completion rank significantly higher than those at 60-70%.

Q: I filled everything out when I set up my profile. Why does it say I’m incomplete?

A: Two reasons:

1. Google keeps adding new fields. Attributes, service options, and categories expand regularly. What was “complete” last year might be 80% today.
2. You’re missing services you actually offer. Most businesses list their main 3-5 services but forget the specifics. For example:

A roofing company might list:

• Roof Repair
• Roof Replacement

But they’re missing:

• Emergency Roof Repair
• Storm Damage Repair
• Roof Inspection
• Gutter Installation
• Roof Cleaning
• Skylight Installation

Each of those is a separate search query. If it’s not listed, you don’t show up for that search.

Q: How do I know what services to list?

A: Three ways:

1. Check your competitors’ GBPs – What services are they listing that you’re not?
2. Think about customer search behavior – They don’t search for “general contracting,” they search for “kitchen remodel” or “bathroom renovation”
3. Use keyword tools – See what people in your area are actually searching for

Be specific. “HVAC Services” is too broad. List: AC Repair, Furnace Repair, AC Installation, Duct Cleaning, Thermostat Installation, Emergency HVAC, etc.

Q: Will listing too many services hurt me?

A: No, as long as you actually offer them. Google rewards comprehensiveness. The more specific services you list, the more search queries you can appear in. Just don’t list services you don’t actually provide—that’s misleading and can get you flagged.

Q: What about the Q&A section? Does that really matter?

A: YES. The Q&A section is massively underutilized. Here’s why it matters:

• Google indexes Q&A content for search
• It shows up in your GBP listing
• Competitors can post questions (sometimes negative ones) if you don’t control it
• You can preemptively answer common objections

Pro tip: Seed your own Q&A section with questions you WANT to answer:

• “Do you offer emergency services?”
• “What areas do you serve?”
• “Are you licensed and insured?”
• “Do you offer free estimates?”

Answer them thoroughly with keywords. This is free SEO real estate most businesses ignore.

4. Engagement Signal

What it is: Google tracks actions like calls, directions, website clicks. Competitors getting 200+ actions per month look “popular.” You get 40? Google ranks you lower.

Q: How do I look popular if I’m not ranking high enough to get clicks in the first place?

A: This is the classic chicken-and-egg problem. Here’s how to break the cycle:

Start with what Google CAN’T ignore:

GBP Posts with Video – Videos autoplay as people scroll through Google Maps results, even if you’re ranked #5. That movement catches the eye and drives clicks you wouldn’t otherwise get. More clicks = engagement signal = better ranking.

Get Strategic with Reviews – Ask your next 10 customers to leave reviews. Even from position #4, fresh reviews create momentum. Google sees the velocity signal and starts testing you higher in results.

Use Your Service List – List EVERY service you offer (including “emergency [service]”). When someone searches those specific terms, you show up in those searches even if your overall ranking is lower. Each of those appearances = opportunity for clicks.

Photos with Faces – Photos of your team and completed projects get 2.3x more clicks than generic stock photos. People click on people.

The Real Answer: You don’t need to be #1 to start getting engagement. You just need to be MORE engaging than whoever IS #1. Once you start outperforming them on clicks and actions, Google moves you up because their algorithm rewards what users actually engage with.

Think of it like this: Your competitor at #1 might have 100 calls/month but their GBP looks dead (6-month-old photos, no posts). You’re at #4 with fresh content and videos. When someone scrolls through, YOUR profile looks more active. You get the click. Do that consistently for 30-60 days, and Google notices the pattern and moves you up.

Q: What counts as “engagement” to Google?

A: Google tracks multiple engagement signals:

• Phone calls (clicked the “Call” button)
• Direction requests (clicked for driving directions)
• Website clicks (clicked through to your website)
• Photo views (how many people view your photos)
• Booking button clicks (if you have booking enabled)
• Message button clicks (if you have messaging enabled)

All of these signal to Google that people are interacting with your business. The more engagement you have compared to competitors, the higher you rank.

Q: Can I track these engagement metrics myself?

A: Yes! Google provides insights directly in your GBP dashboard showing:

• Total views (how many people saw your profile)
• Search queries (what people searched to find you)
• Actions taken (calls, directions, website clicks)
• Photo views and comparisons to competitors

You should be checking this monthly AT MINIMUM. If your engagement is dropping, your rankings will follow.

Q: My competitor is clearly getting fake engagement. Why does Google reward that?

A: Google is getting better at detecting fake engagement, but they’re not perfect. However, here’s the thing: fake engagement rarely converts to real business. Your goal isn’t just to rank—it’s to get customers.

Focus on authentic engagement:

• Real reviews from real customers
• Genuine interactions from actual searchers
• Content that provides real value

Fake engagement might give a temporary ranking boost, but it doesn’t build a sustainable business. Plus, Google is constantly improving their spam detection. Businesses using black-hat tactics eventually get caught and penalized.

Q: Does responding to reviews count as engagement?

A: Absolutely. Google tracks owner responses as a positive signal. Businesses that respond to reviews (especially quickly) rank higher than those that don’t. It shows you’re active and care about customer feedback.

Best practices:

• Respond within 24-48 hours
• Personalize each response (don’t copy-paste)
• Address specific details from the review
• Thank positive reviewers
• Professionally address concerns in negative reviews

The Bottom Line: Why This Matters

Every day you’re not showing up in the top 3, those calls aren’t disappearing—they’re just going to your competitors.

If you’re ranking #8, #12, or #20+, you’re essentially invisible. Studies show 80% of clicks happen in the top 3 results before anyone ever scrolls further.

That’s the moment that’s costing you jobs.

The good news? These signals are completely fixable. Your competitors aren’t doing anything magical—they’re just consistently doing the things Google rewards:

✅ Posting fresh content weekly
✅ Getting new reviews every month
✅ Keeping their profile 100% complete
✅ Driving engagement through their GBP

The tactical play: Focus on the engagement signals you CAN control (posts, photos, review requests, service listings) rather than obsessing over the ranking you can’t directly control. The ranking follows the engagement, not the other way around.

What’s Next: DIY or Automate?

Now that you know what Google is looking for, you have two choices:

1. DIY it – Block time every week to post, systematize your review process, audit your completeness, and track your engagement metrics
2. Automate it – Use tools and systems that handle this automatically while you focus on running your business

Most successful businesses choose option #2—not because they’re lazy, but because consistency beats intensity. The businesses dominating Google Maps aren’t manually managing everything. They’ve built systems that work whether they’re on vacation, on a job site, or dealing with an emergency.

Want to see where you stand? Run a free GBP audit and we’ll show you exactly which signals you’re missing—and what your competitors are doing that you’re not.

The reality: Your competitors showing up ahead of you aren’t better. They’re just playing a game you didn’t know existed.

Now you know the rules. Time to play.

See Exactly Where You Stand

Want to see where you're falling behind? Our team can run a free GBP audit to show you exactly which signals you're missing—and what your competitors are doing that you're not. Call us today.

Call For Your Free Audit