For anyone who remembers me banging on about that Google bug for the last few years, it looks like it’s finally fixed. Here’s what was happening: my profile social links would always show my Instagram, but never my YouTube channel. Which is… not ideal, because pretty much my entire following is on YouTube, so it was sending people to the wrong place and making everything way more confusing than it needed to be. I’ve been reporting it to Google over and over, and after a ridiculous amount of time, they’ve finally updated it. So if you click my profile now, you should actually see my YouTube link like you were supposed to all along.

My green circle is staying at 80% even after l have done everything google suggests. It tells me l have nothing else to do. BAFFLED

Every so often i like to take a reality check As I continue to solve my members issues and challenges, its always great if "totally get it" in that way I can explain the solutions and fixes to solve real pains not just what I think the pains are So which of these are real pains for you or really resonate? 1. Rank drops and weak visibility You used to rank (or expect to), but you’re slipping or invisible, and leads are down. 2. Suspensions and trust problems (reinstatement, duplicates, wrong address, fake listings) You’re scared of losing the profile, or you already have, and you want it stable. 3. Confusion on what actually works (setup, service-area rules, reviews, features) You’re trying things but don’t know what moves the needle.

Do you hate putting yourself out there, but still want your business to stand out on Google? I know I did for several years before I started showing my face on YouTube. Below is one of my early YouTube thumbnails, where i didn't want my face seen. Me as a cartoon character, which really confused my visitors. But the thing is I'm not alone. A client recently told me: “I don’t like being visible. I prefer to stay in the background.” It's totally understandable. But here’s the problem: when I looked at his Google Business Profile: - He had very few team photos - Mostly stock imagery - Little real-world proof This makes it tough for customers (and Google) to trust the business. So, what did we do? We didn’t turn him into a social media influencer. Instead, we: - Added real installation photos - Showed the team at work - Created simple case study posts - Encouraged review photos from customers No ‘look at me’ content. Just proof. The lesson: Google rewards real businesses doing real work. - Stock photos don’t build trust. - Generic posts don’t build authority. - Real people, real projects, and real reviews build prominence, and prominence drives rankings. You don’t need to be loud. You just need to be visible in the right way.

Sometimes the most helpful thing I can do is ask the right question. If you’re using Google Maps and Search to keep your business visible, you’ve probably hit that moment where you think, “Am I even focusing on the right thing?” Maybe your calls dropped, your reviews slowed down, your ranking shifted, or you’re not sure what to post anymore. If you’ve got a specific question I haven’t covered here yet, my full back catalogue is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ZanetDesign Now I want to hear from you. What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing with your Google Business Profile right now—reviews, ranking, suspensions, categories, posts, photos, or something else? Drop it in the comments, because your question might be the reason I make my next tutorial.