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The Google Business Name Paradox: Policy vs. Rankings in Local SEO

The Google Business Name Paradox: Policy vs. Rankings in Local SEO

SmithDigital
• 5 min
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Google’s official guidance is clear: your Google Business Profile name should reflect your real-world business name—nothing more. But local search results in 2025 tell a different story. In this episode, we break down the ongoing contradiction between Google’s public policy on business names and what consistently performs in competitive local search results. Drawing from real-world observation and ranking patterns, the episode explores why keyword-rich business names continue to outperform, even as Google publicly discourages the practice. We examine: Why business name relevance remains a dominant local ranking signal How Google’s algorithm rewards keyword alignment despite policy language The calculated risk businesses face when optimizing for visibility vs. compliance What this disconnect means for agencies and local businesses navigating local SEO today This is not a how-to on gaming the system—but an honest analysis of how local search actually works in practice.