Google’s official stance is straightforward. Business names in Google Business Profiles must reflect a company’s real-world name and should not include keyword stuffing.
In practice, anyone who works in local SEO knows there is a wide gap between policy and performance.
Exact-match and keyword-rich business names continue to be one of the strongest local ranking signals. They are strong enough that even permanently closed businesses can still outrank legitimate competitors if the keyword match is good enough.
A recent example circulating on X highlights just how visible this contradiction has become.
The example shows a permanently closed business named “Life And Accidental Death Claim Lawyers” ranking prominently for searches like “wrongful death lawyer near me.”
The listing is marked as closed. Posting is turned off. The business is no longer operating.
Yet it still ranks.
The reason is simple. The business name closely mirrors the search query, and Google’s local algorithm continues to treat name relevance as a primary signal.
Despite years of policy updates, business names remain disproportionately influential in local search.
Google uses the business name as a high-confidence relevance indicator. When search terms closely match a business name, the listing is immediately considered relevant, often before reviews, proximity, or even website quality are evaluated.
Enforcement is largely complaint-driven rather than algorithmic. Google does not proactively remove keyword-heavy names at scale. In most cases, listings are only corrected or suspended after competitors report them and a manual review occurs.
Historical authority also plays a role. Older listings with citations, links, engagement data, and user interactions do not instantly lose visibility when a business closes. If the name strongly matches search intent, that authority can continue to prop the listing up for a surprisingly long time.
Google publicly discourages keyword usage in business names while simultaneously rewarding listings that include them.
The result is a system where keyword-heavy names often rank higher, appear more frequently, and outperform cleaner, more brand-focused businesses that are strictly following the rules.
This is why many SEOs describe the situation as contradictory rather than confusing. Google says not to do it, but the algorithm continues to reward those who do.
This is where nuance matters.
Google does not prohibit keywords in business names. It prohibits inaccurate or fake business names.
If a keyword is legitimately part of a company’s real-world name and that name is used consistently offline, it is allowed. Product Experts like Joy Hawkins have repeatedly confirmed that keyword usage is acceptable as long as the business has a unique identifier and real-world proof.
That proof typically includes legal business registration, physical signage, consistent website usage, and supporting documentation such as invoices or contracts.
Problems arise when keywords are added only inside the Google Business Profile and not reflected anywhere else in the real world. Over-optimized names that read like advertisements rather than businesses, especially those stacked with modifiers like “best,” “top,” or “near me,” are far more likely to be flagged.
In practice, the biggest risk associated with keyword-rich business names is not the algorithm. It is other businesses.
In competitive verticals like legal, HVAC, medical, and home services, competitor reporting is common. Once a keyword-heavy listing starts outranking established firms, scrutiny increases.
If the business can defend its name with documentation, it usually survives. If it cannot, it becomes vulnerable to edits or suspension.
Google has never successfully replaced business name relevance with an equally strong alternative signal.
Reviews can be manipulated. Categories are broad and often shared by hundreds of competitors. Website quality varies widely and is harder to standardize.
The business name remains Google’s fastest and cleanest shortcut to relevance, even though it creates incentives that conflict with stated policy.
Until that changes, keyword-rich business names will continue to work.
For businesses that are early-stage, rebranding, or restructuring, the most defensible long-term approach is to include a single core keyword paired with a brand, geographic, or professional modifier. The name should be legally registered, reflected in signage, and used consistently across all digital and offline touchpoints.
This approach captures most of the ranking benefit while minimizing suspension risk.
This is not an accident. It is a calculated tradeoff.
Google cannot fully eliminate keyword-heavy business names without undermining local relevance, so enforcement remains selective, inconsistent, and heavily driven by user and competitor complaints.
For now, business names are still one of the most powerful—and least openly acknowledged—local ranking factors, regardless of whether Google is willing to say so publicly.