Ever Googled your business and winced? Maybe your site name looks off. The logo is outdated. Or the wrong favicon shows up in the tab. These small details don’t just bruise your brand, they quietly erode trust and click-throughs.

Most business owners don’t realize this: Google doesn’t magically get your site identity right. You have to help it. And the clearer you are, the better your search results will look. That’s where site representation settings come in, and they’re easier to fix than you might think.

When your search appearance sends the wrong signal

Let’s say you search for your business name. Instead of your current logo, Google shows your old one, the pixelated version you replaced months ago. Or worse, it still says “My WordPress Site” as the page title.

These aren’t huge SEO errors, but they signal neglect. And to a potential customer, they create doubt. Are you still active? Do you pay attention to details? Is this even the right website? If this sounds familiar, it’s worth revisiting the basics—like whether your site still shows sample content or forgotten defaults. We break down the most common signs in this post about the early warning signs of a neglected website.

And sometimes it’s not even your fault. Google may have scraped outdated info, guessed wrong, or picked up leftovers from a previous theme. Unless you clearly set your preferences, it fills in the blanks itself.

The fix? Get clear about your site identity

Google gives you tools to guide how your site is displayed. But they’re often buried, overlooked, or forgotten after launch. These are the settings that control your site’s name, logo, and how it’s associated with your organization in search results.

Here’s what to check:

• Site name – Make sure your real brand name is defined in your WordPress settings and in the site’s structured data
• Logo – Google prefers a rectangular logo in schema format, ideally set in your theme or via a plugin like Progress Planner
• Favicon – This small icon shows in browser tabs and mobile search cards. Double-check it’s modern, sharp, and matches your brand
• Organization markup – Structured data that tells Google who you are, what you do, and links your site to profiles like LinkedIn or Crunchbase

If that sounds like a lot, don’t worry. We break it down inside this Ravi’s Recommendation.

Why this matters more than it seems

Site representation settings fall into the category of “not urgent, but extremely visible.” You might not get an alert that they’re wrong. But they show up in your search results every single day.

Clear, correct identity settings help with:

• Click-through rate – People are more likely to click when they recognize your brand name and logo
• Trust – Consistency signals professionalism and care
• Brand memory – A familiar logo and name build recognition over time

Think of it this way: every time your site shows up in Google, you’re either reinforcing your brand or confusing it. Inconsistent visual signals—like old logos or placeholder titles—can quietly damage your brand perception. We explored how this shows up to visitors in our guide to common trust-breaking signals your website might be sending.

Don’t leave it to chance

Progress Planner checks for these kinds of things, quiet details that often go unnoticed but shape how your business shows up online.

Inside Progress Planner, we guide you through small but high-impact improvements like this one. We won’t overwhelm you with settings, but we will help you stay on top of them.

If your site still says “Just another WordPress site” or shows a random icon from 2019, this is a good place to start. These small oversights are part of a larger pattern. To keep your visibility sharp, it’s helpful to build regular habits. You’ll find a checklist of practical routines in our SEO maintenance best practices guide.