A common SEO question I hear from serviced-based business owners: "Why is my website not showing on Google Search?". Here are the best actions to take if your website is not showing up in Google search.
Reference the Google Search Central Page
To start, we must first diagnose the specific google indexing issues we are facing. And it will be one of two options, which we can find on the Google Search Central page.
Is SEO worth it for small businesses? Absolutely, and the Google Search Central page is a resource hub from Google that provides tools, guides, and tips to help improve your website's visibility in Google Search.
It can help with indexing your website by offering:
Guides and Tutorials on how to make your website more searchable
Tools like the URL Inspection Tool to check if your pages are indexed correctly
Best Practices on optimising your site for better crawling and indexing
Support, help forums and documentation to troubleshoot issues with your site's visibility
By following the guidance on Google Search Central, you can improve how well your site is indexed and ranked by Google. Also, while you are at it, do not forget to follow this mobile SEO checklist to help improve your rankings.
So, Really, Why is My Website Not Showing on Google Search?
Based on the information available in Google Search Central, we can get back to your problem and figure out a proper diagnosis for why your website is not showing up in Google search results.
Option one could be that Google can't find your webpages, which indicates that we are dealing with a crawling issue. In this situation, Google's bots are not able to access your website for some reason. And because of this, they cannot index your website's content. As a result, your pages won't appear in search engine results.
Option two would be that Google could not understand your webpages properly when found. Essentially, what this means is that Google does not consider your site to be sufficiently “trustworthy” or “relevant” to add to its index.
The Reasons Why Your Website isn't Ranking on Google
Okay! We’re on the right track. At least we now know that there are two options that will help us get an even better idea of the situation. Let’s look a bit deeper into the various factors that could be affecting your website’s ranking on Google.
Reason 1: Google has not yet indexed your website (too new)
If your website is new, it may not have been indexed by Google yet. Indexing can take some time, so it’s important to be patient and ensure that Google is aware of your site.
Reason 2: Your website isn’t optimised for search engine crawling
Search engines need to be able to crawl your site easily. If your website isn't optimized for crawling, Google's bots may struggle to index your pages properly. Ensuring your site has a clear structure, a sitemap, and no blocking directives can help.
Reason 3: Your keyword market is very competitive
If you're targeting highly competitive keywords, it can be challenging to rank well. Larger, more established websites might dominate these keywords, making it harder for your site to appear at the top of search results.
Reason 4: Your website has “no index” tags
“No index” tags tell search engines not to index certain pages. If these tags are present on your important pages, they won’t appear in search results. Checking and removing these tags from the pages you want to rank is crucial.
Reason 5: Your website has been penalised and removed from Google
If Google has penalised your site for violating its guidelines, it may be removed from search results. Penalties can result from practices like keyword stuffing, cloaking, or using link schemes. Addressing any penalties is essential to regain visibility.
How to Tell if a Page is Indexed by Google?
To begin resolving your ranking issues, start by checking your website's indexing status through Google Search Console (GSC) or any other Google index checker. This will help ensure that your website is even on Google's radar. If it is not indexed, you may need to manually submit your site or individual pages for indexing. By addressing these first steps thoughtfully, you'll enhance your site's visibility and improve its chances of ranking well on Google.
How Often Does Google Index Websites?
This is an easy answer! If done correctly, your website will be indexed within 24 hours and up to two weeks. We explain this answer in-depth on our Rgooi Instagram Page.
Just keep in mind that Google does not add all submitted URLs to their index. Plus, Google does not make predictions or guarantees about when or if submitted URLs will appear in their index. This is something to be very mindful of as you begin your SEO journey.
Website Not Showing in Google? Let’s Fix it!
So, let's finally answer the question, once and for all, "Why is my website not showing on Google search?". Google holds the lion's share of the search engine market, making it the primary platform where potential customers search for products and services.
Appearing on the first page of Google search results can significantly boost your credibility and trustworthiness in the eyes of potential customers. Compared to traditional advertising methods, optimising your website for search engines is a cost-effective way to reach a broad audience.
Want to have a 1:1 chat about how we can make your business grow online? Get in touch with a Rgooi team member or head over to the Rgooi Commonly Asked Question page, and explore related topics.
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