Having a strong online presence is crucial for the success of any business. So, having your website available to users via a search engine is crucial. A website acts as a primary source of acquisition for users to websites across the world.

But, what happens when your website doesn't show up on Google?

We've got a few reasons you may be having issues.. and more importantly how to fix them.

New Website and Indexing:

Is your website new? If so then there’s a high chance that Google might not have discovered it yet. Search engines like Google, Bing etc. use automated “crawlers” to scan your website and find and index new content. This can take some time and there is no set deadline for these crawlers to complete this. Patience is key here. It can take up to several weeks or months for your website to be indexed and appear on search engines.

Solution:

As we mentioned above, there is no specific time limit for this to be done by Google. However, you can use Search Console to your advantage. Manually submitting your website sitemap to Google, and helping to guide search engines on where to find your content. Additionally, focus on creating high-quality content and obtaining backlinks from reputable websites. As these factors can help search engines discover your site quickly.

Lack of Quality Content:

When it comes to websites, you'll hear a common saying... "content is King". This means that if you want to rank well in search engines, then your website needs to contain valuable and relevant content for your users. If your website is lacking in this department then it will struggle to rank. Google will prefer other websites that have lots of valuable content over your website.

Solution:

To resolve this you’ll need to invest both your time and effort into creating unique, informative and engaging content. That is relevant and interesting to your target audience. To appear for popular & relevant search terms, there are numerous tools to take advantage of. These include Google Trends, Google Suggested Questions and SEM Rush to conduct thorough keyword research. By using these tools, and optimising content you will increase the likelihood of your website appearing in Google’s search results.

Technical Issues:

If your website is experiencing technical issues then these can hinder your website’s ability to rank on search engines. Some technical issues you may encounter might not even be visible to your end user. This is where tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and SEM Rush will aid your ability to remedy certain issues. However, some technical issues carry more weight than others. They can even block Google from crawling your website in the first place.

Solution:

Keeping on top of your site health is vital to maintaining the highest possible rankings. It's important to showcase your website in the best position it can be when search engines come to crawl your site. We'd encourage you to ensure your website is configured correctly. With the necessary files allowing search engines to crawl your site. Optimise those meta tags such as title tags and meta descriptions with relevant keywords to ensure they reflect the page’s content accurately.

Insufficient Backlink Profile:

Having a comprehensive high-quality backlink profile is hugely beneficial. This helps to build trust with search engines, by showing that other websites (with website authority) trust your content. This “domain authority” is usually a good benchmark of what will appear higher on search engines.

Solution:

Develop a comprehensive link-building strategy. This should include a plan on how to obtain high-quality backlinks from reputable and relevant websites. This can be done through guest posting, reaching out to industry influencers, and creating compelling, shareable content. It's important to remember quality over quantity. So, prioritise obtaining authoritative and relevant links.

Analysing Your Competitors:

In some cases, your website may not show up on Google due to the fierce competition in your industry. If there’s a lot of competition fighting for clicks in your industry then you may naturally find yourself down the pecking order on search engines. You might find yourself coming up against websites that already have robust and effective SEO strategies in place and a solid online presence. Which will leave less optimised sites overshadowed by these websites.

Solution:

The solution to how you navigate this will be different for every website in the world, whether big or small. Here you’ll need to focus on creating a unique value proposition. Plus, create a positive user experience as well by leveraging social media and expanding your reach via those marketing channels. Time is key here. With consistent effort and continual improvement, you can establish your website as a contender among your competitors. Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Take away points...

If your website isn't showing up on Google yet, don't panic. It takes time, effort, and a holistic approach to build a strong online presence. By following the solutions outlined in this article, you can enhance your website's visibility. As well as improve its search engine rankings, and increase organic traffic over time.