Why Your Website Isn’t Showing Up on Google
You’ve launched your website, you’re excited to see it live, and then you go to Google to search for your business. But it’s nowhere to be found. It’s a frustrating moment that many small business owners experience.
The good news is that in most cases, there’s nothing seriously wrong. It just means there are a few things to check and tweak. This post walks through the most common reasons your site might not be appearing in Google search results, and what you can do to get it on the map.
Your Website Might Not Be Indexed Yet
Before your site can appear in search results, Google needs to discover it and add it to its index. This process can take some time, especially for brand-new sites with little to no external traffic.
How to check if your site is indexed:
Go to Google and type site:yourdomain.com in the search bar. This will show all the pages Google currently has indexed for your site. If you see nothing, your site likely hasn’t been crawled yet.
How to fix it:
Submit your sitemap through Google Search Console
Make sure your site isn’t accidentally blocking search engines in the settings
Add internal links between your site pages to help Google navigate
If your website is on WordPress, make sure the box that says “discourage search engines from indexing this site” is not checked.
No One Is Linking to It
Search engines use links from other websites as a signal of trust. If no one is linking to your site, Google has fewer ways to discover it and less reason to rank it.
What you can do today:
Share your website on your social media accounts
Add your business to online directories like Google Business Profile, Yelp, or Houzz
Ask colleagues, suppliers, or partners to link to you from their websites
Even one or two links from quality sources can help jumpstart visibility.
You’re Not Targeting Real Search Terms
If your website content is vague or missing keywords that people are actually searching for, it can be hard for Google to match your site with real queries. For example, a page that only says “Welcome to our site” won’t compete with one that clearly states “Residential Electricians Serving Calgary and Area.”
How to fix it:
Add location-based keywords that reflect your service area
Make sure each page has a specific purpose and title
Use simple language that your customers might actually search
This doesn’t mean stuffing your site with awkward keywords. It just means being intentional about how you describe what you do.
There Might Be a Technical Issue
Sometimes the problem is on the technical side. If your site is too slow, has missing metadata, or includes settings that block search engines, that can impact whether and how it appears in search.
Common things to look at:
Does your site load in under three seconds
Is your mobile version working properly
Are your page titles and meta descriptions filled out
Have you verified ownership of the site in Google Search Console
If you’re not sure how to check these things, we offer website maintenance and audits to take care of it for you.
There’s No Fresh Content to Signal Activity
Google favors websites that are updated regularly. That doesn’t mean you need to redesign your site every few months. But it does mean that adding new content — like blog posts, project updates, or service info — gives Google a reason to keep coming back.
Why it matters:
A blog or resource section on your site helps show that your business is active and evolving. Even one post a month can improve your chances of showing up in searches over time.
What to Do Next
If your site isn’t showing up on Google yet, don’t panic. Start with the basics — make sure your site is indexed, share it in a few places, and be clear about what you offer.
If you want help checking your site or creating a simple SEO plan that fits your business, we offer affordable website maintenance packages > that include real SEO support. No jargon, no complicated contracts. Just practical steps to help your business get found.
Let’s get your website in front of the people looking for you.
