Why isn't my website showing up on Google?
You search for your business and your website isn't there, or it's buried on page 3. There are two different problems hiding behind this, and they have different fixes. Here's how to tell which one you have.
First, which problem do you have?
- Not indexed: Google doesn't have your page at all. Searching for your exact business name or web address returns nothing from your site.
- Not ranking: Google has your site, but it doesn't appear for searches like the service you offer. It shows up for your name, just not for what you do.
The quick test below tells you which.
Check your own site in 3 minutes
- In Google, search
site:yourbusiness.comusing your real web address. - No results at all? Google hasn't indexed your site. Go to the causes under “Not indexed” below.
- Results, but some pages missing? Google is skipping those pages. Google Search Console, under Pages, lists every page it skipped and the reason.
- All your pages are there? You're indexed. Your problem is ranking, covered below.
- On WordPress, also check Settings, then Reading. If “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” is ticked, untick it. It's the single most common cause I find.
Why Google isn't indexing your site
- A setting tells Google to stay away. The WordPress “Discourage search engines” box, a “noindex” tag, or a robots.txt file from when the site was being built.
- The site is new, or Google hasn't been told about it. No sitemap and no Search Console account means Google has to stumble across it.
- The site moved without redirects. A new domain, or a switch from http to https, without redirecting the old addresses. Old links then turn into broken links and page not found errors. Planning a move? See how to move off Wix or Squarespace without losing your Google results.
- The site is private or password protected, a common leftover on Wix and Squarespace sites that were set up and never fully published.
Why your site isn't ranking
- Pages don't say what you do. A homepage titled “Home” with a headline like “Welcome” gives Google nothing to go on.
- Missing titles and descriptions. These are what Google shows in its results, and a big part of how it matches your page to a search.
- One page trying to cover everything. A single page listing every service rarely ranks for any of them. Each main service deserves its own page.
- Slow or broken pages. Speed and broken links both count against you. See how to speed up a slow website and how to fix broken links and images.
A red warning or “This site may be hacked” under your listing is a different problem: see what to do if your WordPress site has been hacked.
What it costs you
When customers search for what you do and find a competitor instead, you never hear about it. A website that Google can't see or understand does nothing for you, however good it looks.
How I fix it
I can't promise a ranking, and nobody honest can. What I can do is make sure nothing is stopping Google from finding your site and understanding what you do.
Check what Google sees
I look up your site in Google Search Console and test your key pages, so we know which pages Google has, which it's skipping, and why.
Remove the blocks
I turn off anything telling Google to stay away: leftover settings, “noindex” tags, a blocking robots.txt file, or broken redirects after a move.
Make every page clear
Each page gets its own title, description and headings that say what you do, in the words your customers search with.
Tell Google, then report
I submit your sitemap, request indexing for your main pages, and send you a before-and-after report showing what changed.
Full Tune-Up · $997
Google titles, descriptions and setup are part of the Full Tune-Up. If the only problem is a single blocking setting, your findings list will price it as a Quick Fix at $497 instead.
The fix-first guarantee
You pay only after you've checked the work and you're happy with it. If anything I fixed breaks within 30 days, I fix it again at no charge.
Questions owners ask
How long does it take for a new website to show up on Google?
Usually a few days to a few weeks. Submitting a sitemap in Google Search Console and requesting indexing for your homepage speeds it up. If it's been more than a month, something is probably blocking it.
My site shows up when I search my business name, but not for my services. Why?
That means Google has your site but isn't ranking it for those searches. The usual reasons are pages that don't clearly say what you do, missing titles and descriptions, or competitors with more useful pages. That's a ranking problem, not an indexing problem.
Is a Google Business Profile the same as my website showing on Google?
No. Your Business Profile is the listing with your hours, reviews and map pin. Your website appears in the regular search results. You want both, and your profile should link to your site.
My Wix or Squarespace site isn't on Google. Is it the platform?
Usually not. Both platforms can be indexed fine. Check that the site is published, not set to private or password protected, and that search engine indexing is turned on in the site's SEO settings.
Can you guarantee first page on Google?
No, and be wary of anyone who does. Google decides rankings. I guarantee the work I can check: that Google can find every page and that each one clearly says what you do.
Melissa Charles
Founder of Charles Web Works, with a background as a Sr. Software Engineer, an M.S. in AI and machine learning and a bachelor's in accounting. I fix small business websites for one flat price, and you pay after you've checked the work.
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Tell me your website address. I'll check it for this problem and everything else that's costing you customers, then email you a plain-English list and a flat price, usually within one business day. No sales call.