Published on May 24, 2023

It’s not a nice feeling when you pour your heart and soul into creating your dream website, only to discover it’s not showing up on Google. It’s like shouting into the void – investing time, resources, and energy with no visible return. You’re not alone in this. 

This is a common question that perplexes many: Why is my website not showing in Google search? If anything, getting your website on the map, or rather, the Google search results pages, is no small feat. You might not be showing up due to various reasons like your site is too new, there are technical issues, or you have low quality content, among others.

Before Anything Else, Double Check Your Presence on Google Search

First and foremost, verify that your website is missing following these instructions by Google. Once you’ve double checked your site’s status, it’s now time to identify the possible reasons (and actionable strategies) as to why your domain is hidden from the public eye.

Why My Website Is Not Showing In Google Search

1) Your Website Is Hot Off the Press

If your website is new, it will most probably not show up on Google right away. This is perfectly normal. Google’s system of crawling and indexing the internet doesn’t happen instantaneously. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for a newly launched website to be noticed by search engine crawlers. Patience is a virtue.

Following search engine optimisation (SEO) best practices is key. When you have an SEO-friendly site, as well as high-quality content, you’ll attract the attention of both crawlers and users over time. For starters, focus on local SEO strategies to get more phone calls, foot traffic, and sales for your business.

Quick fix: The indexing process is automatic, but it’s always a good idea to nudge Google in the right direction. Submit your website pages and sitemap to Google’s Search Console. This makes it easier for crawlers to discover your content.

2) A “No Index” Meta Tag Is Blocking Google Search Engine Crawlers

One technical glitch that could be obstructing your website’s visibility is a “no index” meta tag. This tag is an instruction embedded in your website’s code that tells search engine crawlers not to index a particular page. It’s useful for certain pages you don’t want appearing in search results, like a privacy policy or terms and conditions page. However, if applied to the whole site, it could lead to your website being invisible on search engines.

You can use Google’s Search Console to check and remove any “no index” tags on important pages. Go to the ‘Coverage’ report in Search Console to see if any pages are marked as ‘Excluded’. From there, you can inspect each URL to see why Google isn’t indexing it.

If your website is built on a Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress, make sure that the “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” option is not checked under the ‘Reading’ settings. 

Quick fix: Inspect your website’s code. If you see a line like “<meta name=’robots’ content=’noindex’>”, it means the “no index” tag is applied. Remove this tag from your website’s code, or update it to “<meta name=’robots’ content=’index’>”. You might need the assistance of a web developer if you’re not comfortable doing it yourself.

3) You’re Not Targeting the Right Keywords

Keywords are the bridge between what users are searching for and the content you provide. 

You need to publish content that’s aligned with search intent. You have to make it easy for Google to match your content with user queries. You can use tools like Google Trends, Google’s Keyword Planner, or SEMRush to discover what keywords are popular in your niche.

Once you’ve identified relevant keywords, it’s not enough to just sprinkle them into your content. Google’s algorithms are sophisticated enough to understand the context in which keywords are used. Hence, your content should be tailored around the keywords, providing valuable information that a user searching for that keyword would appreciate.

Avoid keyword stuffing at all costs. Google will know and subsequently penalise your site. 

Something we like to say at Manifest Website Design is “Write for humans first, search engines second.” 

Quick fix: This involves a two-step approach. First, carry out comprehensive keyword research using the aforementioned tools. Know your customer like the back of your hand. Second, let their search queries guide your content creation process. Publish content that’s engaging, detailed, and adds value to the reader’s life.