Why isn’t my website showing on Google?

If your website isn’t showing on Google, it’s almost always one of two problems: either Google hasn’t added it to its index, or it has and doesn’t rank it highly enough for anyone to see. The first is usually quick to fix. The second takes longer, and it’s the one most guides skip over.

So start by working out which one you have. It takes about a minute.

First, check whether Google knows your website exists

Go to Google and type site: followed by your domain, with no space, for example site:yourbusiness.co.uk.

• If you see a list of your pages, Google has indexed your site. Your problem is ranking, and you can skip to the ranking section below.
• If you see nothing, or only one or two pages, Google hasn’t indexed the site properly. Read the next section.

It’s also worth searching your exact business name. If the website appears for that but not for what you do, that’s a ranking problem too, and a very common one.

Why isn’t Google indexing my site?

Google usually isn’t indexing a site because something is telling it to stay away, or because it hasn’t found the site yet. Work through these in order:

1. The “discourage search engines” box is ticked. In WordPress, go to Settings, then Reading. If “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” is ticked, untick it. Sites are often built with this switched on and launched without anyone switching it off. It’s the single most common cause I see.
2. Pages are set to noindex. SEO plugins such as Rank Math and Yoast let you hide individual pages from search. Check your key pages haven’t been hidden by mistake.
3. robots.txt is blocking Google. Visit yourbusiness.co.uk/robots.txt. If you see Disallow: / under User-agent: *, your whole site is blocked.
4. The site isn’t published. On Wix and Squarespace, check the site is published and not password-protected.
5. Google hasn’t been told about it. Add the site to Google Search Console, submit your sitemap, and use the URL Inspection tool to request indexing for your main pages.
6. The site is simply new. With no other websites linking to it, Google may take a while to find it on its own. Step 5 speeds that up.

How long does a new website take to show on Google?

A new website usually appears in Google’s index within a few days to a few weeks, once Google knows it exists. Appearing for your business name comes first. Ranking for the searches customers actually use, like “electrician in Eastleigh”, takes months, because that depends on far more than being indexed.

My site is indexed but not ranking. Why?

If Google has indexed your site but it’s nowhere to be seen, the cause is either relevance or authority, and most small business sites have a bit of both.

Relevance is whether a page clearly matches what people search for. A homepage that says “Welcome to our website” and lists six services in one paragraph isn’t clearly about any of them. The fix is a dedicated page for each main service, using the words customers actually type, and saying where you work.

Authority is whether other websites vouch for yours, mostly through links. This is the slow part. A page can have exactly the right content and still sit on page two for months, because the businesses above it have years of links behind them. More pages won’t fix that. Earning mentions and links from other sites will: local directories, suppliers, trade bodies, local press, clients.

Competition matters too. “Electrician Eastleigh” is a much easier search to win than “web design London”. If you’re targeting a phrase that national companies are fighting over, a local version of it is usually the quicker win.

If your site gets plenty of visitors but nobody gets in touch, that’s a different problem again: why your website gets visitors but no enquiries.

Why isn’t my business showing on Google Maps?

A business usually isn’t showing on Google Maps because its Google Business Profile isn’t claimed, isn’t verified, or has been suspended. Check these:

• No profile, or not verified. Search your business name. If there’s no listing, or one marked “Own this business?”, claim and verify it.
• Suspended. If your profile has vanished, check your Business Profile account for a suspension notice. Address problems are the usual cause.
• The wrong primary category. Google won’t show you for “plumber” if your category says something else.
• Distance. Maps results lean heavily on how close you are to the person searching. If you’re searching from across town, you may simply be too far away to appear.
• Fewer reviews than the competition. If you’re listed but always below the same few rivals, compare review counts.

The full set of fixes is in the local SEO checklist for small businesses.

How to get your website on Google: the fix list in order

If you want one list to work through, this is it:

1. Run the site: search to see whether you’re indexed
2. Untick “Discourage search engines” in WordPress, or publish the site on Wix or Squarespace
3. Check robots.txt and noindex settings on your key pages
4. Add the site to Google Search Console and submit your sitemap
5. Request indexing for your homepage and main service pages
6. Claim and verify your Google Business Profile, and link it to your website
7. Give each main service its own page, written in the words customers use
8. Get your details onto the core directories and start earning links

Steps 1 to 6 can usually be done in an afternoon. Steps 7 and 8 are the ongoing work.

When to get help

Get help when the problem is technical and you’re not sure what you’re looking at, or when the basics are done and you’re still not ranking.

• Technical problems such as indexing settings, errors and broken pages are what a care plan covers. If your site was built by someone else, the £75 takeover audit will tell you what’s wrong, and the fee is credited against your first three months if you move to a care plan. Website care and hosting
• Ranking problems need SEO: the right pages, the right content, and links. SEO in Southampton, from £700 a month, or the Local SEO starter at £400 a month if Maps is the priority.