Why is my website not showing on Google?

First, check whether Google knows your website exists

Before changing anything, find out whether Google has your pages in its index at all. Type site:yourdomain.co.uk into Google, using your own domain. If pages appear, Google has found and stored at least part of your website. If nothing appears, the problem is about being found, not about ranking.

The more reliable check is Google Search Console, a free tool from Google. Once you verify that you own the domain, its page indexing report shows which pages are indexed, which are not and, importantly, why. If you only do one thing after reading this article, set up Search Console.

1. The website is new

Google needs to discover a new website before it can show it. That can take anything from a few days to several weeks, and new pages with no links pointing to them tend to be discovered more slowly. You can help by submitting a sitemap in Search Console and using its URL inspection tool to request indexing of your most important pages. After that, patience is part of the process.

2. Something is telling Google to stay away

This is more common than you might think, especially after a redesign. Developers often block search engines while a site is being built, and the setting is sometimes left switched on at launch. Look for:

• A noindex tag in the page code, which tells search engines not to include the page
• A robots.txt file that blocks the whole site, often a line reading Disallow: /
• A “discourage search engines” setting in your website builder or content management system
• A password or holding page that hides the real content

Any one of these can keep an otherwise good website out of the results entirely. Search Console will usually flag them clearly.

3. Google cannot easily reach or read your pages

Technical problems can stop pages from being crawled or understood. Typical examples include broken redirects after a change of domain, pages that return errors, canonical tags pointing to the wrong address, and important text that only appears after complex scripts run. Slow, unreliable hosting can also get in the way.

A sitemap that lists your key pages, clear internal links between them and a tidy redirect setup make life much easier for search engines. If you have recently moved from http to https, or from one domain to another, check that every old address redirects to the right new one.

4. You are searching for the wrong thing

Many owners search for their own business name and are pleased to see it, then assume they are visible. Your customers, however, rarely know your name yet. They search for the service and the place: “accountant in Derby” or “bathroom fitter near me”.

If your website never clearly says what you do and where you do it, Google has little reason to show it for those searches. Each core service deserves its own page, with a clear page title, a descriptive heading and useful detail about what you offer, who it is for and the areas you cover.

5. The content is too thin to compete

A single homepage with a few lines of text and a contact form gives search engines very little to work with. Compare your pages honestly with the businesses that do appear for your key searches. Do they answer common questions, explain prices or the process, show examples of work, or give reassurance? Pages that genuinely help people tend to perform better over time than pages written purely for search engines.

Watch out for duplication too. Copying text from suppliers, competitors or your own other pages makes it harder for Google to decide which page, if any, deserves to rank.

6. Local signals are missing

If you serve customers in a particular area, the map results matter. A complete, accurate Google Business Profile, with the right category, opening hours, service areas and photos, is one of the most useful things a local business can set up. Keep your business name, address and phone number consistent across your website, your profile and any directories you appear in. Genuine reviews from real customers also help people choose you. If you would like help with this, our local SEO services cover your profile, local pages and consistent business details.

7. Other websites are simply more established

Sometimes your website is indexed and working properly, but other pages are judged more relevant or more trusted for a particular search. Ranking is competitive and varies by search, location and device. Improving clear, helpful content, earning mentions and links from relevant local organisations and keeping the technical basics sound all help. Be wary of anyone who guarantees page one; nobody can promise that.

A quick checklist to work through

1. Search site:yourdomain.co.uk to see whether any pages are indexed
2. Set up Google Search Console and submit your sitemap
3. Check for noindex tags, robots.txt blocks and builder settings that hide the site
4. Make sure every old address redirects to the right new page
5. Give each main service its own page with a clear title and heading
6. Say clearly where you work, and set up your Google Business Profile
7. Add genuinely useful detail that answers your customers’ questions

Quick answers

When to get a second pair of eyes

If you have worked through the list and still cannot see the problem, an independent review can save a lot of guesswork. Our £99 site audit looks at search foundations alongside design, mobile experience, speed and how easily visitors can contact you, then gives you a prioritised list of what to fix first. If you would like ongoing help, our SEO packages for small businesses cover research, technical fixes, content and plain-English monthly reporting. If your current site is the problem, see our website redesign service or small business website design packages.

Not sure what’s holding your website back? Get your whole site reviewed for £99, with prioritised fixes in 2 working days. Book a £99 website audit.