4 min read
You have a website, but when you search for what you do, it is nowhere to be found. It is one of the most common things business owners tell us, and the cause is usually one of a handful of fixable problems.
Here are the seven we see most often, how to tell which one is affecting you, and what to do about it.
First, a two-minute check
Go to Google and type site: followed by your domain, with no space. For example, site:yourbusiness.com.au. This lists the pages Google has in its index.
- No results: Google has not indexed your site at all. Start with reason 1.
- Some results, but you cannot find them in normal searches: Google knows the site exists but does not rank it. Reasons 3 to 7 are the likely culprits.
1. Google has been told to stay away
WordPress has a setting that asks search engines not to index a site. It is often switched on while a site is being built and never switched off at launch. A stray “noindex” tag on important pages has the same effect. Check under Settings, then Reading, in WordPress, and set up Google Search Console, which reports any pages it has been told to skip.
2. The site is new
A brand-new website on a brand-new domain takes time. Google can take days or weeks to find and index it, and longer to trust it enough to rank it. Submitting a sitemap through Google Search Console speeds up the first part.
3. Your pages do not clearly say what you do and where
Google reads page titles, headings and text to work out what each page is about. A home page titled “Home”, with no main heading and a vague paragraph about “quality solutions”, gives it very little to work with. Each important page needs a clear title, one main (H1) heading and text that names the service and the area.
From our work: when we audited Solar Strong’s old website, there was no SEO plugin, not a single meta description and no H1 heading on any real page. Every heading on the site was an H2. The business was well established, but Google had very little to understand each page.
4. You are aiming at the wrong searches
A small business will struggle to rank for “electrician Sydney” against hundreds of competitors. It has a much better chance with “electrician Box Hill” or “switchboard upgrade Rouse Hill”. A dedicated page for each main service and each suburb you want work from gives Google something specific to rank.
5. The site is slow or awkward on a phone
Most local searches happen on phones, and Google looks at the mobile version of your site first. Huge images, too many plugins and text that needs zooming all count against you, and they lose visitors who do find you.
6. Nobody else vouches for you
Google trusts sites that other trusted sites mention and link to. A new or quiet business often has almost none. Google reviews, accurate directory listings, local business associations, suppliers and community sponsorships all help build that trust over time.
7. You are checking the wrong results
For many local searches, the map results at the top come from Google Business Profile, not your website. If you are missing from the map but your website ranks lower down, or the other way around, the fix is different. Our Google Business Profile checklist covers the map side.
What you see, and where to start
| What you see | Likely cause | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing for a site: search | Not indexed, or blocked | Search engine setting, Search Console, sitemap |
| You appear for your business name only | Pages do not target services or suburbs | Page titles, headings, service and suburb pages |
| You appear on page 3 or 4 | Not enough authority yet | Reviews, directory listings, local links |
| You rank, but get few enquiries | Slow site, weak page, broken form | Phone speed, clear call to action, test your forms |
| Your website ranks but you are missing from the map | Google Business Profile issues | Categories, service areas, reviews |
Do it yourself, or get help?
Reasons 1 and 2 are often a quick fix you can do yourself. Reasons 3 to 6 take more work, and they are where most of the results come from. If you are not sure which applies to you, a free audit will tell you what is holding your site back and what to fix first.
Read more about our website SEO service, or our web design and development if the site itself needs rebuilding.