You’ve invested time, energy, and money into creating what you thought was the perfect website. You’re proud of how it looks, confident in your content, and excited about the prospects it holds for your business. But then reality hits – weeks or even months pass, and your website seems to have vanished into the digital void when customers search for your services. At Sokada, we hear this concern almost daily from frustrated business owners across Sussex and beyond. Why is my website not appearing on Google? It’s a question that keeps many up at night, and we completely understand why.
The First Thing We Check When Your Website Is Not Indexed by Google
The first step in solving this mystery is to find out whether Google has actually found and indexed your website.
We recently worked with a local business whose website had been live for six months but wasn’t showing in any search results. The reason? It hadn’t been submitted to Google Search Console, and there was no XML sitemap. As soon as we corrected this, Google began crawling and indexing the site and they started appearing in relevant local searches within a few days.
Top Tip:
Make sure your website is connected to Google Search Console and has an XML sitemap uploaded. If that sounds confusing, we’re here to help.
Technical SEO Issues That Might Be Hiding You From Google
Even if your site looks fantastic, it might not be set up correctly for Google to understand and rank it. Here are some of the most common technical issues that prevent websites from being found:
- Slow loading speed – If your website takes longer than three seconds to load, it may rank lower (or not at all). We optimise images, streamline code, and improve hosting where needed.
- Poor mobile responsiveness – If your site doesn’t work well on phones, Google won’t prioritise it. Surely no company still does this?
- Missing HTTPS encryption – If your website isn’t secure (i.e. doesn’t have an SSL certificate), it could be penalised in rankings.
- Broken links and missing pages – “404 Not Found” errors suggest your website is poorly maintained. We fix all broken links and ensure every page has a purpose.
- Duplicate content – If your copy is copied from elsewhere or repeated across multiple pages, Google might ignore it.
- Unoptimised page titles and meta descriptions – Titles like “Home” or missing meta data don’t help Google understand your content.
Content Mistakes That Affect Google Rankings
It’s not just about how your site is built – what you write matters too.
We once helped a family-run café whose website used beautiful descriptions like “artisan beverages and fresh-baked goods.” Lovely to read, but no one was searching for that. Their customers were typing in things like “coffee shop in Heathfield” or “best breakfast East Sussex.”
Once we updated their content to include these locally searched terms, they shot up in rankings and saw a noticeable increase in footfall.
Avoid these common content mistakes:
- Writing for yourself, not your customers
- Using overly creative or vague wording
- Failing to include the actual search terms your audience uses
- Leaving out headings and structured content
- Not using blogs or fresh content regularly
Check out our blog writing service to keep your content working for you.
Is Your Google Business Profile Letting You Down?
If you’re a local business, your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is crucial.
Without an up-to-date, optimised listing, you may miss out on showing up in local searches and Google Maps results. We help clients claim, correct, and optimise their listings with:
- Accurate business info
- Images
- Reviews (and review management)
- Localised SEO
Don’t forget, having just five genuine reviews can massively improve visibility.
We’ve seen big changes just by managing a client’s Google Business Profile properly. It’s one of the fastest ways to increase local visibility.
How to Beat Competitors and Increase Your Website’s Google Ranking
Sometimes, your website isn’t broken, it’s just being outranked by your competitors, especially if your business is new.
Established competitors who have strong domain authority, better content, or more backlinks may naturally rank higher. But you can beat them with a focused strategy:
- Create better content
- Target different (and more specific) keywords
- Be consistent with updates and blog posts
- Build high-quality backlinks over time
We’ll help you see where your competition is winning, and how to do better.
Our Process for Getting Your Website to Appear on Google & Other Search Engines
When clients come to us saying, “Why is my website not appearing on Google?”, this is our process:
- Technical SEO Audit – Checking speed, mobile compatibility, indexing, and site structure.
- Keyword Research – Finding the exact phrases your customers are using.
- Local SEO Optimisation – Updating your Google Business Profile and localised content.
- Content Strategy – Creating keyword-rich content that answers user intent.
- Link Building Support – Advising or assisting with gaining quality backlinks.
And we keep it all accessible – no jargon, no fluff.
So… Why is my website not appearing on Google?
The answer might be simple. Or it might be a mix of several small issues building into one big problem.
But one thing’s for sure: this is a challenge we solve every day at Sokada. Once your website is technically sound, your content is aligned with your audience, and your local SEO is in place, you will start to see results.
If your website isn’t showing up and you’re feeling stuck, let’s fix it, properly.
Call Sokada on 01435 817 226 or send us an enquiry and let’s get your website working hard for your business.
FAQs: Why Is My Website Not Appearing on Google?
1. How long does it take for Google to index a new website?
Typically, between a few days to a few weeks. Submitting a sitemap can help speed up the process.
2. Do I need to pay Google to appear in search results?
No! Organic search rankings are free. Paid ads are separate and labelled clearly.
3. How often should I update my website?
Regularly, ideally every month. Adding blog posts, updating services, or tweaking content keeps your site fresh.
4. Will blogging really help my site appear on Google?
Absolutely. Blogging allows you to target niche keywords and gives Google new pages to crawl.
5. Can I get found locally without a website?
Yes, through a strong Google Business Profile but having a website increases trust and reach.