Why Isn’t My Site Showing Up On Google?

Simple fixes to help your website appear in search results

If you’ve launched a website and can’t find it on Google, you’re not alone. Many small businesses and nonprofits face the same problem. Search engines do not automatically recognize or rank your site. They need clear signals before they can recommend you. Here’s why your site may not be showing up and what to do about it.

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1. Your Site Hasn’t Been Indexed Yet

Google does not instantly crawl every new site. If your site is brand-new, it may take days or even weeks before it shows up in search results.

What to do:

• Submit your sitemap through Google Search Console.
• Make sure your site is set to be indexed (check that “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” is not enabled in your WordPress settings).

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2. Technical Blocks Are Stopping Google

Even established websites sometimes accidentally block Google from seeing their pages. This usually happens with a misconfigured robots.txt file, “noindex” tags, or broken links.

What to do:

• Use Google Search Console’s URL Inspection tool to confirm whether your page can be indexed.
• Check your SEO plugin (like Rank Math) to make sure important pages are not marked “noindex.”

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3. Your Site Has Thin or Duplicate Content

Google prioritizes sites with original, helpful content. If your site has only a few sentences per page, duplicate content copied from elsewhere, or placeholder text, it will not perform well in search results.

What to do:

• Expand your core pages (Home, Services, About, Contact) with clear, audience-focused copy.
• Avoid copying text from other sites, even manufacturers or partners.

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4. You’re Missing Basic SEO Signals

Google looks for specific signals to understand what your site is about. Titles, descriptions, headers, and internal links all play a role. Without them, your site may be invisible.

What to do:

• Add descriptive page titles and meta descriptions with relevant keywords.
• Use H1 and H2 headers to organize your content.
• Add internal links between related pages.

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5. Your Site Is Competing in a Crowded Space

Even if your site is technically sound, it may not appear for competitive keywords right away. Large companies often dominate generic search terms.

What to do:

• Focus on long-tail keywords (for example “affordable SEO for nonprofits” instead of just “SEO”).
• Optimize for local searches (for example “Atlanta small business SEO support”).
• Build authority gradually with blog content and backlinks.

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6. Your Site Lacks Backlinks

Backlinks, which are links from other reputable websites to yours, act as votes of confidence for Google. Without them, your site may not earn visibility.

What to do:

• List your business on directories like Google Business Profile and local chambers of commerce.
• Collaborate with partners, vendors, or community organizations to get links back to your site.

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7. Your Site Is Too New or Needs Patience

Sometimes the biggest factor is simply time. SEO is a long-term investment. Even with the right setup, it can take a few months for your site to move up in rankings.

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