Feeling like your website is wearing an invisibility cloak? You’re not alone. A lot of business owners launch their websites, expecting them to be found right away – only to discover they’re nowhere on Google. I know how frustrating this can be. We put so much energy, time, and care into launching our websites, only to feel like we’re shouting into the void.
The good news? There are clear steps you can take to troubleshoot and fix it. In this article, I’ll walk you through five common reasons your website might not be showing up in Google – and what to do about each one.
These aren’t the only reasons, but they’re the ones I see most often with my clients – and they’re usually fixable.
1. You Haven’t Submitted Your Website in Google Search Console
First things first: does Google even know your website exists?
You’d be surprised how many websites never get formally submitted. Yes, technically Google can find you through links, but letting them know directly is a much faster and more reliable route.
Head over to Google Search Console and sign up. Once verified, you can:
Submit your sitemap (under the “Index” tab)
Check individual pages using the URL Inspection tool
Request indexing if your page isn’t already in Google
This is one of the first things I do when onboarding new SEO clients – it’s foundational and free.
2. Your Website Is Very New (and Doesn’t Yet Have Authority)
If your site is brand new, it can take time to show up – especially if no one is linking to it yet. Google discovers new pages largely through links, so a fresh site with little traffic or visibility may take weeks or even months to appear.
When I launched my first blog, I remember checking every day to see if I was “on Google.” Spoiler: I wasn’t. And yes, it drove me a little nuts.
What helps:
Submit your site to Search Console
Publish content regularly (even if it’s short)
Share your content in newsletters, socials, or communities
Start building backlinks (see Tip 3)
From experience, a great move is to work on some light PR and collaborations in the early stages. Getting a few links pointing back to your site from other reputable sites makes a difference.
3. Your Website Isn’t SEO-Optimized
Visibility in Google doesn’t happen by accident. Even if your website looks beautiful, it won’t rank if it’s missing the basics of SEO.
Some questions to ask:
Are you using keywords your audience actually searches for?
Are your headings clear and structured (H1, H2, etc.)?
Do your titles and meta descriptions include relevant terms?
Is it easy for visitors – and Google – to navigate?
And let’s not forget about backlinks. These help Google determine if your content is worth showing in search results. One of the first sites I ever grew traction for got its break from a single guest post link that brought in consistent traffic for over a year.
I also recommend checking your Domain Authority (a score created by Moz to estimate how likely your site is to rank). It’s not from Google, but it’s a good benchmark.
Try the Moz Domain Authority Checker.
4. Your Website May Have a Google Penalty
This one causes a lot of fear in the SEO world. We imagine we’ll get “penalized” for one wrong move. In truth, manual penalties are rare – but they do happen. Algorithmic hits are more common.
A few years ago, my old travel blog took a massive hit during an algorithm update. I hadn’t done anything “wrong,” but traffic dropped by more than 50%. I didn’t post new content for over a year, and to my surprise, it slowly started recovering anyway. That’s how unpredictable this can be.
Here’s what to know:
If you suspect a penalty, the best move is to review your site quality, improve E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust), and keep publishing helpful content.
5. Your Keywords Don’t Match Search Intent
I say this with love: sometimes, your keywords don’t make sense. Not to you, but to Google. One mistake I see often is using language that doesn’t align with what your audience is actually typing into search.
For example, I once worked with a wellness brand that kept using phrases like “transformational journeys” when what their audience was searching for was “retreats for stress relief.”
There’s no shame in this – it’s super common! Especially when you’re too close to your own brand or products.
Try this:
Use a keyword tool like Keysearch, Semrush, or Google Keyword Planner
Check what your competitors are ranking for
Align your content with what your audience is searching, not just what you want to say
Your content still needs to sound like you – but it also needs to signal to Google what the page is about.
Final Thoughts: Let’s Get You Found
If you’ve been wondering “Why is my website not showing on Google?” – I hope this gave you some clarity and steps to move forward.
I’ve worked with clients who thought they had done everything “right” and still weren’t being found. Sometimes it just takes a few tweaks, some strategy, and a little time to turn it around.
If you’d like expert eyes on your site, I offer SEO Coaching sessions and monthly packages where we dive into this exact stuff.
At Joyful SEO, I believe SEO should feel empowering – not overwhelming. If you’re curious about what’s next, book a discovery call or send me a question.
We’ll get your site out of invisibility mode and in front of the right people.
