If you’re asking yourself, “Why is my website not showing up on Google?” you’re not alone. I’ve poured time, effort, and passion into creating my website. When I finally hit “publish,” I expected to see it pop up on Google and start reaching customers. But when I searched for it… nothing. It was like my site didn’t even exist. That feeling of invisibility? It’s incredibly frustrating.

When I first started wondering why my website wasn’t showing up on Google, I learned that this is one of the most common hurdles new website owners face. The good news? In almost every case, there’s a clear and fixable reason behind it.

This guide is my roadmap to solving this frustrating problem. I’m going to walk you through eight straightforward, actionable fixes that target the most common reasons a site fails to appear in search results.

First, Is Your Website Indexed or Not Ranking?

Before you can apply a fix, you must properly diagnose the problem. There are two main reasons for a website’s invisibility: either Google doesn’t even know it exists (an “indexing” problem) or that Google knows it exists but doesn’t consider it important enough to show (a “ranking” problem).

This simple test will tell you which path you’re on. Go to the Google search bar and type this special command, making sure to replace “yourdomain.com” with your actual website address:

site:yourdomain.com

This command is a direct line to Google’s database, asking it to show you every single page it has saved from your specific website.

• If you see a message like “Your search did not match any documents,” it means Google has not indexed your site. This is a primary reason why my website is not showing up on Google, and luckily, it’s fixable. Your priority is getting into Google’s library. Start with Fix #1.
• If you see a clean list of blue links that are all pages from your website, congratulations! Google has indexed your site. The issue is a matter of ranking. You can skip ahead to Fix #5.

Why Is My Website Not Showing Up on Google? (Indexing Fixes)

If the site: search showed that Google hasn’t indexed your site, you now have a direct clue as to why is my website is not showing up on Google, and one of the following technical issues is almost certainly the cause. These fixes ensure Google can find and read your website.

1) Submit Your Sitemap to Google

A sitemap is exactly what it sounds like: a map of your website. This file, usually in an XML format, lists all the important pages, videos, and files on your site, and the relationships between them. Submitting a sitemap is a critical first step to solving this problem, “why is my website not showing up on Google”, as it’s like personally handing Google a blueprint so it doesn’t miss anything. For a new site, this is the most effective way to fix why my website is not showing up on Google and invite Google’s crawlers over to take a look.

The Fix: 

The official and best way to do this is with Google Search Console, a free and powerful tool from Google.

• Create an account and verify that you own your website.
• Find your sitemap URL. On most modern platforms, it’s easy to find. For WordPress with Yoast SEO, it’s yourdomain.com/sitemap_index.xml.
• For Squarespace or Shopify, it’s typically yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml.
• Paste your sitemap URL into the box and click “Submit.” You’ll see a “Success” message once Google processes it.

2) Remove Accidental “Noindex” Blocks

A “noindex” tag is a small piece of HTML code that gives search engines a direct command: “Do not include this page in your search results.” Developers often use this tag on staging sites to keep an unfinished website private. The problem occurs when the site goes live and this tag is accidentally left in place. It’s like having a permanent “Closed” sign on your front door that only search engines can see—another invisible blocker explaining why my website is not showing up on Google.

The Fix:

• For WordPress Users: This is a very common issue. Go to your WordPress dashboard, then navigate to Settings > Reading. Scroll to the bottom and look for a checkbox labeled “Discourage search engines from indexing this site.” Ensure this box is unchecked.
• For All Other Websites: You can check any page manually. Go to the page in your browser, right-click, and select “View Page Source.” A new tab with the page’s code will open. Use the find function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) and search for the word noindex. If you find it within a “meta robots” tag, you’ve found the culprit and need to remove it from your website’s settings or code.

3) Check Your robots.txt File

Every website has a plain text file called robots.txt. Its job is to give instructions to web robots (like Google’s crawlers). Think of it as a set of rules for the bouncers at a club. A correctly configured file might tell bots not to crawl sensitive areas, like login pages. However, a small mistake can tell them to stay away from the entire site, providing a direct technical answer for why my website is not showing up on Google. Always double-check this file, especially after a website migration or redesign.

The Fix: 

You can view this file by typing yourdomain.com/robots.txt into your browser. Look for a piece of text that says:

User-agent: *
Disallow: /

That little slash / after “Disallow” means “block everything.” If you see this, you’ve found a major reason for the problem of why my website is not showing up on Google. You need to edit this file and remove that line to allow Google to access your site.

4) Look for Google Penalties (Manual Actions)

While it’s the least common cause for a brand-new site, a manual action is a penalty from a Google reviewer. A penalty for violating guidelines (like using spammy practices) can cause a site to be completely removed from search results. While rare, manual actions should always be ruled out when investigating why my website is not showing up on Google.

The Fix: 

You don’t have to guess. Google Search Console will tell you directly if you have a penalty. In your GSC account, look for the “Security & Manual Actions” tab, and then click on “Manual Actions.” In most cases, you’ll see a green checkmark and the message “No issues detected.” If there is an issue, Google will explain what it is and provide steps to fix it.

5) Match Your Content to Real-World Searches

If your site is indexed but you’re still dealing with your question, “why is my website not showing up on Google?” for the searches you expect, you likely have a content disconnect. The words and phrases you use to describe your business might not be the same ones your customers are typing into the search bar. Google’s number one priority is search intent—understanding what a user wants and delivering the page that best satisfies that need.

The Fix: 

Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. One major reason why my website is not showing up on Google is that you’re not speaking your customers’ language.

• Brainstorm Keywords: Don’t think about jargon. If you’re a plumber, your customers aren’t searching for “hydro-jetting technology”; they’re searching for “how to fix a clogged drain” or “plumber near me.”
• Structure for Answers: Organize your service pages and blog posts to directly answer the “who, what, where, why, and how” questions your customers have.
• Use Headings: Use H2 and H3 headings to break up your text and clearly state what each section is about. This helps both users and Google quickly understand your content.

6) Build Your Website’s Trust and Authority (E-E-A-T)

If you’re frustrated and asking, “Why is my website not showing up on Google?”…it might be that your site lacks trust signals or authority in Google’s eyes. The search engine wants to promote websites that demonstrate high levels of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). This is a core part of their quality guidelines, so you must prove you’re a legitimate and knowledgeable resource.

The Fix: 

• Build E-E-A-T with these practical steps:
  • Experience: Share case studies or before-and-after photos. Show, don’t just tell, that you have hands-on experience in your field.
  • Expertise: Write genuinely helpful blog posts that share your knowledge and solve real customer problems.
  • Authoritativeness: This is about your reputation. Encourage happy customers to leave reviews on third-party sites. Over time, earning links from other reputable websites in your industry will also build authority.
  • Trustworthiness: Make your contact information, including a physical address if you have one, easy to find. Have a clear privacy policy. Secure your site with HTTPS (the padlock icon in the browser).

7) Improve Your Site’s Technical Health

Poor technical performance is a common culprit for why my website is not showing up on Google, as its health is a direct reflection of its quality to Google. A site that is slow, clunky, or broken on mobile devices creates a poor user experience, and Google will hesitate to recommend it.

The Fix: 

Focus on these technical pillars:

• Site Speed: A slow site is a dead site. Use Google’s free PageSpeed Insights tool to test your pages. It will give you a score and specific recommendations, such as compressing images or reducing server response time.
• Mobile-Friendliness: Google now operates on a “mobile-first” basis, meaning it primarily uses the mobile version of your site for indexing and ranking. Your website must look and work perfectly on a smartphone screen.
• Security (HTTPS): An SSL certificate that enables HTTPS is no longer optional. It’s a fundamental trust signal for both users and search engines.

Technical errors like slow load speed or mobile issues are frequently overlooked causes of why my website is not showing up on Google.

8) Claim and Fully Optimize Your Google Business Profile

For any business that serves a local community, your Google Business Profile (GBP) is arguably your most important online asset. This is the free listing that appears in Google Maps and the local “3-pack” on the search results page. A well-optimized GBP is often the fastest fix for why my website is not showing up on Google, especially in local “near me” searches.

If your business depends on local searches, and you’re wondering why is my website is not showing up on Google, your Google Business Profile could be the missing piece.

The Fix: 

Go beyond just claiming your profile. Optimize it completely.

• Fill Out Every Section: Add your services and products with descriptions, select all relevant business categories, and write a detailed business description.
• Upload High-Quality Photos: Add pictures of your storefront, your team, and your work in action.
• Use the Q&A Feature: Proactively add and answer common questions your customers ask.
• Encourage Reviews: Actively ask your customers for reviews and be sure to respond to them—both positive and negative.

How Long Does It Take for My Website to Show Up on Google?

Even after you’ve fixed the issues above, your website won’t appear on Google instantly. The time it takes depends on several factors, including how often Google crawls your site, the quality of your content, and the number of backlinks you have.

• New websites: It can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks for Google to index your site after you submit your sitemap.
• Established websites with updates: Changes can appear in search results within hours or days, especially if Google crawls your site frequently.
• Competitive industries: Ranking for competitive keywords may take months of ongoing optimization and content building.

While waiting, keep improving your site’s content, user experience, and backlink profile. This helps Google see your site as relevant and trustworthy, speeding up both indexing and ranking.

Conclusion

Realizing your site is invisible can be disheartening, but it’s a solvable puzzle. The solution to why my website is not showing up on Google is to systematically diagnose the root cause. By working through this list, you can confidently solve the problem and get your site the visibility it deserves.

Going through this checklist can feel like trying to fix your car—sometimes you find a simple fix, and other times you realize you need a trusted mechanic. If you’ve looked under the hood and are feeling more confused than when you started, let’s talk. The WolfPack team specializes in this. Schedule a quick, no-pressure discovery call, and we’ll help you find exactly where your website is hiding and build the roadmap to get it in front of the customers who need you.