Why doesn’t my website show up on Google? 10 causes and solutions
Your website is online but nowhere to be found on Google? The ten most common causes, how to diagnose them and how to fix them.
By Léo Chuzel · Published on · 2 min read
You type your trade followed by “Marseille”, scroll through the results… and your website appears nowhere. Before concluding that Google is ignoring you, let’s go through the most common causes, from the simplest to the deepest.
1. Your website isn’t indexed
Type “site:yourdomain.com” into Google. If no results appear, Google simply hasn’t recorded your pages. Add your website to Google Search Console, submit your sitemap (sitemap.xml) and check for any indexing errors.
2. A tag is blocking indexing
During development, websites are often protected by a “noindex” tag or a restrictive robots.txt file. If nobody removes them at launch, Google follows the instruction and doesn’t show the website. It’s the simplest mistake to fix, and one of the most common.
3. Your website is too new
A new website starts with no history and no inbound links. It generally takes several weeks to be indexed properly, and several months to rank for competitive searches. Be patient, but not passive: now’s the time to work on content and local SEO.
4. You’re targeting keywords that are too competitive
Ranking first for “lawyer” or “restaurant” is out of reach for a local business. On the other hand, “employment lawyer Marseille” or “Italian restaurant Cours Julien” are achievable. Target precise expressions that match what your customers actually type.
5. Your pages don’t have enough content
A “Services” page with three lines of text doesn’t give Google enough to understand what you do. Create a detailed page for each important service, answering your customers’ questions: prices, timelines, process, service area.
6. Title and description tags are missing or generic
The page title, shown in Google results, should contain the service and the city: “Website design in Marseille” rather than “Home”. It’s one of the most important signals, and often overlooked.
7. Your website is too slow
Google takes user experience into account, including loading speed on mobile. A slow website ranks lower and loses its visitors before they see your offer. Test your website on PageSpeed Insights and read our guide to Core Web Vitals.
8. Your website isn’t mobile-friendly
Google primarily evaluates the mobile version of your website. Text too small, buttons too close together, content overflowing the screen: all negative signals.
9. You don’t have a Google Business Profile
For local searches, Google first shows a map with three businesses. Without an optimised profile, you’re left out. Follow our guide to optimising your Google Business Profile.
10. Nobody is talking about you
Links from other websites remain an important trust signal. Quality professional directories, partners, suppliers, local press, retailers’ associations: every serious mention strengthens your credibility in Google’s eyes.
Where to start?
Start with the technical checks (indexing, blocking tags, Search Console), then work on content and local SEO. If you’d like a full diagnosis, we carry out a free SEO audit of your website, with priority actions ranked by impact.