Why My Website Is Not Ranking on Google: Troubleshooting Common Issues

Ever wondered why your website or webpage isn’t showing up in Google search results? There could be multiple reasons for this, the most common being that your site is not indexed. In other words, Google hasn’t crawled and stored it in its index. If Google hasn’t found it yet, you can request indexing through Google Search Console (GSC).

Checking If Your Website is Indexed

To check if your URL is indexed by Google, use GSC. Here’s how to do it:

Log in to your Google Search Console account. Go to the ‘Inspect’ tool in the Menus section. Enter your URL in the search box. Click on ‘Run Inspection’. Review the results.

Technical Issues

If Google finds your URL, but your website still isn’t showing up, there could be a technical issue. For example, web crawlers might be blocked via your robots.txt file. GSC can provide details to help you resolve these issues.

Understanding Your Website’s Indexing Status

If the “URL is not on Google”

If the URL in GSC isn’t indexed, the page can’t appear in search results. This is often the case when Google hasn’t found it yet. In this situation, you can request indexing through GSC.

If the “URL is on Google”

On the other hand, if the URL is indexed, the page is eligible to appear in search results. However, it might take some time to establish or improve keyword rankings. If weeks go by without any change, you might need to improve your content or refine your keyword strategy.

Other Common Reasons Your Website Isn’t Ranking

Here are some additional factors that might be affecting your website’s ranking:

Your website is not indexed. Your website has technical issues. This could mean things like web crawlers are blocked, or your site isn’t responsive. Your website is not mobile-friendly. Your website is not optimized for the right keywords. Your website does not have enough high-quality backlinks.

Using Google Search Console

Google Search Console (GSC) is a great tool to diagnose and fix these issues. From identifying technical issues to detailing how Google finds and displays your content, GSC provides comprehensive insights. If you’re unsure of what to do, try running a ‘Search Console Health Report’ to get a detailed overview of your site’s performance.

Additional SEO Tools for Optimization

To ensure your website is optimized for search engines, you might also want to use SEO tools. These can help you identify keyword opportunities, track backlink development, and continually monitor your performance. Some popular SEO tools include:

Ahrefs - For comprehensive backlink analysis and keyword research. Moz - Offers domain authority, page authority, and SEOFast. SEMrush - Provides SEO website auditing and competitor analysis.

Improving Your Website’s Ranking

If your website isn’t ranking on Google, you can take several steps to improve its visibility:

Optimize it for search engines. Ensure your content is relevant and engaging. Use meta descriptions, headers, and alt tags effectively. Fix any technical issues. Ensure your site is mobile-friendly, fast, and free of broken links. Build backlinks. Engage in guest blogging, submit content to directories, and encourage social sharing. Target less competitive keywords. Start with easier keywords to rank for and gradually move to more challenging ones.

Conclusion

Understanding why your website isn’t ranking on Google can be a complex process, but it’s crucial for improving its visibility. By using tools like Google Search Console and SEO tools, you can identify and address the root causes, leading to better search engine rankings.