Feeling lost because your website is nowhere to be found on Google? Don’t stress – there are quick fixes that you can implement to put your site back onto Google’s radar. Let’s discuss what they are:
1. Low Rankings
First, it’s important to confirm if your site is genuinely absent from Google’s search results.
Some people mistakenly believe their website isn’t visible on Google, but often, it’s merely buried under low rankings. An easy way to do this is to perform a site search on Google.
- For a site: Enter the syntax: site:your-domain-name
- For a page: Enter the syntax: site:URL-of-page
2. Preventing Indexing
Another potential explanation for your site’s absence on Google is if you’re blocking search engines from indexing your pages.
A “noindex” meta tag is HTML code that instructs search engines not to index a page. If you’ve applied this tag to a page you want to be indexed, it won’t appear on Google, even if you’ve submitted your sitemap.
You can identify pages with a “noindex” tag by using the Google Search Console. This free tool offers various features and reports to assess your site’s SEO performance.
3. Crawlability Issues
If search engines can’t crawl your pages, they won’t appear in search results.
Typically, websites utilise a robots.txt file to guide search engine crawlers, specifying which pages to crawl and which to avoid.
Google Search Console offers assistance in detecting pages obstructed from crawling in your robots.txt file. Just access the Indexing report, go to pages, and locate the “blocked by robots.txt” report to view a comprehensive list of pages restricted from crawling.
4. Mismatched Search Intent
Google strives to deliver websites that satisfy users’ needs by offering relevant information.
Failure to match the search intent of a specific keyword may result in Google not displaying your site in the search results for that keyword.
You can remedy this by conducting a Google search for the keyword you want to rank for, and examine the top-ranking pages to understand the type of content users are seeking.
5. Poor User Experience
Google not only aims for users to find the information they seek, but also prioritises a positive browsing experience. If your site is slow to load, difficult to navigate, or challenging to read, users may leave quickly. This signals to Google that your site lacks a satisfactory user experience, which could potentially affect its ranking.
If you’re still grappling with low rankings or visibility issues, consider enlisting the expertise of a professional SEO agency like One Stop Digital. We specialise in navigating the complexities of SEO to propel your site to the top of Google’s search results. Call us today!
