Not showing up on Google: a 15-minute self-diagnosis

Last updated: September 18, 2026

Why isn't your website showing up on Google?

Usually it's one of three things: Google doesn't know your site exists yet, Google knows it but your pages never say what you want to be found for, or your competitors simply outrank you. You can figure out which one applies to you. Set a timer for 15 minutes and work through the four steps below in order.

Before you start: open an incognito window

Open an incognito window (Ctrl+Shift+N in Chrome, Cmd+Shift+N on a Mac). Google remembers which sites you visit often and will rank your own site higher than a customer would ever see it. Do every search in this diagnosis in that incognito window.

Grab a pen and paper or your notes app too. At each step, write down a simple outcome: yes or no. By the end you'll have four answers, and together they'll tell you exactly where your problem is.

Minute 1 to 3: is your site even in Google at all?

Type into Google: site:yourdomain.com (with your own domain, no space after the colon). Google itself recommends this check to see whether your pages are in the index. Do your pages show up? Write down yes and move on. See nothing? Then your diagnosis is basically done already: Google hasn't indexed your site yet, and no one can find you, no matter how good the site looks.

If your site isn't there, check first whether it's accidentally locked. Many website builders (WordPress, Squarespace, Wix) have a checkbox or toggle labeled something like 'discourage search engines' or 'hide site from search engines.' That box gets checked during the build and then forgotten, even on sites that have been live for months.

Minute 4 to 6: do you show up for your own business name?

Now search for your business name, spelled the way it's painted on your window or printed on your invoices. Are you at the top? Good, write down yes. This is the easiest test there is: you have almost no competition on your own name, so if you don't even show up here, you know the problem runs deeper than competition.

While you're at it, look to the right side of the screen (or near the top on your phone). Do you see a block with your address, hours, and photos? That's your Google Business Profile. If that block is missing, you're leaving free visibility on the table; setting one up costs nothing. Setting it up and filling it in is covered in the Google Business Profile guide.

Minute 7 to 10: do you show up for service plus location?

This is the search that actually brings in customers. Search the way a customer would: 'plumber Haarlem,' 'nail salon Heemstede,' 'bookkeeper Hoofddorp.' Use the words customers say on the phone. A customer types 'broken furnace' into Google long before they've ever heard the term 'HVAC installation.'

Scroll through the first two pages and note where you land, even if that's the bottom of page two. Then take a hard look at your own site: does the service and city name actually appear, literally, anywhere in your text and page titles? Google can only show what's there. A homepage that just says 'Welcome to Smith & Co' gives Google nothing to connect you to 'painter Haarlem.'

If you score low here but passed the previous two steps, you have the most common problem, and also the most fixable one. The guide DIY local SEO walks you through the fixes step by step.

Minute 11 to 15: the technical basics

Grab your phone and open your own site over mobile data, wifi off. Count the seconds out loud until the page is usable. If that feels like waiting, a customer bails before reading anything. Google's own SEO starter guide also tells site owners to check how their pages look and work on mobile devices.

On that same phone screen, check three more things: can you read the text without zooming in, can you tap the buttons with a thumb, and does the padlock in the address bar (https) look right? A site without https gets a 'not secure' warning in Chrome, and that costs you visitors before they've read a word.

Reading your results: four answers, four directions

Lay your notes side by side. The combination points the way:

Step 1 no: your site isn't in the index. Remove any blocks, submit your site to Google Search Console (free), and request indexing there for your most important pages. Per Google, budget several days to a few weeks for that to process.
Step 1 yes, step 2 no: something odd is going on, maybe a same-name competitor overshadowing you, or a brand-new domain. This one deserves a closer look.
Step 2 yes, step 3 no: your text and titles aren't telling Google what you want to be found for. Fix this with content, see the guide on local SEO.
Step 3 mediocre, step 4 no: your content is fine but technical issues are holding you back. Fix load time and mobile display first.
Everything yes and still few customers: people are finding you. The question shifts to what they see once they land on the site, and whether the site gives them a reason to call.

What you can fix yourself, and where that stops

Turning off 'discourage search engines,' claiming your Google Business Profile, putting city names in your page titles: anyone can do that themselves, and it mostly costs an afternoon of patience. Setting up Search Console and requesting indexing is also free and manageable, though Google is upfront that a request is no guarantee a page gets indexed.

Slow loading, an outdated website platform, pages that break on mobile, or a site that was never built around search terms at all: that's usually where DIY stops for most business owners. It can be learned, it just takes more evenings than a busy business has to spare.

Still not sure where your site stands after these 15 minutes? Request the free website check. You'll get a concrete overview of what's going on with your site, no obligation and no sales pitch.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take before Google indexes my website?

Google states that crawling a submitted page can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. You can track progress in Search Console. Resubmitting the same page repeatedly doesn't speed up the process, according to Google.

Do I have to pay Google to be found?

Regular search results cost nothing; Google ranks those based on relevance and quality. Ads (the results labeled 'Sponsored') are a separate, paid track. A Business Profile is also free to set up.

My site is new. Is it normal that I don't show up anywhere yet?

Yes. A fresh domain with no submissions needs time. Submit the site through Search Console and give Google a few weeks. If you still show up nowhere for your own business name after two months, something else is going on.

Does this check work if my site is on Wix or Squarespace?

All four steps work on any platform. With those builders, pay extra attention to your account's privacy settings: a trial plan or a 'hidden' status can sometimes keep search engines out without you realizing it.

I'm on page two. Is that bad?

Most searchers click one of the first few results and rarely go further. In practice, page two means very few visitors from Google. If you're already showing up there, Google at least considers you relevant. Better text and a fully filled-out Business Profile can often close that gap.

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