You built a website, but when you search for your business on Google, it’s nowhere to be found. Frustrating — and surprisingly common. The good news is the causes are usually fixable once you know what to look for.
Why isn’t my website showing on Google? The most common reasons are: your site is too new and not yet indexed, a “noindex” tag or robots.txt rule is blocking it, you’re not targeting the right keywords, competition is too strong for your current authority, or technical issues are stopping Google from crawling it. Most of these are fixable within days to weeks.
1. Your site is too new (and not yet indexed)
Google has to discover, crawl and index a page before it can appear. For a brand-new site this can take days or weeks. Fix: set up Google Search Console, submit your sitemap, and use “Request Indexing” on key pages to speed it up.
2. A “noindex” tag or robots.txt is blocking you
If a page has a noindex meta tag, or your robots.txt blocks crawling, Google won’t list it. This often happens accidentally after a redesign. Fix: check the Pages report in Search Console and remove any accidental blocks. See our technical SEO checklist.
3. You’re searching for the wrong thing
If you search a competitive term like “accountant” you may be on page 5. Fix: search your exact business name — if that appears, you are indexed; you simply aren’t ranking for competitive keywords yet (see reasons 5–6).
4. No SEO or keyword targeting
A pretty website isn’t automatically an optimised one. If your pages don’t target the terms people search, Google has nothing to rank you for. Fix: add clear, keyword-relevant titles, headings and content. Our guide on how to rank higher on Google walks through this.
5. The competition is too strong (for now)
In competitive markets, established sites with more content and backlinks outrank newcomers. Fix: target less competitive long-tail and local keywords first, build content consistently, and earn quality links over time.
6. Technical problems are blocking crawling
Slow load times, broken links, poor mobile usability or content that only loads via JavaScript can all stop Google indexing your pages properly. Fix: run a technical audit and resolve crawl/speed issues.
7. You have a brand-new domain with no authority
New domains start from zero trust. There’s no shortcut here — Google needs time and signals (content, links, consistency) before it ranks you for anything competitive. Patience plus consistent SEO is the answer.
8. A manual action or penalty
Rare, but if you (or a previous SEO) used spammy tactics, Google may have penalised the site. Fix: check Search Console → Security & Manual Actions, and clean up any issues.
How long until my site shows on Google?
Once indexed, a brand-new site can appear for its own name within days. Ranking for competitive keywords typically takes 3–6 months of consistent SEO, and longer in tough markets. The traffic compounds, though — is it worth the wait? See is SEO worth it for a small business?
Frequently asked questions
Why isn’t my website showing on Google even though it’s live?
Being live isn’t the same as being indexed. Check Search Console — if your pages aren’t indexed, submit your sitemap and request indexing, and make sure nothing is blocked by noindex or robots.txt.
How do I get my website on Google for free?
Set up Google Search Console, submit your sitemap, create a Google Business Profile, and publish helpful, keyword-relevant content. It costs time, not money.
How long does Google take to index a new site?
Usually a few days to a few weeks. You can speed it up by submitting your sitemap and requesting indexing in Search Console.
Does a Google Business Profile help my website show up?
Yes — it helps you appear in local and map results quickly, and reinforces your business’s presence even while your website builds authority.
Not sure why your site isn’t showing?
We’ll find out fast. Get a free SEO audit and we’ll tell you exactly why your site isn’t ranking and how to fix it — with affordable plans from £79/month. New to costs? Read how much SEO costs in the UK.