SEO GUIDE // TROUBLESHOOTING
Why Is My Website Not Ranking on Google?
If your website isn't appearing in Google search results, one of these 8 issues is almost certainly the cause — with actionable fixes for each.
Google hasn't indexed your site yet
Fix: Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console and request indexing.
Your pages have no target keywords
Fix: Each page needs to be written around a specific search query your customers use.
You have no backlinks
Fix: Get listed on local directories (Yell, Yelp, Thomson), ask for links from partners.
Slow page speed
Fix: Run a Google PageSpeed test. Poor scores hurt rankings — compress images, fix hosting.
Missing meta titles and descriptions
Fix: Every page needs a unique, keyword-rich title tag (50–60 chars) and meta description.
Your site is not mobile-friendly
Fix: Google uses mobile-first indexing — if your site isn't responsive, rankings suffer.
Duplicate content
Fix: Every page must have unique content. Copied or thin content gets filtered out.
New site with no history
Fix: New domains take 3–6 months to gain authority. Consistency and content help speed this up.
Still Not Ranking After 6 Months?
If you've had a website for over 6 months and it's still not appearing for your target keywords, the issue is almost certainly a lack of proper SEO strategy — not a Google penalty.
The good news: most of these issues are fixable within weeks with the right approach.
Get a Free SEO Audit
OWD will analyse exactly why your site isn't ranking and give you a clear action plan — free, no obligation.
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