Why Is My Website Not Showing Up on Google? (And How to Fix It)

Why Is My Website Not Showing Up on Google? (And How to Fix It)

You’ve invested in a professional website. It looks great. It has all your services listed. But there’s one major problem: nobody can find it on Google.

You search for your business, your services, even your exact business name—and your website is nowhere to be found. Or worse, it’s buried on page 3 where no one will ever see it.

If potential customers in Vancouver or across Canada can’t find your website when they search for what you offer, you’re losing business every single day to competitors who do show up.

The good news? There are clear, fixable reasons why your website isn’t showing up on Google—and we’ll show you exactly how to fix them.

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Why Google Visibility Matters for Your Business

Here’s the reality:

• 75% of people never scroll past the first page of Google search results
• The top 3 results get 75% of all clicks
• 46% of all Google searches are looking for local businesses
• If you’re not on page 1, you’re practically invisible

Whether you’re a:

• Restaurant trying to attract diners
• Contractor looking for project leads
• Dentist needing new patients
• Lawyer seeking clients
• Retailer wanting online sales
• Service provider chasing inquiries

…if you’re not showing up when people search for what you offer, you’re handing customers directly to your competitors.

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The 10 Reasons Your Website Isn’t Showing Up on Google

Let’s diagnose the problem. Here are the most common reasons websites don’t rank:

1. Your Website Is Brand New

Google doesn’t trust new websites immediately. It takes time (typically 3–6 months) for Google to crawl, index, and start ranking a new site—especially if you’re in a competitive market like Vancouver.

The Fix:
Be patient, but accelerate the process with proper SEO, quality content, and backlinks from trusted sources.

2. Google Hasn’t Indexed Your Site Yet

If Google hasn’t “indexed” your website, it doesn’t exist in their database—so it can’t show up in search results.

How to Check:
Search site:yourwebsite.com in Google. If nothing shows up, you’re not indexed.

The Fix:

• Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console
• Make sure your site isn’t blocking Google with robots.txt
• Create quality content and get backlinks to help Google discover you

3. Your Website Has Technical SEO Problems

Technical issues can prevent Google from crawling and ranking your site:

• Slow loading speed
• Not mobile-friendly
• Broken links or errors
• Poor site structure
• Missing or duplicate meta tags

The Fix:
Run a technical SEO audit to identify and fix issues. Speed, mobile-friendliness, and clean code are critical.

4. You’re Not Targeting the Right Keywords

You might be optimizing for keywords nobody actually searches for—or keywords that are way too competitive.

Example:
Targeting “best business in the world” won’t help. Targeting “emergency plumber Vancouver” or “family dentist near me” will.

The Fix:
Do proper keyword research to find what your customers are actually searching for, then optimize your content around those terms.

5. Your Content Is Thin or Low-Quality

Google prioritizes websites with helpful, detailed, original content. If your pages are just a few sentences or copied from somewhere else, you won’t rank.

The Fix:
Create comprehensive, valuable content that answers customer questions and solves their problems. Blog posts, service pages, FAQs—all help.

6. You Have No Local SEO Setup

If you’re a local business in Vancouver and you’re not optimized for local search, you’re invisible to nearby customers.

The Fix:

• Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile
• Add your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) consistently across your site
• Get listed in local directories
• Encourage customer reviews
• Use local keywords (e.g., “Vancouver,” “BC,” “near me”)

7. Your Website Has No Backlinks

Backlinks (links from other websites to yours) are one of Google’s top ranking factors. If no one links to you, Google sees your site as unimportant.

The Fix:
Build quality backlinks through:

• Local business directories
• Industry associations
• Guest posts or partnerships
• Press mentions
• Customer testimonials on other sites

8. Your Competitors Are Simply Doing Better SEO

If your competitors have faster sites, better content, more reviews, and stronger backlinks, they’ll outrank you.

The Fix:
Analyze what your top competitors are doing and do it better. Invest in professional SEO to level the playing field.

9. You’re Targeting Too Broad or Too Competitive Keywords

Trying to rank for “lawyer” or “restaurant” is nearly impossible. Those are dominated by huge brands with massive budgets.

The Fix:
Focus on long-tail, specific keywords:

• Instead of “lawyer,” target “personal injury lawyer Vancouver”
• Instead of “restaurant,” target “Italian restaurant downtown Vancouver”

10. You Haven’t Been Consistent

SEO isn’t a one-time thing. If you optimized your site once two years ago and haven’t touched it since, you’ve likely fallen behind.

The Fix:
SEO requires ongoing effort: fresh content, technical maintenance, link building, and adaptation to Google’s algorithm changes.

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How to Get Your Website Showing Up on Google

Now that you know why your site isn’t ranking, here’s how to fix it:

Step 1: Make Sure Google Can Find and Index Your Site

• Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console
• Check that your site isn’t blocking search engines
• Fix any crawl errors or broken pages

Step 2: Optimize for Local SEO (If You’re a Local Business)

• Claim and fully optimize your Google Business Profile
• Add your business name, address, and phone number to every page
• Get listed in local directories (Yelp, Yellow Pages, industry-specific sites)
• Encourage happy customers to leave Google reviews
• Use local keywords throughout your site

Step 3: Fix Technical SEO Issues

• Speed up your website (aim for under 2 seconds load time)
• Make sure your site is mobile-friendly
• Fix broken links and 404 errors
• Add proper meta titles and descriptions to every page
• Use header tags (H1, H2, H3) correctly
• Create an XML sitemap

Step 4: Target the Right Keywords

• Research what your customers are actually searching for
• Focus on local, specific, long-tail keywords
• Use keywords naturally in:
  • Page titles
  • Headings
  • Content
  • Meta descriptions
  • Image alt text
  • URLs

Step 5: Create High-Quality, Helpful Content

• Write detailed service pages that explain what you do and how you help
• Start a blog answering common customer questions
• Add FAQs to your site
• Use real photos (not just stock images)
• Make content easy to read: short paragraphs, bullet points, clear headings

Step 6: Build Quality Backlinks

• Get listed in local and industry directories
• Partner with other local businesses
• Earn press mentions or features
• Create shareable content (guides, infographics, case studies)
• Ask satisfied customers to mention you on their sites

Step 7: Monitor and Improve Continuously

• Use Google Analytics to track traffic and behavior
• Use Google Search Console to monitor rankings and fix issues
• Regularly update content
• Keep building links
• Stay on top of technical maintenance

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How We Help Vancouver Businesses Show Up on Google

At Elite-P, we specialize in getting businesses like yours found online. Here’s how our services help:

1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

We optimize your website so it ranks higher in Google for the searches that matter to your business.

What we do:

• Local SEO: Get found in “near me” searches and Google Maps
• Keyword research: Target what your customers are actually searching
• Technical SEO: Fix speed, mobile issues, crawl errors, and site structure
• On-page optimization: Optimize titles, headings, content, and meta tags
• Content strategy: Create valuable content that ranks and converts
• Link building: Earn quality backlinks that boost your authority
• Ongoing monitoring: Track rankings, traffic, and continuously improve

Result: Your website shows up when Vancouver and Canadian customers search for your services.

2. Advertising Management

While SEO builds long-term visibility, ads get you to the top of Google immediately.

We manage campaigns on:

• Google Ads (Search, Display, Performance Max)
• Microsoft Ads
• Facebook & Instagram Ads
• LinkedIn Ads (for B2B)

Our approach:

• Target the right audience (location, interests, search intent)
• Write compelling ad copy that gets clicks
• Optimize bids and budgets to maximize ROI
• Continuously test and improve performance
• Provide transparent reporting so you know exactly what you’re getting

Result: You appear at the top of search results while your SEO builds momentum.

3. Website Design & Development

A beautiful website means nothing if Google can’t find it or customers can’t use it.

We build websites that:

• Load fast (under 2 seconds)
• Work perfectly on mobile
• Are built with SEO best practices from day one
• Have clear navigation and strong calls-to-action
• Convert visitors into customers
• Are easy for you to update and manage

Result: A website that’s built to rank, built to convert, and built to grow your business.

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Real Example: Vancouver Business Goes From Invisible to Page 1

Before:
A local Vancouver service business had a nice website but wasn’t showing up on Google at all.

Problems:

• Not indexed properly in Google
• No Google Business Profile
• Slow site speed (6+ seconds on mobile)
• No local keywords
• Thin content (2–3 sentences per page)
• Zero backlinks

After Working With Elite-P:

• Submitted and indexed properly in Google Search Console
• Claimed and optimized Google Business Profile
• Speed optimized to under 2 seconds
• Added local Vancouver keywords throughout
• Created detailed service pages and blog content
• Built quality backlinks from local directories and partners

Result:

• Ranking on page 1 for 12 local keywords within 4 months
• 300% increase in organic traffic
• 20+ qualified leads per month from Google search
• Showing up in Google Maps for “near me” searches

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Common Questions About Google Rankings

How long does it take to show up on Google?

It depends on your starting point. A brand-new site can take 3–6 months. An existing site with issues can see improvements in 4–8 weeks with proper optimization.

Can I rank without paying for ads?

Yes! That’s what SEO does. Ads give you immediate visibility while SEO builds long-term, sustainable rankings.

Why do my competitors rank higher?

Usually because they have better SEO: faster sites, more content, more backlinks, better local optimization, or they’ve simply been doing it longer.

Do I need to be on social media to rank on Google?

No, but social media can help drive traffic and build brand awareness, which indirectly supports SEO.

What if I’m in a very competitive industry?

You can still rank by targeting specific, local, long-tail keywords and building strong local SEO. Professional SEO helps you compete.

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What Happens When You Work With Us

We handle everything so you can focus on running your business:

Discovery & Analysis
We audit your current website, analyze your competitors, and identify exactly why you’re not ranking and what opportunities exist.

Custom Strategy
We create a tailored SEO plan based on your business goals, target audience, and competitive landscape.

Implementation
We execute the strategy: technical fixes, content optimization, local SEO setup, link building, and ongoing improvements.

Ongoing Optimization
SEO isn’t set-it-and-forget-it. We continuously monitor performance, adapt to algorithm changes, and refine strategies to keep you ranking.

Transparent Reporting
You’ll always know what we’re doing, what’s working, and what results you’re getting—rankings, traffic, and leads.

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Ready to Start Showing Up on Google?

If potential customers can’t find your website, you’re losing business to competitors who invested in SEO.

The good news? With the right strategy in SEO, advertising, and web design, you can start showing up where your customers are searching—and turn those searches into real business.

Not sure where to start?

We offer a free SEO audit that shows you:

• Why your website isn’t showing up on Google
• What technical issues are holding you back
• Which keywords you should be targeting
• A clear action plan to start ranking

Stop being invisible.
Request your free SEO audit today and start getting found by customers in Vancouver and across Canada.

👉 Contact Elite-P Today