If your website isn’t showing up on Google, or it’s buried far down the results, you’re not alone. Many small business websites struggle with rankings, not because they’re bad, but because a few key basics are missing.
Here are the most common reasons your website isn’t ranking on Google.
1. Your Website Is Too New
New websites don’t rank immediately.
Google needs time to:
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find your site
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understand what it’s about
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trust it
This can take weeks or even months.
What to do:
Be patient and focus on building quality content and structure.
2. Google Doesn’t Understand What You Do
If your website is vague, Google gets confused.
Common problems:
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unclear page titles
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generic headings
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broad or buzzword-heavy text
What to do:
Clearly explain your services on each page using simple, specific language.
3. You’re Targeting the Wrong Keywords
Trying to rank for broad terms is very difficult.
For example:
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“web design” is extremely competitive
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“web designer in Kerry” is more realistic
What to do:
Use specific phrases that match how customers actually search.
4. Your Content Isn’t Helpful Enough
Google rewards useful content.
Thin or low-value content includes:
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very short pages
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copied text
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pages that don’t answer real questions
What to do:
Create helpful, original content that explains your services and answers common customer questions.
5. Your Website Is Slow
Slow websites struggle to rank.
If your site:
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takes too long to load
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performs poorly on mobile
Google will rank faster sites higher.
What to do:
Improve hosting, optimise images, and clean up plugins.
6. Your Website Isn’t Mobile-Friendly
Most Google searches happen on phones.
If your site doesn’t work well on mobile:
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rankings suffer
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users leave quickly
What to do:
Ensure your site is responsive and easy to use on mobile.
7. You Don’t Have Enough Pages
One-page websites often struggle to rank.
Google prefers sites with:
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clear service pages
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separate contact pages
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helpful blog content
What to do:
Create dedicated pages for each service you offer.
8. You’re Missing Local SEO
For local businesses, this is a big one.
If you don’t:
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mention your location
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have a Google Business Profile
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get local reviews
you’ll struggle in local search results.
What to do:
Optimise for your area and collect real customer reviews.
9. You Have Technical Issues
Technical problems can block rankings.
Examples include:
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pages not indexed
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broken links
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missing security (HTTPS)
What to do:
Fix technical issues and make sure Google can properly access your site.
10. You Haven’t Given It Enough Time or Attention
SEO is not a one-off task.
Websites that rank well:
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are updated regularly
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improve over time
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stay consistent
What to do:
Treat SEO as an ongoing process, not a quick fix.
Final Thoughts
Most websites don’t rank on Google because of missing basics, not because SEO is complicated. Clear content, good structure, fast performance, and consistency make a huge difference over time.
At SwiftSites, we build websites with SEO best practices baked in from the start, so your site has the best chance to rank and grow naturally.
