Here's Why Your Website Is Not Ranking On Google

When using SEO, you might expect your website to rank swiftly. Because you’re implementing all the rules, right? But it’s not. Then you sit down, frustrated, asking yourself why it’s not ranking. Believe me, a lot of people have this question.

Many factors contribute to ranking issues, from indexing to keyword placement. And in this article, we’ll list all the reasons your content isn’t ranking on Google. Make sure to use these reasons to the best of your ability to rank your content. Without further ado, let’s begin.

Indexation

One reason the website isn't showing up is how it's indexed. To display your site in the SERPs, it should crawl and index itself first.

Indexing involves search engines scanning your web pages, examining the content, and storing it in their database. Your site will not appear in searches if not indexed, no matter how well you've optimized the content.

A lot of things can hamper proper indexing. For instance, many robot.txt files can stop search engines from indexing your website. Sometimes, you might put "noindex" meta tags on the page, which lets the search engines know not to index that website.

Also, Google might run into crawl errors like 404s (when a page can't be found) or 500s (when there are server problems), which makes indexing even harder. To fix indexing issues, make sure search engines can crawl your website.

Use tools like Google Search Console to see if your website is being indexed. Send in an updated sitemap and look for any crawl errors. Monitor whether search engines can access and index your website and ensure it is easy for crawlers to move around.

Time

Time is crucial in determining why your website might not rank on Google. Rankings can take weeks or months, depending on strategy used. When launching your website or making some fixes, remember that Google needs time to crawl and re-index your pages.

There is an SEO time lag playing here. Before ranking your website, Google needs to consider the content's quality, relevance, and authenticity. It also needs to see if the backlinks are a good fit or not.

Furthermore, new sites are held back from ranking because Google needs to stop spammy websites from gaining traction.

Another reason is the age of the domain. Older domains have a history of ranking faster than new ones. So, be patient and keep working on your SEO strategies. Keep making quality content, gathering backlinks, and improving the website's technical issues. Sometimes, all it needs is a little bit of time.

Content Issues

Content rules the SEO world, and content problems often cause websites to fail in rankings. Search engines favor high-quality, relevant, well-structured

content that meets user needs. If your website's content is poor, old, or off-topic, it will have difficulty ranking.

There are a few content problems, one of which is not delivering quality content. You might write a lengthy article but not deliver what it asked for. The search engine systems look into depth and variety of content, so your article needs to provide the best quality. It needs to be fresh, new, and trending. Any old or off-topic content does not pass the vibe check for Google.

Another issue is plagiarism. If your content matches another reputable source, it simply won't rank it. It would deem it spam or harmful. Also, your content will not rank if it doesn't have a proper format, such as keywords, short paragraphs, and proper headings.

To improve your content creation, create lengthy, quality content. Research the web to find proper formats and keywords. Always stay updated with the trends and make some tweaks to the content. The better the content is, the higher chances that you’ll rank.

Technical Issues

Technical SEO problems can hurt your website's chances of ranking well, and they often slip under the radar unless someone looks for them. Google uses strategies to figure out what's on your website and how it's built underneath.

Any hiccup in this technical check can lead to lower rankings or even removal from Google's search results.

A typical tech issue is how fast your site loads. Google sees page speed affecting rankings because it impacts how people use your site. If your website loads slowly, it'll drop.

Use page speed detection tools to understand the issues and fix them. Search engines give priority to mobile-first indexing, so, if your site is mobile friendly, it'll get the upper hand to rank faster.

Your rankings will drop if your site doesn't adapt to mobile devices or cater to mobile users. Also, issues like broken links, missing SSL certificates can create big technical obstacles that can affect the SEO of your website.

To spot and fix these problems, it is helpful to run regular technical SEO checks using tools or checking in with 2Cents Initiative. Make sure the website is mobile-friendly, loads faster and has a simple interface to boost it's performance.

Search Intent

Another reason could be not meeting the search intent. This means, they can't find what they're looking for on your website. Google's search system puts a lot of weight on figuring out and meeting user intent—the real reason behind someone's search.

If your content doesn't align with what people want to know, it won't rank well, even if you've done a good job with SEO.

User intent falls into a few main groups: getting information, finding a specific website, making a purchase, and researching products. Let's say someone searches for "best air fryers." They're in product research mode, wanting to compare options or read reviews, not just looking for general info about how air fryers work.

If you target keywords without understanding the intentions, they won't rank well. Forcefully inserting informational details when the user is only here for the product is a bad look. So, insert keywords depending on the context of the search.

Also, if your keyword matches the intent but doesn’t deliver quality, it can also affect the ranking. It’s like giving people expectations and then boom, disappointment.

To make your content match what people are looking for, do keyword research and look at the top-ranking pages for each keyword. Figure out why people are searching for that term and change your content to fit.

Try to give users what they're searching for: product details, guides that walk you through something step-by-step, or quick answers to simple questions. It takes a little practice to master but as you research different styles, you can figure it out easily.

Algorithm

Google's algorithm is complex and constantly changing, and changes to it can impact your site's rankings. Google doesn't share how its algorithm works, but SEO professionals know that it uses hundreds of factors to decide where a page should appear in search results.

Algorithm updates like the Google Panda vs Penguin and Helpful Content have increased penalties. These target low-quality content, unnatural backlinks, and bad user experience. These updates can drastically drop the rankings.

So, if your site's rankings suddenly drop, an update to Google's algorithm could be the cause. Always keep an eye at it.

A lot of website owners run into trouble because they don't keep up with these changes. When Google rolls out a big algorithm update, websites that used to rank well can drop, while others can see a big jump. It’s a rollercoaster ride here.

It's vital to stay on top of these updates. You can do this by reading Google's Search Central Blog using tools like Moz's Algorithm Update Tracker and checking your site's performance.

Besides understanding updates, you need to make your SEO strategy future-proof. Create high-quality content, give users a good experience, and stick to Google's rules. These practices hold up well when algorithms change over time.

Backlinking Problems

Backlinks remain one of the most powerful ranking signals Google uses, and backlink issues can hurt your website's chances of ranking well. A backlink is a thumbs-up from one site to another, and Google looks at these signals to judge how trustworthy and authoritative your site is. That said, not every backlink carries the same effect.

A common problem is when low-quality or spammy backlinks point to your site. Google created the Penguin algorithm to track websites that use shady link-building tricks and drop them. It usually occurs when you buy links from link farms.

If your site has too many low-quality backlinks, it might be suspended, which can tank your rankings. On the flip side, not having enough backlinks can also hurt you. Your site will have difficulty competing in the rankings if it doesn't have enough trustworthy links from respected websites.

Top-ranking sites often have hundreds or thousands of high-quality backlinks pointing their way.

To fix backlink problems, remove any harmful links and try to get backlinks naturally through guest posts, content marketing, or PR campaigns.

Connecting with trusted websites in your field will boost your site's backlink profile and help it rank better.

Keyword Issues

Another key reason your website isn't ranking might be keyword problems. Keywords form the basis of SEO, and a flawed keyword strategy will make it almost impossible for your site to rank well.

A common error is to target competitive keywords without the necessary domain authority or content strength to compete. In these cases, smaller or newer websites should focus on long-tail keywords, which are less competitive and easier to rank for.

On the other hand, some websites fall into the trap of keyword domination. This happens when multiple pages on the site are crafted to target the same keyword. This confuses Google about which page to rank, often resulting in lower rankings for all the competing pages.

Cramming keywords like shoving a particular word into your content too many times to trick search rankings can drop the rank too. Google's search system is clever enough to spot unnatural word use and might knock your website down a few for such sneaky moves.

To fix keyboard problems, do thorough word research and link each term to a specific page or piece of writing. Tools like Google Keyword Planner can help you discover more specific phrases that fewer people are going after but still get a good number of searches.

Make sure your keyword use flows and fits well with your content. Another tip is to make content that focuses on one keyword at a time. It helps Google to detect the exact page it needs to rank.

E-E-A-T Criteria

E-E-A-T significantly impacts ranking for websites about sensitive topics like health, money, or legal advice. It stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Google aims to rank content from reliable and credible sources, which makes E-E-A-T guidelines crucial.

Your website might struggle to rank if it doesn't show these qualities. For instance, if you run a health blog without medical qualifications or your content lacks proper citations, Google might consider your site untrustworthy. Afterall, you’re giving medical advice, we’re not trying to poison people here.

Also, your website's vague or missing author pages could hurt your credibility. To make your E-E-A-T guidelines match, make sure experts in the field write your content. Include author bios that showcase their experience and know-how.

Use reputable sources and keep your website up-to-date with correct information. Building a good online reputation through positive reviews, trusted backlinks, and recognition in your industry will also improve your E-E-A-T standing.

You can also go ahead and partner up with experts in these fields and get their backlinks to boost your E-E-A-T score. Having good credibility can immensely help your website to rank.

Conclusion

Now that you’re aware of the issues, you can go ahead and step up your SEO game and finally rank your rank. A few tweaks and going over the issues can solve it. But if you’re still struggling with it, let us help you.

2Cents Initiative is there for all your SEO problems. From ranking, to keywords to improving content, we can help you. Our team of SEO specialists can troubleshoot your SEO issues to success. You can also track the performance and how well you’re doing from your competitors.

What are the tips you used to rank? Are there any we missed? Share with us. Thank you for tuning in here and we hope to see you soon!