FAQ #8 - Why won't my website show up in Google?

Google is a company. Their goal is to serve the best, most relevant content to their "customers": those who are using their search engine. With that in mind, here are 5 common reasons why your website may not show up in Google:

  1. You Have a New Domain: New domains are put in a "sandbox" as soon as they are launched. New domains have no credibility, and only after they receive traffic and age will they come up in organic search results. A great way to get around this is to use Google AdWords.
  2. Your Website Lacks Content: This one is somewhat obvious, but take a second look at your website. If someone is looking for more information about your industry, would they find it on your website? Do you have enough information on your site to look like credible and professional?
  3. Your Website Is Outdated: Google is constantly searching for up-to-the-minute information to serve to their customers. If your website hasn't been updated in a year, maybe it's time to go back and freshen it up.
  4. You Used Duplicate Content: If you used a service that allows you to purchase blogs postings, newsletters, or content for your website, you may have duplicate content as someone else. If numerous people have the exact same content, you will be penalized. Avoid these and stick with original content. If you can't write it yourself, find a copywriter to tell your story for you!
  5. Black-Hat SEO Techniques: If you hired a search engine optimization company and you saw immediate results, but you're now nowhere to be found on Google, the company you worked with was employing black-hat SEO techniques. Often times, these techniques will get you quick results, but in utilizing them, you will be severely - often permanently - punished. It can even lead to being completely blacklisted from Google search results.

If you have tried everything you can think of to improve your search rankings, just be patient. Results will not happen over night. It often takes a few months for your organic search result rankings to improve. Also, focus your optimization. Work on only a few keywords to begin with, and then broaden your terms. And keep your expectations realistic. You will not be the first rank on the first page for every keyword, but getting on the first page is a great start!