Introduction
You’ve put in the work to optimize your website—writing great content, using the right keywords, and tweaking every technical aspect of your pages. So, why aren’t you seeing the rankings you deserve? There are many reasons why an optimized page might not be ranking well in search results. Understanding the common roadblocks can help you overcome these hurdles and improve your site’s visibility on Google. In this blog post, we’ll cover 16 reasons why your page might not be ranking and what actions you can take to fix them.
1. Your Website/Page Is New
Why it’s a problem
One of the most common reasons a page won’t rank is that it’s still new. Google needs time to crawl and index your content before it appears in search results, and this can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
What you can do
If your site is new, give it some time. You can speed up the indexing process by submitting your XML sitemap to Google Search Console and using the URL Inspection Tool to request a re-crawl of your page. This can help increase the chances of getting indexed faster.
2. Your Content Is Marked ‘noindex’
Why it’s a problem
The `noindex` meta tag prevents search engines from indexing your page, meaning it will never show up in search results. This can happen if the tag is mistakenly added during site setup or by a developer.
What you can do
Check your page’s source code for the following tag:
`<meta name=”robots” content=”noindex” />`
If it’s there, remove it and request a re-crawl via Google Search Console.
3. Your Site Is Blocking Google with a robots.txt File
Why it’s a problem
A misconfigured robots.txt file can block Google’s crawlers from accessing your pages, preventing them from being indexed and ranked.
What you can do
Use Google Search Console’s Coverage report to check for any blocked URLs. If you find any, edit your robots.txt file to allow access to the pages you want indexed. You can test the changes using the robots.txt Tester in Google Search Console.
4. Your Page Has Long Loading Times (Page Speed)
Why it’s a problem
Google considers page speed an important ranking factor. Slow-loading pages lead to poor user experience, which negatively impacts rankings and conversions.
What you can do
Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights to analyze your site’s speed. Based on the results, consider optimizing images, using a Content Delivery Network (CDN), and minimizing unnecessary scripts to improve load times.
5. Your Site Isn’t Mobile-Friendly
Why it’s a problem
With Google’s Mobile-First Indexing, your site’s mobile version is now the primary version for ranking. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, it may be penalized in mobile search results.
What you can do
Check if your site is mobile-friendly using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test. If it’s not, consider switching to a responsive design or creating a mobile version of your site to ensure a seamless experience across devices.
6. You’re Being Penalized Because You Went Against Webmaster Guidelines
Why it’s a problem
If your website violates Google’s Webmaster Guidelines (such as engaging in keyword stuffing, link manipulation, or providing low-quality content), Google may penalize you.
What you can do
Review Google’s Webmaster Guidelines and make sure your site is fully compliant. If you’ve been penalized, follow the steps in Google Search Console to request reconsideration after resolving the issue.
7. Your Website Has Security Issues
Why it’s a problem
Security is important for both user trust and SEO. Sites without an SSL certificate (using HTTP instead of HTTPS) are often penalized in search rankings.
What you can do
Switch your site from HTTP to HTTPS by installing an SSL certificate. This will not only improve security but also help with ranking, as Google has confirmed that HTTPS is a ranking signal.
8. Your Site Has Broken or Toxic Backlinks
Why it’s a problem
Backlinks from low-quality, spammy, or broken sources can harm your SEO. Google views these as indicators of a low-quality or untrustworthy website.
What you can do
Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify toxic backlinks. Remove or disavow them using Google’s Disavow Tool in Search Console to prevent negative SEO impact.
9. Your Site Is Not Getting Enough Quality Backlinks
Why it’s a problem
Backlinks from authoritative sites are one of Google’s most important ranking factors. Without them, your site will struggle to gain visibility.
What you can do
Create high-quality content that naturally attracts backlinks. You can also reach out to influencers and relevant websites in your niche for backlink opportunities.
10. Your Site Has a Poor Internal Linking Structure
Why it’s a problem
Internal links help search engines understand the structure and hierarchy of your website. Without them, important pages might not get crawled or ranked.
What you can do
Audit your site’s internal links and ensure that important pages are well-linked. Use relevant anchor text and ensure your internal linking structure is logical and user-friendly.
11. Your Website Has Keyword Cannibalization
Why it’s a problem
Keyword cannibalization occurs when multiple pages on your site are competing for the same keyword. This confuses search engines and dilutes the ranking potential of all the pages involved.
What you can do
Consolidate or merge pages targeting similar keywords. Use canonical tags to indicate the preferred version of a page, or update your content to ensure each page targets a unique keyword.
12. Your Website’s Content Is Not Optimized for Target Keywords
Why it’s a problem
Without proper keyword optimization, Google can’t fully understand the relevance of your content. But overstuffing keywords can harm your rankings as well.
What you can do
Perform keyword research to identify high-traffic, low-competition keywords for your content. Include these keywords naturally in headings, titles, and throughout your content without overstuffing.
13. Your Content Is Not Providing Value to Your Users
Why it’s a problem
Google prioritizes content that provides real value to users. If your content isn’t helpful, informative, or relevant, it’s unlikely to rank well.
What you can do
Focus on creating high-quality, user-focused content that answers common questions or solves specific problems for your target audience.
14. Your Website Has Duplicate Content Issues
Why it’s a problem
Duplicate content can confuse search engines and cause ranking issues. Google may not know which version of the content to prioritize, or worse, it may penalize your site for having duplicate content.
What you can do
Use tools like Copyscape or Siteliner to identify duplicate content. Resolve it by removing or modifying duplicate pages or using canonical tags to tell Google which version to index.
15. You Are Affected by Google’s SEO Algorithm Changes
Why it’s a problem
Google frequently updates its algorithms, and these changes can impact how your site ranks. If you’re not keeping up with these changes, your rankings may drop.
What you can do
Stay informed about major algorithm updates through Google’s official blog. Review your SEO strategies and adjust them according to the latest ranking factors.
16. You Have a Penalty From Google
Why it’s a problem
A drop in rankings can sometimes be due to a Google penalty, which can occur if your site violates Google’s guidelines.
What you can do
Check Google Search Console for any manual actions or penalties. If you’ve received a penalty, fix the issues and submit a reconsideration request.
Conclusion
If your optimized page isn’t ranking, don’t despair. There are many factors at play, but with the right approach, you can resolve these issues and see better results. From technical SEO fixes to content optimization, taking the necessary steps to improve your site’s visibility will help you achieve long-term SEO success.
If you need help, MDA Websites can provide expert SEO services to guide you through every step of the optimization process. Don’t let your hard work go unnoticed—contact us today to get started on improving your rankings!
Have questions or need help with your SEO strategy? Reach out to MDA Websites for a personalized SEO audit today!