You’ve put in the work and your business website is live, optimized, and ready to go. But for some reason, your business website ranking isn’t where it should be. So, what could be the problem?
Is it that Google can’t find your site? Or is there something in your SEO strategy holding your site back from that coveted top spot? The reality is, that many things can impact your business website ranking, and even small issues can make a big difference.
So, why isn’t my business website ranking, even when it seems optimized? In this post, we’re going to dig into 5 key reasons your business website might not be ranking the way you expect and how to fix it.
1. Your Website Structure Isn’t SEO-Friendly
One of the most overlooked reasons your business website might be struggling to rank is poor website structure. If your website’s architecture is messy or hard to navigate, it makes it difficult for both Google and users to find the information they’re looking for.
Google’s bots crawl your website to understand its content and decide how to rank it. If your site is cluttered with broken links, too many pages with no clear hierarchy, or pages that are buried deep within the site, Google might have trouble crawling your site properly—and that can hurt your rankings.
How to Fix It:
- Organize Your Pages: Make sure your website has a clear, logical structure. Group similar content together under categories and subcategories to help users (and Google) navigate easily.
- Use Internal Linking: Create links between related pages on your site. This will not only help visitors explore more of your content but also help Google understand the relationship between pages.
- Simplify the URL Structure: Ensure your URLs are clean, concise, and descriptive. A URL like “yourwebsite.com/blog/seo-tips” is far better for SEO than “yourwebsite.com/post?id=12345”.
- Improve Navigation: Use a simple, user-friendly navigation bar that lets visitors easily access key pages. A good user experience (UX) translates into better rankings.
- Create a Sitemap: Create a simple sitemap and submit it through Google Search Console to help Google find and crawl all your important pages. A sitemap is a simple file that shows Google all the pages on your website. It helps Google find and crawl all your important pages.
2. Your Website Takes Too Long to Load
Did you know that a slow-loading website can tank your rankings? Google prioritizes fast websites because they provide a better user experience. If your business website takes more than 3 seconds to load, visitors might leave before they even see your content—and Google notices this.
How to Fix It:
- Compress Images: Large image files can slow your site down. Use tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim to reduce file sizes without losing quality.
- Enable Caching: Use browser caching to store parts of your website locally, so repeat visitors don’t have to reload everything from scratch.
- Upgrade Your Hosting: If your hosting is slow, consider switching to a faster provider or upgrading to a plan that better supports your traffic needs.
- Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): CDNs store your site’s data across multiple servers worldwide, reducing load times for users in different locations.
- Minimize Code: Clean up unnecessary CSS, JavaScript, and HTML. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can help identify areas for improvement.
A fast website will improve your business website ranking and also keep your website visitors happy which will reduce bounce rates and increase conversions.
3. Lack of Valuable Content and Keywords
If your website isn’t delivering the kind of content people are searching for, it might be the reason your rankings are low. Google rewards websites that provide valuable, high-quality content that answers users’ questions.
How to Fix It:
- Conduct Keyword Research: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to find keywords your audience is searching for. Focus on terms relevant to the products and services your business offers.
- Create High-Quality Content: Write blog posts, guides, or FAQs that provide in-depth answers to common customer questions.
- Use Keywords Strategically: Include your primary and supporting keywords in titles, headings, and throughout your content – but don’t overdo it.
- Keep It Fresh: Update old content regularly to keep it relevant and improve its performance in search results.
- Focus on User Intent: Think about what your customers want when they search and create content that meets those needs.
By producing valuable, optimized content, you’ll not only attract visitors but also boost your business website ranking over time.
4. Your Website Isn’t Mobile-Friendly
Over 60% of internet traffic now comes from mobile devices, and Google uses mobile-first indexing. This means if your website isn’t optimized for mobile, your rankings will take a hit.
How to Fix It:
- Use a Responsive Design: Ensure your website automatically adjusts to fit different screen sizes. Most modern website builders like WordPress and Wix have responsive templates.
- Test on Multiple Devices: Check how your site looks and functions on phones, tablets, and desktops. Tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test can help.
- Simplify Navigation: Make it easy for mobile users to find what they’re looking for with clear menus and buttons.
- Compress Files: Reduce the size of images, CSS, and JavaScript files to make pages load faster on mobile.
- Avoid Pop-Ups: Mobile users hate pop-ups that are hard to close. Use them sparingly or avoid them altogether.
A mobile-friendly website ensures you’re catering to the majority of your visitors and improving your business website ranking at the same time.
5. Poor On-Page SEO Elements
Even if you have great content, poor on-page SEO can prevent Google from fully understanding and ranking your website. Elements like title tags, meta descriptions, and headers all play a role in how search engines read your site.
How to Fix It:
- Optimize Title Tags: Include your primary keyword in each page’s title tag. Keep it under 60 characters and make it descriptive.
- Write Meta Descriptions: These short summaries appear below your link on Google. Include keywords and make it compelling to drive clicks.
- Use Header Tags (H1, H2, H3): Organize your content using headers to make it easier for Google and readers to skim.
- Add Alt Text to Images: Describe images with alt text, including keywords when relevant. This helps with both SEO and accessibility.
- Focus on Readability: Use simple language, short paragraphs, and bullet points to make your content easy to read and engaging.
When you fine-tune your on-page SEO, you’re sending the right signals to Google and giving your content a better chance of ranking higher.
6. Your Website Lacks Local SEO Optimization
If your business serves a local audience, not optimizing for local SEO could be costing you rankings and customers. Google prioritizes local businesses for searches with location-specific intent, so if your local SEO isn’t up to par, you’re missing out.
How to Fix It:
- Claim Your Google Business Profile: Set up and fully optimize your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) with accurate details like your address, phone number, and business hours.
- Use Location Keywords: Incorporate location-based keywords (e.g., “fashion designer in Lagos”) into your content, title tags, and meta descriptions.
- Get Reviews: Encourage happy customers to leave positive reviews on your Google profile. Reviews are a key factor in local rankings.
- List Your Business in Directories: Add your business to local directories like Yelp, Bing Places, and industry-specific listings.
- Create Local Content: Publish blog posts or pages that highlight local events, news, or community involvement.
Optimizing for local SEO ensures your business is visible to customers in your area and strengthens your overall business website ranking.
7. Your Website Lacks Regular Updates
A stagnant website is less likely to rank well. Google loves fresh, updated content, so if your website hasn’t been touched in months (or years), it could be hurting your rankings.
How to Fix It:
- Update Old Content: Go back to existing blog posts or pages and refresh them with new information, updated stats, or better formatting.
- Add New Blog Posts Regularly: Consistently publish fresh, valuable content. This signals to Google that your website is active and relevant.
- Repurpose Content: Turn older posts into new formats, like videos, infographics, or downloadable guides, to keep them fresh.
- Monitor Trends: Stay up-to-date with industry news and create content around trending topics your audience cares about.
- Check for Broken Links: Regularly scan your site for broken links or outdated references, and fix them to improve user experience.
Keeping your website updated shows Google and your audience that you’re active, relevant, and worth ranking higher in search results.
8. Not Targeting the Right Audience
Sometimes, your business website ranking isn’t where you want it to be simply because you’re targeting the wrong audience. If your content or keywords aren’t aligned with your ideal customer’s needs, you won’t get the engagement or traffic necessary to boost rankings.
How to Fix It:
- Define Your Audience: Identify who your ideal customer is. What are their pain points, questions, and goals? Tailor your content to meet their needs.
- Analyze Competitors: Look at the keywords and content your competitors are targeting to see what’s working for them.
- Use Analytics: Dive into tools like Google Analytics or Search Console to understand your audience’s behaviour and refine your content strategy.
- Engage with Your Audience: Interact with your customers on social media or via email surveys to better understand their needs and preferences.
By targeting the right audience with the right content, you’ll drive more relevant traffic to your site, which will ultimately improve your rankings.
9. Ignoring Technical SEO Issues
Even if your content is amazing, technical SEO problems can stop your website from ranking. Errors like broken links, duplicate content, or incorrect indexing settings make it harder for Google to crawl and rank your site effectively.
How to Fix It:
- Run an SEO Audit: Use tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Screaming Frog to find technical issues on your site. Look for errors like broken links, missing meta tags, or duplicate pages.
- Fix Broken Links: Replace or remove any links leading to pages that no longer exist, as these create a poor user experience and hurt your SEO.
- Ensure Mobile-Friendliness: Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to confirm your website works well on mobile devices.
- Improve Site Security: Switch to HTTPS if you haven’t already. Google prioritizes secure websites in its rankings.
- Check Your Robots.txt and Sitemap: Ensure your robots.txt file isn’t accidentally blocking important pages and submit an updated sitemap through Google Search Console.
Fixing technical SEO issues ensures that Google can properly crawl and index your site, giving it the best chance to rank well.
Get a FREE WEBSITE AUDIT
To rank your business website on Google, you need to address every factor that impacts your site’s performance. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s completely achievable with the right strategy.
Clarylife Global specializes in helping businesses just like yours rise above the competition, with strategies in SEO, web development, branding, and business automation. We’re here to help you identify exactly what’s holding your site back – and we’re offering a FREE WEBSITE AUDIT to get you started.
This free audit will give you a clear roadmap for improving your site’s SEO, fixing hidden issues, and boosting your business website ranking. Let’s get started!