You finally launched your website, hit ‘publish,’ and eagerly Googled your business, only to be met with…nothing.
No Page 1 ranking. No traffic surge. Just the crushing realisation that Google doesn’t even know you exist.
Ouch.
It’s frustrating, but it’s also completely normal. With hundreds of millions of websites competing for a spot on Page 1, ranking well requires more than just hitting ‘go live’ on your website. And it’s definitely not a case of ‘set and forget’.
But before we get into why you’re not on the first page of Google, let’s back up a bit and clarify…
How search engines are designed to work
Search engines are like giant librarians for the internet. Their job is to scan, sort, and rank billions of web pages to serve up the best answers for whatever someone types into the search bar.
To do this, search engines use algorithms (a fancy word for a set of rules) to assess everything from keywords and page quality to how fast a site loads and how many other reputable websites link to it.
But here’s the kicker: search engines don’t prioritise what we want them to show—they’re interested in what provides the best experience for the user. So, search engines will prioritise what’s most relevant, valuable, and authoritative for the person searching.
P.S. Google uses over 200 ranking factors in their algorithm so we’ve got our work cut out for us!!
Why all the fuss over Page 1?
With Google constantly tweaking how it displays search results, “Page 1” isn’t always a clear-cut concept anymore—especially with ads, featured snippets, AI overviews and local packs taking up space.
But here’s what hasn’t changed: The top-ranking results still attract the vast majority of clicks.
- More than 54% of all clicks go to the top three results.
- The #1 result gets around 27.6% of those clicks
- The #2 and #3 spots receive 15.8% and 11%, respectively.
So, while ranking anywhere on the first page is great, securing one of those top spots is where the real traffic happens.
Now that we’re on the same page about how search engines work—and just how competitive it is to land in those prime positions—let’s break down some of the reasons why you might not be there (yet).
11 reasons why you’re not on the first page of Google
1. SEO takes time and results aren’t instant
SEO usually doesn’t come with overnight success. Search engines need time to crawl, index, and assess your site before deciding where it belongs in search results.
It can take at least 4-6 months for Google to recognise and rank new content—and that’s not necessarily ranking it on Page 1. Even established websites with strong SEO can take six months to a year to achieve page-one rankings.
2. Rankings fluctuate
Just because you ranked well last month doesn’t mean you’ll stay there. I bragged over on Instagram about a blog post ranking in position 2 the day after I published it. At the time of writing this a few weeks later, it’s now settled into position 4.
Content position in the rankings changes due to:
- Algorithm updates: Google tweaks its ranking system regularly
- Competitor improvements: other businesses may be updating the SEO on a piece of content that makes theirs more relevant and valuable to readers
- Shifts in user behaviour: what people search for evolves over time
- Seasonality: I’ve got a couple of posts on another website that bring in a handful of page views every day, but over Christmas, they bring in hundreds of visitors daily.
3. Your website is too new
If your website is new, you’re up against more established sites that have built authority over time.
Google tends to favour websites that have a history of valuable content and backlinks from reputable sources.
Again, patience is needed here, but the good news is you can build authority over time with consistent content creation and strategic SEO.
4. The timing of your searches affects rankings
Google customises search results based on factors like your location, time of day, and search history. Remember, its job is to make sure it gives people the most relevant and valuable content as quickly as it can.
If you ‘Google yourself’ outside of your normal operating hours, Google probably won’t show you at the top of the search results—it’ll show businesses that are currently open. Similarly, what you see may be different from what a potential client in another city sees.
Quick tip: Resist the urge to claim you’re ‘open 24/7’ just to game the system. Unless you actually take calls at 3 AM (in which case, we need to talk about work-life balance), false information equals a poor user experience which search engines will penalise.
5. Other businesses in your niche or industry are optimising too
SEO is essentially a competition, and your competitors are optimising their sites too to try and grab one of those top spots.
If they’re producing better content, improving site speed, or earning backlinks, they can outrank you—even if you were ranking well before.
6. Your website has some technical or on-page SEO issues
Your website’s performance and structure can directly impact rankings (remember search engines are most interested in people having a stellar experience). So, if Google struggles to access or properly display your website, it won’t rank well (or at all).
Two most common technical issues that crop up when you launch are:
- You’ve accidentally told search engines they’re not allowed to index your site
- You haven’t submitted your sitemap to the various search engines so that they know you exist
Ongoing, common technical and on-page SEO issues include:
- Slow page speed
- Poor mobile optimisation
- Broken links and indexing errors
- Your content hasn’t been structured to make it easy for search engines to understand what’s on each page
Making sure you incorporate timeless web design principles will give your site a solid technical foundation and great performance.
7. Your website isn’t being regularly updated
Google favours sites that regularly provide valuable updates and maintain a smooth user experience. So, if your site has remained unchanged for months, it is less likely to rank or will drop off in the rankings—opening the door for your competitors to steal your sweet spot on Page 1.
This is especially true for ‘static’ websites. A well-optimised static website (i.e. About, Services, Contact pages where the content doesn’t really change) can rank well for local/business keywords—but if you never update it, you risk dropping over time because Google assumes it’s no longer relevant.
Adding fresh content—such as blog posts, keeping the information on your services pages up to date, adding to your FAQ and updating the year in your website footer copyright notice signals to Google that your website is active and valuable.
8. Not all content is ‘king’—you need to be strategic
I know I said fresh content is important but publishing blog posts at random won’t guarantee rankings. Google wants to serve up content that solves a problem or answers a question, not just content for content’s sake.
When thinking strategically, your content should:
- Be aligned with search intent—what do your perfect-fit people actually want or need to know
- Use strategic keywords without stuffing them everywhere
- Offer genuine value to keep people engaged
- Be based around a few key topic areas relevant to your business to build up your authority in the eyes of search engines and build trust in your readers
And while we’re on the topic of content…
9. Your page has ‘thin’ or low-quality content
If your pages:
- Are too short (under 300 words)
- Lack original insights
- Use AI-generated content without adding human value
- Are duplicate content (copied from other sites)
…then Google is unlikely to rank them well, if at all.
10. You’re searching for a keyword you didn’t actually optimise your site to rank for.
While search engines are getting more sophisticated at recognising synonyms and related keywords just because you think of a search term that’s relevant to your business, if you didn’t intentionally optimise your site, page or post for it, it doesn’t mean you’ll be on the first page.
For example, if you targeted the keyword “Western Suburbs Pool Cleaner” with your on-page optimisation, that doesn’t automatically mean search engines will rank you for “Pool Cleaner Specialist” (even though that’s how you refer to yourself).
This is more of an oops than anything else!
11. Google has penalised your website
If you have been ranking but they suddenly tank, your website may have been penalised by Google.
Reasons for penalties include:
- Spammy backlinks
- Duplicate content
- Keyword stuffing
- Black-hat SEO tactics (like that 24/7 one I mentioned earlier)
If you’re unsure, pop over to your Google Search Console to check if a penalty has been applied. You’ll also get guidance on how to fix it.
My tips for playing the SEO game so you don’t end up throwing your laptop at the wall in frustration
- Once you have some SEO in place and know a bit about what’s happening, it IS exciting and easy to get caught up in wanting to see results fast (ask me how I know!). But remember that patience is key. In reality, you’re going to have to put out a lot more content and put in a lot more effort for months without seeing a return on your investment.
- If you are going to ‘Google yourself’ open up an incognito or private browser first to try and eliminate some of the personalised factors like search history and location, giving you a more neutral view of where your site ranks.
- In the same way that weighing yourself is not really helpful, neither is constantly stressing over the daily fluctuations of search engine rankings. Instead, consider investing in an SEO tool like Keysearch (aff link), SE Ranking (aff link) or SEMrush that will regularly track your rankings for you (e.g. on a month-to-month basis) and focus on the cumulative results of sustained SEO efforts.
- Regularly review and update your website’s content with new insights and relevant information that address industry trends and search intent
- Consider implementing a blogging strategy to keep your site fresh and signal to Google that your website is active
- Use Google Search Console to check for any technical issues and get onto fixing any that come up, pronto
- Work with a friendly SEO-pro (hey that’s me!) who knows how to balance pleasing the Google gods and creating copy that clicks with your perfect-fit people.
Final thoughts: SEO success requires strategy and patience
Even if you address all these things, it doesn’t mean you’ll instantly jump to the top of Page 1. You’re always contending with the waiting game that is SEO and the fact that everyone else wants in on some first-page action too.
But the foundational work you put into building a solid site means you’re giving yourself the best opportunity to rank.
SEO doesn’t have to feel like a mystery novel where Google holds all the secrets. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start ranking, let’s get to work. I can help with SEO strategy, keyword research, and website optimisation—all you have to do is reach out and start the conversation!
