# **Why Your Website Is Not Ranking on Google (And How to Fix It)**
**Introduction: The Struggle of Not Ranking on Google**
You’ve launched your website, created high-quality content, done keyword research, and even built a few backlinks. But when you check your rankings on Google, your site is nowhere to be found—or buried deep on page 3, 4, or even 10. Frustrating, isn’t it?
You’re not alone. Every year, thousands of business owners and marketers face this exact issue. The truth is: ranking on Google is not just about writing good content. It’s about understanding Google’s algorithm, which considers technical SEO, on-page SEO, backlinks, content quality, site speed, mobile usability, and E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
**The good news?** With the right strategies, you can fix these issues and get your website back on track. In this article, we’ll break down the most common reasons websites don’t rank and exactly how to fix them. And if you want expert help, [Wiserank SEO Company](https://wiserank.co.uk/) is here to guide you every step of the way.
The Top Reasons Why Your Website Isn’t Ranking (And Solutions)
**1. ❌ Poor Keyword Research**
Many websites fail because they target the wrong keywords. Chasing after highly competitive terms like “SEO” or “marketing” without considering search intent is a mistake.
Wrong Approach: Targeting broad, generic keywords with high competition.
Right Approach: Targeting intent-based, long-tail keywords like “[local SEO services in the UK](https://wiserank.co.uk/local-seo-services/)” or “[SEO for small businesses](https://wiserank.co.uk/startups-seo-agency/).”
👉 Fix:
Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Keyword Planner.
Research semantic keywords (related phrases, synonyms, and variations).
Align keywords with search intent (informational, transactional, navigational).
**2. ❌ Weak On-Page SEO**
Your content might be great, but if your title tags, meta descriptions, headings, and internal links are not optimized, Google won’t understand what your page is about.
**👉 Fix:**
Optimize title tags with your primary keyword.
Write compelling meta descriptions.
Structure content with H1 for main topic, H2/H3 for subtopics.
Use internal links like → <a href="https://wiserank.co.uk/off-page-seo-services/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wiserank SEO experts</a>.</li>.
**3. ❌ Technical SEO Issues**
If Google can’t crawl or index your site properly, it won’t rank—no matter how good your content is.
**👉 Common Problems:**
Pages blocked by robots.txt.
Noindex tags added by mistake.
Broken internal links.
Duplicate content.
**👉 Fix:**
Check robots.txt and sitemap.xml.
Use Google Search Console to find indexing issues.
Redirect broken URLs with 301 redirects.
Audit your site with tools like Screaming Frog.
**4. ❌ Thin or Low-Quality Content**
Google prioritizes helpful, in-depth, and authoritative content. Thin pages (200–300 words), duplicate content, or irrelevant blogs will never perform well.
**👉 Fix:**
Create long-form content (1,500–3,000 words).
Include semantic SEO terms and related topics.
Add FAQs to target Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).
Regularly update older articles to stay fresh.
**5. ❌ Weak Backlink Profile**
Backlinks remain a critical ranking factor. But low-quality or spammy links can hurt more than they help.
**👉 Fix:**
Earn backlinks through guest posting, digital PR, and partnerships.
Submit to local UK directories for local SEO signals.
Use contextual internal links like: <a href="https://wiserank.co.uk/services/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SEO services in the UK</a>.</li>.
**6. ❌ Slow Site Speed & Core Web Vitals**
A slow-loading site kills rankings and conversions. Google’s Core Web Vitals now directly impact your SEO.
**👉 Fix:**
Compress images (WebP format).
Use a CDN (Content Delivery Network).
Minify CSS/JS files.
Test speed with Google PageSpeed Insights.
**7. ❌ Not Mobile-Friendly**
Since Google now uses mobile-first indexing, a non-responsive website will struggle in rankings.
**👉 Fix:**
Use responsive design.
Increase font sizes to at least 16px.
Test with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
**8. ❌ Poor Internal Linking**
If your website pages don’t link to each other, Google struggles to understand the hierarchy and relevance of your content.
**👉 Fix:**
Add descriptive anchor text. Example: “Check our Wiserank SEO audit services.”
Avoid orphan pages (pages with no internal links).
Interlink new blogs with older blogs.
**9. ❌ Strong Competitors Outranking You**
Sometimes the problem isn’t you—it’s your competitors. They may have stronger backlinks, fresher content, and better E-E-A-T signals.
**👉 Fix:**
Run a competitor analysis with Ahrefs or SEMrush.
Identify content gaps and cover them better.
Create in-depth guides and resources that outperform competitors.
**Tools You Need to Diagnose Ranking Problems**
Google Search Console – for crawl and index issues.
Ahrefs / SEMrush – for backlink and keyword analysis.
Screaming Frog – for [technical SEO audits](https://wiserank.co.uk/technical-seo-agency-in-uk/).
PageSpeed Insights – for Core Web Vitals.
Yoast SEO or Rank Math – for on-page optimization.
**Final Thoughts: Fixing SEO Is Possible**
If your website isn’t ranking on Google, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It just means there are hidden issues holding you back. By systematically addressing keyword research, on-page SEO, technical SEO, backlinks, content quality, and mobile usability, you can climb the rankings.
And if you’d rather let professionals handle it, <a href="https://wiserank.co.uk/seo-agency-london/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wiserank SEO London</a>is your trusted partner. We specialize in local SEO, technical SEO, content marketing, and full-service SEO campaigns for businesses across the UK.
🚀 The sooner you fix these SEO roadblocks, the faster you’ll see traffic, leads, and sales grow.