Your competition is not better than you: it just shows up first. And showing up first on Google is not a question of talent but of structure. A website invisible on Google is the most common mistake of businesses that think they are “online” simply because a website exists.
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Being published is not the same as being found
Almost everyone believes that having a website online means being “on the internet”. But being published and being found are different things. It is the difference between owning a shop and having it on a street where people walk by. A website invisible on Google is a shop in an alley with no sign.
The figure: 46% of Google searches have local intent
According to Google, 46% of searches have local intent. These are people who want to buy, book or call. Nearby. Right now. If you do not appear when someone searches for your service “in Tenerife” or “near me”, they are not rejecting you: they simply cannot see you.
Sign 1: you are not in the map block at the top
Search for your service plus your area. If you are not in the map block at the top, the one with three businesses, you have the first sign of a website invisible on Google. It is where a large share of calls and shop visits are decided.
Sign 2: your Google Business Profile is half finished
Check your listing on Google Business Profile. Are photos missing? Are the opening hours not real? Are there no recent reviews? An incomplete listing tells Google, and customers, that the business is not looked after.
Sign 3: the website talks about “us” but does not say what you do and where
Open the homepage on your phone. It talks about “us”, about “quality”, about “passion”, but does the first screen say what you do, where and for whom? If not, visitors have to guess, and someone looking for a service nearby has no time for that.
It is not fixed with more budget: it is fixed with structure
The interesting part is that none of this is fixed with more budget. It is fixed with structure:
- a complete, up-to-date Google listing;
- content that names your area and your services;
- a website that answers what people really type into the search engine.
For the step-by-step method, also read the article on the 10-second test for local SEO.
Before paying for more traffic
Before paying for more traffic, make sure the traffic you could already have can find you. A half-hour check:
- search for three services you sell plus your area, on a phone;
- note where you appear and who appears instead of you;
- compare your Google listing with those of the top three results;
- re-read the first screen of your website as a customer would.
To work on these points, see our web development and SEO services. When did you last search for your own business on Google the way a customer would? Tell us on the Donkey Lab LinkedIn page.
Frequently asked questions about a website invisible on Google
Why is my website online but nobody finds me?
Because being published is not enough: you need a well-kept Google listing, content that names your services and area, and a structure that answers real searches.
What are searches with local intent?
Searches by people who want to buy, book or call nearby. According to Google they make up 46% of the total.
Does paying for more advertising solve it?
It does not solve the cause. First fix your listing, content and structure, so the traffic you could already have can find you.
How long does the check take?
Half an hour: three searches on a phone, a review of your Google listing and a re-read of the first screen of your website.
Want people searching for you to find you?
We can run the check of listing, content and structure with you, and propose what to fix first.