Get your website on Google

Google automatically looks for sites to add to our index; you usually don’t even need to do anything except post your site on the web. However, sometimes sites get missed. Check to see if your site is on Google and learn how to make your content more visible in Google Search.

Basic checklist for appearing in Google Search results 

Here are a few basic questions to ask yourself about your website when you get started. You can find additional getting started information in the SEO Starter Guide.

Is your website showing up on Google? 

To see if your pages are already indexed, search for your site in Google Search with a query like this. Substitute your own site for “example.com”.

site:example.com

Although Google crawls billions of pages, it’s inevitable that some sites will be missed. When our crawlers miss a site, it’s frequently for one of the following reasons:

• Your site isn’t linked to by other sites on the web. See if you can get your site linked to by other sites (but please don’t pay them to link to you; that could be considered a violation of Google’s spam policies).
• You’ve just launched a new site and Google hasn’t had time to crawl it yet. It can take a few weeks for Google to notice a new site, or any changes in your existing site.
• The design of the site makes it difficult for Google to crawl its content effectively. If your site is built on some other specialized technology, rather than HTML, Google might have trouble crawling it correctly. Remember to use text, not just images or video, on your site.
• Google received an error when trying to crawl your site. Most common reasons for this are that you have a login page for your site, or that your site blocks Google for some reason. Make sure that you can access your site in an incognito window.
• Google missed it: Although Google crawls billions of pages, it’s inevitable that we’ll miss a few sites, especially small ones. Wait a while, and try to get linked from other sites.If you’re feeling adventurous, you can add your site to Search Console to see if there’s an error that might prevent Google from understanding your site. You can also send us your most important URLs to let us know we should crawl and potentially index them.

Follow the Google Search Essentials to make sure that you’re fulfilling the site guidelines for appearing on Google.

Do you serve high-quality content to users? 

Your number one priority is ensuring that your users have the best possible experience on your site. Think about what makes your site unique, valuable, or engaging. To help you evaluate your content, ask yourself the self-assessment questions in our guide to creating content that’s helpful, reliable, and people-first. To make sure that you’re managing your website using Google-friendly practices, read the Search Essentials.

Is your local business showing up on Google? 

Your Business Profile lets you manage how your business information appears across Google, including Search and Maps. Consider claiming your Business Profile.

Is your content fast and easy to access on all devices? 

Most searches are now done from mobile devices; make sure that your content is optimized to load quickly and display properly on all screen sizes. You can use tools such as Lighthouse to test if your page is mobile-friendly.

Is your website secure? 

Modern users expect a secure online experience. Secure your website’s connection with HTTPS.

Do you need additional help? 

SEOs (search engine optimizers) are professionals who can help you improve your website and increase visibility on search engines. Learn more about why and how to hire an SEO.

Is your content about a specialized topic? 

Depending on what your content is about, there are more ways you can get that content on Google. The following table contains links to the different avenues Google provides to get your content related to a business or person on Google.

To learn more about getting digital content on Google, check out the following resources:

For getting local information on Google, the following resources may be helpful: