Short answer: first search "site:yourdomain.com" on Google. If nothing shows, Google hasn't indexed your site yet, often because it's new, it's blocked by a noindex tag or robots.txt, or nobody links to it. If your pages do show but you can't find yourself for your main keywords, the problem is usually ranking: thin content, competition, or a weak Google Business Profile for local searches.
Written 24 October 2026, checked 26 October 2026, using Google's own documentation.
First, which problem do you have?
There are two different problems, and people mix them up.
- Not indexed: Google doesn't have your page at all. A "site:" search shows nothing, or Search Console says the page isn't indexed.
- Indexed but not ranking: your pages exist in Google, but they're on page 5 for the searches you care about.
Checks 1 to 6 below are for the first problem. Checks 7 to 10 are for the second.
1. Do the site: search
Type site:yourdomain.com into Google. Google's SEO Starter Guide says if you see results pointing to your site, you're in the index. If you see nothing, keep going down this list.
2. Give a new site a little time
Google's guide on getting your site on Google says it can take a few weeks for Google to notice a new site. It finds most sites on its own, but sites with no links from other websites are easier to miss. If you launched last week, don't panic yet.
3. Look for a stray noindex tag
This one often bites after a redesign. Developers often switch on "discourage search engines" or add a noindex tag while building, then forget to switch it off at launch.
A noindex rule can sit in a meta tag in the page's code or in an HTTP header called X-Robots-Tag. In WordPress, check Settings, then Reading, and make sure "Discourage search engines from indexing this site" is unticked. On other platforms, look in the SEO or search settings.
4. Check your robots.txt
Go to yourdomain.com/robots.txt. If you see "Disallow: /" under "User-agent: *", you're telling every crawler to stay out of your whole site.
Two things Google points out:
- robots.txt controls what crawlers can access. It isn't a way to keep a page out of Google. Use noindex or a password for that.
- If you block a page in robots.txt, Google can't see a noindex tag on it, so the page may still appear in results.
5. Set up Google Search Console
Search Console is free, and it's the main place Google tells you directly what's wrong with your site. Verify your site, then:
- Open the Page indexing report to see which pages are indexed and why others aren't.
- Use the URL Inspection tool on your homepage and key pages. You can click "Request indexing", though Google says this doesn't guarantee the page will be indexed, and there's a daily limit.
- Check the Manual actions report. A manual action means a Google reviewer found the site breaks Google's spam policies. A green tick means you're fine.
6. Submit a sitemap
A sitemap is a file listing your important pages. Google says it helps most when your site is new and has few links from other sites. Very small sites (around 500 pages or fewer) may not strictly need one, but it doesn't hurt. Submit it in Search Console. A sitemap helps Google find pages, though it doesn't guarantee they'll all be indexed.
Also note: Google's Page indexing report says you shouldn't expect every URL on your site to be indexed, only the main (canonical) versions. "Crawled, currently not indexed" means Google saw the page and chose not to add it for now. Google doesn't always say why, but it can mean the page didn't add enough to be worth indexing, which brings us to the ranking checks.
7. Make your pages worth ranking
Google says its systems aim to show helpful, reliable content made for people, as opposed to content made mainly to rank. Pages with a few lines of text, copied supplier descriptions, or ten near-identical location pages give Google little reason to show you.
Each main service should have its own page that answers what customers really ask: what it is, who it's for, price range, how long it takes, where you operate, and how to contact you.
8. Check your speed and mobile experience
Google says Core Web Vitals are used by its ranking systems. It also says Google still shows the most relevant content even when page experience isn't great, so speed won't save a weak page. Still, a slow site loses visitors before they even read it. Test your key pages with PageSpeed Insights and fix the biggest issues first: huge images, too many plugins, cheap hosting.
9. Set up your Google Business Profile (for local searches)
If you serve customers in Singapore, searches like "dentist near me" or "aircon servicing Tampines" usually show a map with three businesses. That comes from Google Business Profile, separate from your website.
Google says local ranking is based on relevance, distance and prominence. It also says there's no way to pay for a better local ranking. To help yourself:
- Verify your profile.
- Fill in every detail: category, hours, address or service area, photos.
- Ask happy customers for honest reviews and reply to them.
10. Be realistic about competition
If you're a new site going after "lawyer Singapore" or "renovation Singapore", you're up against businesses with years of content and links. Start with more specific searches you can actually win, like your exact service plus your area, and build from there.
When to get help
If you've gone through all ten and you're still stuck, it may be a deeper technical issue: wrong canonical tags, redirect loops, pages that only load with JavaScript, or a site move that went wrong. That's when an SEO audit is worth it. We'll quote you after a free check, and we'll tell you if a one-off fix is all you need.
Quick answers
How do I check if Google has indexed my website? Search "site:yourdomain.com" on Google, or use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console.
How long does it take Google to find a new website? Google says it can take a few weeks to notice a new site. Links from other sites and a sitemap in Search Console help.
Can I pay Google to rank higher in normal results or on Maps? No. You can pay for ads, but Google says there's no way to request or pay for a better local ranking.
My site used to show and now it doesn't. Why? Check for a noindex tag or robots.txt change after a recent update first, then look at Search Console for errors or a manual action.
Sources
- Google Search Central: SEO Starter Guide (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Google Search Central: Get your website on Google (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Google Search Central: Block search indexing with noindex (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Google Search Central: Introduction to robots.txt (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Search Console Help: URL Inspection tool (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Search Console Help: Page indexing report (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Search Console Help: Manual actions report (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Google Search Central: Sitemaps overview (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Google Search Central: Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Google Search Central: Understanding page experience (checked 26 Oct 2026)
- Google Business Profile Help: Tips to improve your local ranking (checked 26 Oct 2026)