Nobody finds my business on Google: how to get found, starting with the free basics
⏱ In about 8 minutes
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In this article
The short answer
Short answer
Before you pay anyone, do the free basics: check Google knows your site exists, set up Google Search Console and a Google Business Profile, give every page a clear title, and create one page for each service you sell. Google itself says: "If you run a small local business, you can probably do much of the work yourself." (Google Search Central)
Paid SEO tools such as Semrush or Surfer are worth it later, once you're publishing content regularly and want to find the searches your customers actually use.
Why it matters
- You can't pay Google to rank. "Google never accepts money to include or rank sites in our search results, and it costs nothing to appear in our organic search results." (Google)
- Nobody can promise first place. "No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google." (Google) Be wary of anyone who does.
- Titles decide clicks. Google says the title link is "often the primary piece of information people use to decide which result to click." (Google)
- It takes time. "Some changes might take effect in a few hours, others could take several months." (Google SEO Starter Guide)
Fix it: step by step
Step 1: Check whether Google has found your site (2 minutes)
Search Google for site:yourbusiness.com. Google's starter guide says: "If you see results pointing to your site, you're in the index." (Google) If nothing shows, Steps 2 and 3 matter most.
Step 2: Set up Google Search Console (30 minutes)
It's free. Search Console lets you "see which queries bring users to your site," "submit sitemaps and individual URLs for crawling," and get "email alerts when Google identifies issues on your site." (Google Search Console)
Step 3: Submit a sitemap (10 minutes)
Most website builders and WordPress SEO plugins create one for you. Submit its address in Search Console. See Google's sitemaps overview.
Step 4: Create or claim your Google Business Profile (30 minutes)
If your business "has a physical location that customers can visit, or travels to customers where they are," you can create a Business Profile. Google asks that you represent your business "as it's consistently represented and recognized in the real world," keep your address or service area accurate, and "choose the fewest number of categories it takes to describe your overall core business." (Google Business Profile Help)
Step 5: Rewrite your page titles (30 minutes)
Google's advice: "Make sure every page on your site has a title" and "write descriptive and concise text." (Google) A good pattern: Service + Place | Business name, for example "Emergency plumber in Parramatta | Smith Plumbing".
Step 6: Make one page per service (1–2 hours per page)
A single "Services" page listing everything rarely ranks for anything. Give each main service its own page that answers what customers ask: what it is, who it's for, the area you cover, roughly how it works, and how to get in touch. See what pages a small business website needs.
Step 7: Write for people, not for Google (ongoing)
Google recommends "people-first content," meaning content "created primarily for people, and not to manipulate search engine rankings." (Google) Answer real questions you hear from customers.
Step 8: Check progress in a few weeks (10 minutes a month)
Google suggests "you likely want to wait a few weeks to assess whether your work had beneficial effects." (Google) See how to check if your SEO is working.
When is a paid SEO tool worth it?
When you've done the basics and you're writing new pages or articles regularly. Paid tools help you find what people actually search for and spot what competitors rank for. Note that Google says it "doesn't evaluate or endorse third-party SEO tools." (Google)
Quick pick: SEO tools, once the basics are done (product details from official vendor pages, checked 18 Oct 2026. Not hands-on tested. No ratings. Prices in US$; confirm on the vendor's site.)
- Start free: Google Search Console and Google Business Profile. No cost. Do these first.
- For keyword research and checking your site: Semrush. Has a free plan with limits. Its SEO plan was listed at US$139/month, or US$117.33/month billed annually, and includes Site Audit and Position Tracking. → See our websites and SEO guide
- For writing pages that cover a topic properly: Surfer. Content optimisation tool; the entry Discovery plan was listed at US$49/month billed yearly. → See our websites and SEO guide
What we'd avoid: honest limits
Free: the Small Business Password & Access Checklist
A 1–2 page checklist that turns this article into a to-do list: which accounts to protect first, how to set up shared access, and what to do when someone joins or leaves.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to show up on Google?
It varies. Google says changes can take "a few hours" to "several months".
Do Google Ads help my organic ranking?
No. Google says "advertising with Google won't have any effect on your site's presence in our search results."
Should I hire an SEO agency?
Maybe, once you've done the basics or if you're redesigning your site. Google suggests questions to ask, including "What kind of results do you expect to see, and in what timeframe?" and "How do you measure your success?"
Do I need a Business Profile if I work online only?
Business Profiles are for businesses with a location customers visit or that travel to customers. If you're online-only, focus on your website and Search Console.
Related guides
- Websites, hosting & SEO: our hub
- I don't know what to write on my website
- I paid for SEO and saw nothing
- My website is slow and keeps going down
Sources
Official sources first. All links checked and loading on 18 Oct 2026.
- Google Search Central: Do you need an SEO? · SEO Starter Guide · Title links · Creating helpful, people-first content · Sitemaps overview
- Google: Search Console · Guidelines for representing your business on Google
- Regulators: FTC: Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule Q&A · ACCC: Online reviews
- Vendor pages (checked 18 Oct 2026): Semrush pricing · Surfer pricing
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