Why isn't my online store showing on Google?
Introduction: Why isn't your online store showing on Google?
It's a frustrating experience to have put time and effort into a new online store, only to discover that it doesn't appear when you search for it on Google. Don't despair! This is a very common problem, especially for new online stores. In most cases, it's due to simple things that can easily be fixed.
Google is an enormous search engine, and it takes time before it discovers and understands all the millions of websites that exist. Below we dive into the most common reasons why your online store might not be showing on Google, and what you can easily do about it.
Reason 1: Google hasn't 'found' your online store yet
Think of Google as a giant librarian who constantly tries to find new books (online stores) and organize them. If your online store is brand new, the librarian may simply not have discovered it yet. This process is called 'crawling' and 'indexing'.
What is a sitemap?
A sitemap is like a table of contents for your online store. It's a file that tells Google which pages your online store contains and how they're connected. It makes it much easier for Google to find and understand all your pages – especially your products and categories.
How does Google get hold of your sitemap?
Fortunately, you don't need to be a technical expert to get Google to find your online store. Many modern online store systems handle this automatically in the background. They generate a sitemap for you and help Google find it. If you use a platform designed for user-friendliness, like GoShup.com, this part is often taken care of for you, so you can focus on your products.
Google also finds your online store if other websites link to it, or if it's shared on social media. The more 'paths' that point to your store, the faster Google discovers it.
Reason 2: Your online store is 'hidden' from Google
Sometimes your online store can be set up in a way that inadvertently prevents Google from seeing it. Think of it as a "closed" or "private" door that Google doesn't have access to.
- "Noindex" setting: This is a technical message that tells Google: "Don't index this page." It's often used for pages that shouldn't be shown in search results (e.g., a thank you page after a purchase). Check that your online store isn't accidentally set to 'noindex' on all pages.
- Password protection: If your online store is still under construction and is protected with a password, Google obviously can't get in to scan it. Make sure to remove the password when your online store is ready to go live.
- The online store isn't 'live': It sounds obvious, but double-check that your online store is published and online for everyone. Some systems have a "draft" or "unpublished" state.
Reason 3: You haven't told Google enough about your products
Even when Google finds your online store, it also needs to understand what it's about to be able to show it to the right people. Here your texts and images come into the picture.
- Product names and descriptions: Are your product names clear and descriptive? Do you use words in your product descriptions that your customers would search for? The better you describe your products with relevant keywords (e.g., "handmade leather wallets" rather than just "wallet"), the easier it is for Google to match your store with searches.
- Categories and menus: Are your categories logical and easy to understand? Are they named with words that make sense for customers and for Google?
- Images: Even though Google can't "see" images the same way as humans, you can help it by giving your images a good, descriptive file name (e.g.,
red-winter-jacket-with-fur.jpg) and an "alt text" (a short text that describes the image's content).
Reason 4: Competition is tough – or you need to be patient
If your online store sells very popular products, there are probably many other online stores selling the same thing. It can take time and require more work to rank high for popular keywords. Google shows the most relevant and authoritative results first.
Even if your store is optimized, it takes time for Google to update its results. Newly created online stores can take weeks or even months before they appear in search results, especially for competitive keywords. Be patient, and continue to optimize and add new, good content to your store.
How to move forward – a simple checklist
Here's a quick checklist you can use if your online store isn't showing on Google:
- Is your online store online and public? Check that it's not protected with a password or in a "draft" state.
- Have you filled in all texts? Make sure all your products, categories, and pages have clear, descriptive titles and texts that use words your customers would search for.
- Are you patient? Newly created online stores take time to be indexed and shown in Google. Continue to add new products and content.
By following these simple steps, you're well on your way to getting your online store found by Google – and thus by your future customers!