Let’s say your website is a shop window. You’ve got your best stuff on display, the lighting’s decent, and you even remembered to clean the glass. But somehow, the people walking by aren’t the ones you built it for. They’re browsing, sure; but they’re not buying. Or worse, they’re not even showing up. That’s what happens when your site isn’t showing up for the right searches. You might be getting traffic, but it’s the wrong kind—or not nearly enough of the right kind.
So, how do you fix that? You figure out what people are actually looking for, and then you make sure your site is what they find.
Let’s start with the most basic question.
What’s the intent behind the search?
Search engines aren’t just matching words anymore; they’re trying to guess what people mean. Google’s BERT and MUM updates gave it a stronger grasp of natural language, which means it’s interpreting the whole sentence like a human would. If someone searches “how to optimize a website for SEO,” they’re probably not looking to hire an agency. They’re looking to learn. But if they search “hire SEO expert near me,” that’s a different story.
You’ve got three main types of search intent:
- Informational: people want answers.
- Navigational: people want a specific site.
- Transactional: people want to do something, usually spend money.
If your content is targeting transactional keywords but mostly ranking for informational ones, you’re fishing in the wrong pond. Check your data in Google Search Console and see what queries are bringing people in. If they don’t match your goals, it’s time to rework the bait.
Not all SERPs are created equal.
You might think ranking on page one is the goal. It’s not; not anymore. Page one is now a carnival of distractions: featured snippets, video carousels, People Also Ask boxes, map packs. If you’re not showing up in those, even a high organic ranking can feel like shouting into the void.
SEMrush found that 25 percent of Google searches now return a featured snippet. That’s not a niche corner of the internet; that’s a quarter of all searches. If your competitors are snagging those spots, they’re stealing your thunder before anyone even scrolls.
Want in? You’ll need to structure your content for it. Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to see which features appear for your target keywords. Then tailor your content to fit. Concise answers, schema markup, and structured data all help. Think of it like dressing for the job you want.
Are you fighting yourself?
Keyword cannibalization sounds dramatic, and it kind of is. It happens when multiple pages on your site target the same keyword. Instead of reinforcing your authority, it splits it. Google gets confused. Which page should it rank? Sometimes it picks the wrong one; sometimes it picks neither.
This is especially common on blogs or ecommerce sites where content piles up fast. A quick audit using Screaming Frog can help you spot overlaps. Then you have a choice: merge similar pages, redirect weaker ones, or rework them to target slightly different terms.
The goal is simple: one page, one purpose.
Local matters more than you think.
If your business has a physical location or serves a specific area, local SEO isn’t optional; it’s the front line. Google’s local pack shows up in 93 percent of searches with local intent. That’s the map with three businesses listed underneath. You want to be there.
Start with your Google Business Profile. Make sure it’s fully filled out and matches your listings across the web. Then build out location-specific landing pages with keywords that reflect how people in your area actually search. “Digital marketing agency in Austin” isn’t the same as “SEO help near Zilker Park,” but both might matter.
BrightLocal’s research backs this up—local visibility is a major factor in search success.
Can Google even crawl your site?
You can have the best content in the world, but if Google can’t find it, it might as well be invisible. That’s where technical SEO comes in. It’s not glamorous, but it’s foundational.
Start with the basics. Is your site fast? Is it mobile-friendly? Are your sitemaps and robots.txt files accurate? Are you using canonical tags correctly? Does your internal linking make sense?
Google’s Core Web Vitals and
mobile-first indexing are now standard. Use PageSpeed Insights and the Mobile-Friendly Test to spot red flags. Fixing them won’t just help rankings; it’ll make your site better for humans too.
Are you getting outplayed?
Sometimes your content is good. But your competitor’s content is just more useful, more visible, or better structured. That doesn’t mean they’re smarter; it usually means they’re more strategic.
A competitive gap analysis can show you where you’re falling short. Tools like Moz’s Keyword
Explorer or SEMrush’s Keyword Gap Tool can help you spot keywords your competitors rank for that you don’t. You can also compare backlink profiles, domain authority, and content formats.
Maybe they’ve got a video walkthrough where you’ve got a wall of text. Maybe they’ve got 50 backlinks and you’ve got 3. The point isn’t to copy them; it’s to understand what’s working, and then do it your way—just better.
What happens after they click?
Let’s say everything’s working. You’re ranking. You’re getting traffic. But no one’s converting. That’s a problem.
High bounce rates and low time-on-site usually mean one of two things: your content isn’t what they expected, or your site’s a pain to use. Either way, it’s costing you.
Use Hotjar or Google Analytics 4 to see how people actually behave on your site. Are they scrolling? Clicking? Leaving immediately? Then fix what’s broken.
Make sure your calls-to-action are clear. Your pages should load fast. Your layout should work on phones. And your site should look trustworthy. Testimonials, case studies, certifications—all help.
So, are you showing up?
If you’re not showing up for the searches you want, chances are you’re showing up for the ones you don’t. Or worse, not showing up at all.
Fixing that takes work. You need to align your content with real user intent. Format it for modern SERPs. Eliminate cannibalization. Prioritize local SEO. Get your technical house in order. Analyze your competitors. And make sure your site converts the traffic it gets.
Search visibility isn’t about playing the algorithm; it’s about understanding what people need, and then making sure you’re the one who gives it to them.
That’s one more tool in the belt.
We’ll be back soon with more you can use.
Until then, keep building.
– Perfect Sites Blog