Why Your DIY Website Isn’t Ranking in Local Search – And How To Fix It

Having a website is great, but if no one can find it, it’s not doing its job. Many small business owners build their own sites using Wix, Squarespace, or cheap WordPress templates, thinking that once it’s live, customers will start pouring in. But in reality, DIY websites often struggle to rank in Google—especially for local searches.

At Vizability.io, we help businesses move from invisible online to high-ranking and highly discoverable. If your website isn’t showing up in search results, here’s why—and how we can fix it.

Why DIY Websites Fail in Local Search

Many business owners assume that once they launch a website, Google will automatically rank it. But the truth is, Google needs a lot of help understanding what your website is about and why it should rank above others. DIY websites, however, often miss key SEO elements that make a massive difference in visibility.

Here’s what’s holding your site back from appearing in local search results:

1. Poor Use of H1 and Heading Tags

Headings are crucial for telling Google what each page is about, but most DIY websites don’t use them properly.

Common DIY mistakes:

Multiple H1 headings on the same page—this confuses Google
No H1 at all—Google doesn’t know the page’s main focus
Using headings for design rather than structure—e.g., making text bold instead of using actual H2 or H3 tags

How We Fix It
One clear H1 per page, targeting a relevant keyword
Structured H2 and H3 headings for better readability and search engine understanding
Local SEO optimisation, e.g., “Professional Web Design in Fulham & South West London” as the main H1

A well-structured page improves rankings because Google can properly understand and categorise the content.

2. Weak or Missing Meta Descriptions

A meta description is the short text that appears under your website link in search results. It tells people what your page is about and can convince them to click your link instead of a competitor’s.

Common DIY mistakes:

No meta description at all—Google just picks random text from your page
Generic descriptions—e.g., “Welcome to my website” instead of something meaningful
Too long or too short—Google cuts off text that doesn’t fit

How We Fix It
We write compelling, keyword-rich meta descriptions
Each page has a unique, engaging summary
We optimise for local searches, e.g., “Expert web design in Fulham, Putney & Chelsea. Free consultation available.”

Better meta descriptions = higher rankings, more clicks, and more customers.

3. No Alt Tags on Images

Google can’t “see” images the way humans do, so it relies on alt tags (short descriptions of images) to understand what they’re about. DIY websites often skip alt tags, missing a big SEO opportunity.

Common DIY mistakes:

No alt tags at all—Google ignores the images
Keyword stuffing—e.g., “best web design cheap fast London” (this doesn’t help!)
Generic alt tags—e.g., “image1.jpg” instead of something meaningful

How We Fix It
Properly written alt tags for every image (e.g., “Responsive web design services in South West London”)
Google can now understand your images, boosting rankings in Google Images and search results
Bonus: Alt tags help visually impaired users, making your site more accessible

4. Slow Website Speed

Speed matters. If your website takes longer than 3 seconds to load, most visitors will leave. DIY websites are often slow because of:

Unoptimised images—too large, causing slow loading times
Too many plugins—dragging down performance
Bloated code—extra design elements that aren’t needed
Cheap hosting—Wix, Squarespace, and basic WordPress hosting share servers with thousands of other sites

How We Fix It
Compress and optimise images for speed
Minimise unnecessary plugins and remove bloated code
Host on AWS, ensuring lightning-fast performance
Implement caching for instant page loads

Google rewards fast websites with higher rankings, and users are more likely to stay and browse.

5. No Local Schema Markup

Schema markup is extra data in your website’s code that tells Google important details about your business—like your location, services, and opening hours. DIY sites don’t include schema, meaning Google has less information to rank you properly.

How We Fix It
Add Local Business Schema, improving your local search visibility

Ensure Google understands your location & services
Help you appear higher in local search results

Without schema, Google may not realise you’re a local business, meaning your competitors get ranked higher instead.

6. Not Submitting the Website to Google Search Console

Even if your site is perfectly set up, Google won’t rank it if it doesn’t know it exists. DIY website builders don’t automatically submit your site to Google, meaning it could take months to show up in search results.

How We Fix It
Submit your website to Google Search Console for proper indexing
Add an XML sitemap so Google finds all your pages
Monitor for errors & ranking issues and fix them

If your website isn’t submitted to Google, it’s practically invisible.

How Vizability.io Can Help You Rank Higher in Local Search

If you’ve built your website yourself or used a cheap template, chances are it’s not optimised for search engines. That’s where we come in.

What We Do:

Fix your heading structure so Google understands your content
Write proper meta descriptions that attract more clicks
Optimise images with alt tags to improve visibility
Submit your site to Google Search Console so you actually appear in search results
Set up Google Business Profile & local SEO to get you found in your area

No tricks. No gimmicks. Just expert website optimisation that gets results.

Let’s Meet for a Coffee and Chat in South West London

We work with businesses across Fulham, Putney, Chelsea, Wandsworth, Hammersmith, and surrounding areas. If you’re based in South West London and want to discuss how to fix your website’s visibility in Google, we’d be happy to meet for a coffee and chat.

We’re based in Fulham but regularly meet clients across West and South West London. Let’s sit down and talk about how we can help your business get found online.

Final Thoughts

Most DIY websites fail to rank because they aren’t set up properly for search engines. If your business is struggling to appear in Google searches, it’s time to upgrade to an expert-built, search-optimised website.

Get a Free Website Health Check at Vizability.io today!

Because what’s the point of a website if no one can find it?