How to get your website on Google in Belgium: step by step

#Why a website doesn't appear on Google

• It's too new: Google hasn't discovered it yet.
• No link points to it and no sitemap has been submitted.
• It's blocked: an overly strict robots.txt, a "noindex" tag left over from development, a password still in place.
• Its content is too thin or copied from other sites.
• The search you tested is very competitive: the site is indexed, but far behind.
• A redesign happened without redirects: the old addresses Google knew now lead to missing pages.

#Step 1: check whether Google knows your site

• Pages appear: your site is indexed. If it doesn't show for your searches, it's a ranking issue (steps 4 to 7).
• No results: Google doesn't know your site. Go to step 2.

#Step 2: add your website to Google Search Console

Google Search Console is Google's free tool for monitoring how your site appears in its results.

1. Go to search.google.com/search-console and add a Domain property. Verification uses a DNS record, which your host or agency can add for you.
2. Under Sitemaps, submit the address of your sitemap, usually yourdomain.be/sitemap.xml.
3. With URL Inspection, paste the address of an important page, then click Request indexing. Requests are limited: keep them for key pages.
4. Check the Pages report: it lists indexed pages and the reasons others aren't ("Crawled – currently not indexed", "Excluded by 'noindex' tag", "Not found (404)"…).

#Step 3: do the same in Bing Webmaster Tools

#Step 4: fix the technical basics

• HTTPS across the whole site.
• robots.txt that allows crawling, and no "noindex" tag on pages you want found.
• A complete mobile version: since July 2024, Google indexes every site from its mobile version.
• Speed: test your pages on PageSpeed Insights (pagespeed.web.dev). Field data, measured on real visitors, matters more than the score out of 100: aim for green on all three Core Web Vitals. Details in our website speed guide.
• Clear structure: one main heading (H1) per page, subheadings (H2, H3), a unique page title and meta description for each page, alt text for images.
• Structured data: describe your business (name, address, phone, opening hours) with schema.org. It helps Google, and AI assistants, understand who you are.

#Step 5: create pages that answer searches

Before writing, note the words your clients actually use:

• Google's autocomplete suggestions and the "People also ask" box;
• the Search Console Performance report, which shows the searches you already appear for;
• Google Trends, to compare two phrasings;
• Google Ads' Keyword Planner for volumes (a free Ads account is enough).

Then match each intent with the right page:

One page = one main topic. Write for your clients: answer their concrete questions, show examples, end with a clear next step.

#Step 6: create your Google Business Profile

1. Create it at business.google.com or straight from Google Maps.
2. Verify it: Google often asks for a short video of your premises or your work equipment.
3. Pick the most precise primary category, and add hours, services, service area and photos.
4. Ask every happy client for a review, and reply to every review.

#Step 7: earn links and mentions

Links from other websites to yours show Google that you are a real, recognised business. For a Belgian SME, the easiest to get:

• business directories: Gouden Gids / Pages d'Or (goudengids.be, pagesdor.be), Cylex, your municipality's directory;
• chambers of commerce and trade bodies: BECI in Brussels, Voka in Flanders, the Walloon chambers of commerce (CCI), UCM or Unizo for the self-employed, your sector federation;
• your partners: suppliers, clients, associations or clubs you support;
• local press when you have news.

Keep exactly the same name, address and phone number everywhere. Avoid paid links and "1,000 directory" packages: they don't work and can do harm.

#Step 8: think about AI answers too

#How long before you see results?

• Indexing: a few days to a few weeks with Search Console and a sitemap.
• Searches for your name: usually as soon as you're indexed.
• First rankings on specific, low-competition searches: 1 to 3 months.
• Competitive searches: 6 to 12 months, sometimes more.

#The checklist

• Check site:yourdomain.be
• Add the site to Google Search Console and submit the sitemap
• Add the site to Bing Webmaster Tools
• Check HTTPS, mobile and PageSpeed Insights
• Write a unique title and description for every page
• Create one page per service
• Complete your Google Business Profile
• List your business in a few serious directories, with identical details
• Install Google Analytics and track contact requests
• Publish useful content regularly

#Frequently asked questions

#My website is new: how long before it appears?

With Search Console and a sitemap, the first pages are often indexed within a few days, sometimes a few weeks. Searches for your business name follow quickly; broader searches take longer.

#Do I have to pay to appear on Google?

No. Organic search is free. Google Ads puts you at the top straight away, paid per click, but that is a choice, not an obligation.

#Why are my competitors ahead of me?

Usually because their site covers the topic more fully, loads faster, has more links from other sites, or their Google Business Profile is more complete with more reviews. Compare your pages with theirs, search by search.

#Can I do my own SEO?

#How do I know whether my SEO is working?

#Why does Google show a different title from my page title?

Google sometimes rewrites titles and descriptions when it thinks other text on the page answers the search better. A short, precise title that matches the content is more often kept as is.