Why isn’t Google showing your new site?
How to fix the “parked domain” problem and get indexed right away.
You launch. You search. And then…crickets.
Instead of your new site, Google serves up a stale parked-domain placeholder or, worse, nothing at all.
Sound familiar?
It’s a common problem for site owners on platforms like Squarespace, Framer, GoDaddy, Wix and others. You build a sharp new site, point your custom domain, but when you type site:yourdomain.com into Google, it’s like it doesn’t exist.
Here’s why it happens and exactly how to fix it.
The problem
Google hasn’t seen your site yet. Or it has, but it's still clinging to outdated DNS data or hasn't indexed the live version.
That’s what happened to me. Despite launching mosher.enterprises, a search for site:mosher.enterpries showed this ghost of a page:
“[my domain register] | parked domain”
mosher.enterprises has been registered at [my domain register] but the owner has not put up a site yet.
👎
Time to introduce your site to Google, formally.
The solution
Verify ownership + submit sitemap + request indexing.
For Squarespace users, here’s the HTML Tag Method: fast, reliable, and built for humans:
Step 1: Add your site to Google Search Console
Head to Google Search Console
Select “URL Prefix”
Enter your full site URL (e.g.,
https://www.mosher.enterprises)Choose HTML Tag as your verification method
Step 2: Copy the Meta Tag
Google will give you something like:
<meta name="google-site-verification" content="your-unique-code" />
Step 3: Paste it in Squarespace
Go to
Pages > Code InjectionPaste the meta tag in the Header section
Hit Save
Step 4: Back to Google
Hit Verify in Google Search Console
You’re in.
Take Google’s advice
Shortly after verifying my site, Google sent this no-nonsense checklist. Here's what they recommend—condensed and translated:
Cover all domain variants
Add bothhttp://andhttps://, with and withoutwww. Or use the Domain Property option for one-and-done coverage.Share access if you collaborate
Grant access to others inside Search Console. Transparency = smarter fixes.Submit your sitemap
This helps Google know what to crawl. For Squarespace:
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xmlRead their crash course
Google’s Search Console Basics doc is worth the scroll.
Then request indexing.
Use the “URL Inspection” tool in GSC. Paste in your homepage URL and click Request Indexing.
This triggers Google’s bots to prioritize your fresh content.
For Other Platforms: Quick Hit Tutorials
Framer
Go to Site Settings > SEO
Paste your Google HTML tag in the Custom <head> code field
Publish → verify
Sitemap auto-generates at
yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
GoDaddy Website Builder
Open your site editor
Go to Settings > Site Settings > SEO
Add your tag in Header Code
Save + publish → verify
Add
/sitemap.xmlmanually in GSC
Webflow
Navigate to Project Settings > SEO > Custom Code
Paste HTML tag in <head> section
Publish your domain → verify
Sitemap lives at
yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
Pro tips to stay visible
- Make sure your site is Public, not password-protected
- Avoid “Hide from search engines” toggles in page settings
- Don’t use <meta name="robots" content="noindex"> unless you're intentionally blocking indexing
- Build backlinks—quality links signal authority
- Use relevant keywords, compelling meta descriptions, and image alt text
- Be patient. Google takes time. But with the right signals, it moves faster.
Site navigation and security
The simpler and shallower your site navigation patterns are, the better. This helps bots crawl efficiently, and it can lead to faster conversions.
Steer clear of orphan pages, which have no internal links pointing to them, and dense nav menus that diminish internal link equity.
Stick to clear, top-down hierarchies and ensure every important page is reachable in 2–3 clicks. Breadcrumbs and footer navs can also help reinforce your site structure for search engines.
Last but not least, HTTPS is your site’s top security ranking signal. If any pages are served over HTTP, you risk them being flagged as "Not Secure" by browsers, a warning that will stop most visitors in their tracks.
Ensure your SSL cert is active and properly configured across all pages, and fend off mixed content errors, such as loading HTTP assets on HTTPS pages, as this can confuse crawlers and, worse, break page rendering.
Other pitfalls to avoid: JavaScript-heavy navigation that hides links from crawlers and duplicate or unlinked versions of pages (for example, having both /products and /our-products on the same site).
The final test
Search site:yourdomain.com in incognito mode.
If there are still no results, reinspect your site in GSC.
Still stuck? Reverify, resubmit your sitemap and request re-indexing.
Need help indexing your site faster or just want to know if Google sees you?
Drop me a note.
We’ll diagnose the issue and solve it together.
