Why Your Articles Aren’t Ranking (Quick Answer)
Your articles aren’t ranking because you likely have 0-3 backlinks while competitors on page 1 have 10-20+. Google doesn’t trust new sites like yours yet, even if your content is awesome.
- No backlinks: Your site lacks trust signals Google needs.
- Wrong keywords: You’re targeting terms too competitive for a DA 2 site.
- Not indexed: Google hasn’t crawled your pages yet.
- Content mismatch: Your article doesn’t fully answer search intent.
- Time: New sites need 4-6 months with backlinks to rank.
Fix it: Get 5-10 quality backlinks from relevant sites in 30 days to jump to page 1-2 for low-competition keywords like “why articles not ranking” (100-500 searches, KD < 10).
You’re Not Alone, and This Sucks
Let me guess what happened to you.
You might have launched your website around 2 or 3 months back, and it probably has a Domain Authority of 2.
You spent weeks writing great articles, reading every SEO blog, watching YouTube tutorials, optimizing titles, and adding keywords like “why articles not ranking” or “new website no traffic.”
You even made your site lightning fast and clean.
You hit publish, expecting a wave of traffic.
Instead, you got almost nothing. Maybe 10 visitors in total, half of them from your mom clicking the link.
You open Google Analytics every day. Nothing changes.
You search your keywords, but your articles are buried deep on page 5, 7, or even worse, not visible at all.
Meanwhile, you keep seeing articles that are clearly worse than yours ranking on page 1.
Posts filled with typos, outdated information, and thin content are somehow getting all the clicks.
It feels unfair. You start wondering if SEO is just a scam or if you are simply bad at it.
I have been there. My first site got only 22 visitors in 3 months.
I was close to throwing my laptop out the window.
But here is the truth: you are not doing anything wrong.
Your articles are not ranking because Google does not trust new websites yet.
And trust only comes from backlinks.
This guide is for you, the one stuck in that “why is my blog not ranking” stage.
I will walk you through exactly why your articles are not ranking, how to find the root cause, and a simple 30 day plan to reach page 1 or 2.
Even with a low DA site like yours that is just starting to grow.
Diagnose Why Your Articles Aren’t Ranking in 5 Minutes
Before you start chasing backlinks, let’s make sure that’s actually the issue. Here’s a quick 5-step checklist to confirm why your content isn’t ranking on Google. Grab a coffee—this takes 5 minutes.
1. Are Your Pages Indexed by Google?
If Google hasn’t indexed your pages, they can’t rank. Period. To check, go to Google and type: site:pikeraai.com.
If your articles show up, they’re indexed. Move to step 2.
If nothing shows, you have an indexing issue. Check Google Search Console for crawl errors or a misconfigured robots.txt file. Fix that before worrying about backlinks.
2. Are Your Keywords Too Competitive?
This is the biggest trap for new sites. Targeting broad keywords like “SEO tips” or “content marketing” is like trying to outrun Usain Bolt in a sprint. Your DA 2 site can’t compete with Forbes or HubSpot.
Google your target keyword, like “why articles not ranking.” Look at the top 10 results. If they’re all high-DA sites (DA 50+), your keyword is too hard.
Instead, target long-tail keywords like “why new website not ranking” (100-200 searches, KD < 5). These are winnable for a DA 2 site like pikeraai.com.
3. Does Your Content Match Search Intent?
Be honest here. Compare your article to the top 3 results for your keyword. Ask yourself:
- Is my article roughly the same length (within 500 words)?
- Does it cover the same key topics?
- Does it clearly answer the searcher’s question?
- Does it add unique value (e.g., data, examples, or insights)?
If your content falls short, improve it first. If it’s comparable or better, move to step 4.
4. How Many Backlinks Do You Have?
Use Ahrefs’ free backlink checker or Moz’s Link Explorer. Enter your domain (e.g., pikeraai.com) and check “Referring Domains.”
If you have 0-3 referring domains, backlinks are your issue. If you have 10+, revisit keyword targeting or content quality.
5. How Many Backlinks Do Competitors Have?
Check the top 3 results for your keyword in Ahrefs. If they have 10-20+ referring domains and you have 0-3, that’s the gap keeping your articles from ranking.
What Your Results Mean
All checks passed? Backlinks are your problem.
Failed indexing? Fix technical issues first.
Failed keywords? Target easier long-tails.
Failed content? Match top results’ depth.
Why Backlinks Are the Key to Ranking
I know you’re frustrated. You’re thinking, “My content is better than theirs!” And you’re probably right. But Google isn’t running a writing contest.
With 1.8 billion websites out there, Google needs a way to decide who’s trustworthy. Your new site, with a DA of 2, is like a random person showing up to a party. Nobody knows you, so you’re not getting invited to the VIP section (page 1).
Backlinks Are Like Social Proof
When a reputable site links to you, it’s like them vouching for you. They’re telling Google:
- Your content is worth reading.
- Your site is legitimate.
- Their audience will benefit from your article.
Without backlinks, Google assumes you’re just another spam site. With 5-10 quality backlinks, you’re suddenly credible enough to rank for keywords like “why articles not ranking.”
Example: A competitor with 15 backlinks ranks on page 1 for “new website no traffic.” You, with 0, stay on page 5, even if your article is twice as good.
How Long It Really Takes to Rank
You’re 3 months in, and it feels like nothing’s happening. This sucks, and it’s normal. Here’s what’s going on behind the scenes, month by month, for a new site like yours.
Month 1: Google’s Just Meeting You
Google’s bots are crawling your site, indexing your pages. You’ll see 1-10 impressions in Search Console, but zero clicks. That’s normal.
What to do: Publish 10-15 solid articles. Check Search Console to ensure indexing. Don’t stress about backlinks yet.
Month 2: The Patience Phase (This Sucks)
Impressions creep up to 10-50. Maybe you get 1-5 clicks. Your articles might show up on page 5-10 for super niche keywords. Frustration is real.
What to do: Finish your first 15-20 articles. Start researching backlink opportunities. Don’t overthink daily rank checks.
Month 3: Time to Act (You Are Here)
You’re getting 50-200 impressions, maybe 5-20 clicks. Articles are stuck on page 3-7. This is when you need to start building backlinks.
What to do: Follow the backlink strategies below. Keep publishing 1-2 articles per week.
Months 4-6: The Growth Phase
With 5-10 backlinks, expect 500-2,000 impressions, 50-150 clicks, and page 1-2 rankings for low-competition keywords like “content not ranking google.”
What to do: Keep building links and publishing. Momentum builds fast now.
How to Get 5-10 Backlinks in 30 Days
Don’t overthink it. You don’t need 100 backlinks. Just 5-10 quality ones from relevant sites will move the needle. Here are 4 proven methods, ranked from easiest to hardest, with step-by-step instructions.
1. Resource Page Outreach (70% Success Rate)
What it is: Resource pages are curated lists of helpful links, like “Top SEO Tools” or “Best Marketing Blogs.” They exist to share valuable content, so they’re open to adding your article if it fits.
Why it works: You’re helping them improve their page by suggesting high-quality content. It’s a win-win, not a favor.
How to do it:
- Search Google:
"SEO" + "resources"orintitle:"resources" + "SEO". - Look for pages updated in the last 6-12 months, relevant to your niche, and not linking to you.
- Find contact emails via Hunter.io or the site’s contact page.
- Send this email (personalize it):
Subject: Suggestion for your SEO resources page
Hi [Name],
I found your SEO resources page on [site]—great list! I recently published a detailed guide on [specific topic] that might be a good fit: [your URL].
Either way, thanks for curating such a helpful page!
Best, [Your Name]
Expected results: Send 10 emails, expect 6-7 responses, and 4-5 links. Takes 3-5 hours total.
2. Broken Link Building (40-50% Success Rate)
What it is: Find broken links (404 errors) on relevant sites and offer your article as a replacement.
Why it works: Broken links hurt user experience and SEO. You’re doing the site owner a favor by pointing them out and providing a solution.
How to do it:
- Install the “Check My Links” Chrome extension.
- Visit relevant blogs or resource pages in your niche.
- Run the extension to find red (broken) links.
- Match broken links to your content topics.
- Send this email:
Subject: Broken link on your [Topic] page
Hi [Name],
I noticed a broken link on your [page]: [broken URL]. I have a guide on [topic] that could replace it: [your URL].
Loved your content, by the way!
Best, [Your Name]
Expected results: Send 10 emails, expect 4-5 links. Takes 5-7 hours.
3. Guest Posting (20-30% Success Rate)
What it is: Write articles for blogs in your niche (DA 20-35) and include a link to your site in the author bio or content.
Why it works: You provide free, high-quality content, and they give you a backlink. Smaller blogs are more likely to accept new writers.
How to do it:
- Search:
"SEO" + "write for us". - Target blogs with DA 20-35, actively publishing.
- Pitch a specific article idea relevant to their audience.
- Send this email:
Subject: Guest post idea for [Site]
Hi [Name],
I love your blog’s focus on [topic]. I’d like to contribute a guest post on [specific topic]. It’s a fresh angle that complements your article on [specific article].
Here’s a quick outline: [3-4 bullet points]. Let me know if you’re interested!
Best, [Your Name]
Expected results: Pitch 10 sites, expect 2-3 acceptances. Each post takes 3-5 hours to write.
4. Industry Directories (80% Success Rate)
What it is: Submit your site to curated, niche-specific directories.
Why it works: These directories are trusted by Google and relevant to your audience.
How to do it:
- Search:
"SEO directory"or"marketing directory". - Look for moderated, industry-specific directories.
- Submit your site with a brief description.
Expected results: 8/10 submissions accepted. Takes 2-3 hours.
Backlink Method Comparison
| Method | Success Rate | Effort | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resource Pages | 70% | Low | 3-5 hours |
| Broken Links | 40-50% | Medium | 5-7 hours |
| Guest Posts | 20-30% | High | 10-15 hours |
| Directories | 80% | Low | 2-3 hours |
The Faster Way with Pikera SEO
Look, all these methods work. I’ve done them myself. But here’s the reality: finding resource pages, broken links, and guest post opportunities manually takes 10-15 hours per keyword. If you’re juggling a business or a day job, that’s time you don’t have.
Pikera SEO automates the hard part. It analyzes your keywords (like “why articles not ranking”) and gives you:
- 5-15 specific sites to contact (no guesswork).
- Contact emails for each site.
- Pre-written, personalized email templates.
- Difficulty ratings to prioritize easy wins.
For $15/month, it saves you hours and targets sites a DA 2 site like pikeraai.com can actually land links from. You can do it manually, but Pikera makes it 10x faster.
Your 48-Hour Action Plan to Start Ranking
Don’t just read this and nod. Take action. Here’s exactly what to do in the next 48 hours to get your articles ranking.
Hours 1-2: Confirm Your Problem
- Run the 5-step checklist above.
- Check your backlinks with Ahrefs.
- Compare to competitors’ backlinks.
- Write down: “I have [X] backlinks, they have [Y].”
Hours 3-6: Find 10 Backlink Targets
- 5 resource pages (Method 1).
- 3 broken links (Method 2).
- 2 guest post opportunities (Method 3).
- Track in a spreadsheet: Site | Email | Method | Status.
Hours 7-12: Send 10 Emails
- Use the templates above.
- Personalize each email (mention their content).
- Keep it under 100 words.
- Follow up in 7 days if no response.
Hours 13-48: Keep Publishing
- Publish 1-2 new articles.
- Check for outreach responses daily.
- Celebrate each backlink gained—it’s a win!
4 Mistakes That’ll Tank Your Efforts
Avoid these traps, or you’ll waste time or hurt your site’s chances of ranking.
1. Buying Cheap Backlinks
Those “100 backlinks for $5” deals on Fiverr? They’re spam links from junk sites. Google ignores them or penalizes you.
2. Link Exchanges
“You link to me, I link to you” schemes are a red flag to Google. A few natural exchanges are fine, but mass swaps get you penalized.
3. Spammy Blog Comments
Dropping “Great post! Visit my site” comments is a waste of time. Only comment if you add real value (150+ words) and a relevant link.
4. Low-Quality Directories
Unmoderated directories with thousands of random listings are worthless. Stick to curated, niche-specific ones.
Case Study: From Page 5 to Page 1 in 10 Weeks
Let’s talk about Sarah, a solopreneur who started a marketing blog (DA 4). She was ready to quit after 3 months of no traffic. Here’s how she turned it around.
Sarah’s Story: Marketing Blog Breakthrough
Starting Point (Month 3):
- DA: 4
- Articles: 12 (1,500-2,000 words each)
- Backlinks: 0 referring domains
- Impressions: 100/month
- Clicks: 5/month
- Rankings: Page 5-8 for “social media tips for small businesses”
- Emotional state: Ready to give up, considering paid ads
Actions Taken:
- Weeks 1-2: Found 12 resource pages on marketing blogs, emailed 10.
- Weeks 3-4: Identified 5 broken links on relevant sites, offered replacements.
- Weeks 5-6: Wrote 2 guest posts for DA 25-30 blogs.
- Weeks 7-10: Published 1 article/week, followed up on outreach.
Results (10 Weeks):
- Backlinks: 8 referring domains (5 resource pages, 2 guest posts, 1 broken link).
- Impressions: 1,400/month (14x increase).
- Clicks: 62/month (12x increase).
- Rankings: 3 articles on page 1, 5 on page 2.
- Traffic: 40-60 visitors/week.
The “Aha” Moment:
Sarah realized she didn’t need 50 backlinks. Just 8 quality links from relevant sites proved to Google her blog was legit. That was the difference between invisible and page 1.
FAQ: Why Your Articles Don’t Rank
Why is my website not ranking on Google?
New websites with low DA (like 2) often lack backlinks, which Google uses to assess trust. Without 5-10 backlinks from relevant sites, your articles won’t rank for competitive keywords. Focus on building links and targeting low-competition keywords (100-500 searches, KD < 10).
How long does it take for a new website to rank?
With 5-10 backlinks, a new site can rank on page 1-2 for low-competition keywords in 4-6 months. Without backlinks, it may take 6-12 months or longer, as Google needs time to trust your site.
Do backlinks matter for SEO?
Yes, backlinks are critical for new sites. They act as trust signals, telling Google your content is credible. Competitors with 10-20 backlinks will outrank you, even if their content is weaker, until you close the gap.
How to get backlinks for a new website?
Use resource page outreach (70% success), broken link building (40-50%), guest posting (20-30%), or curated directories (80%). Aim for 5-10 quality backlinks in 30 days from sites relevant to your niche.
5 Key Takeaways to Get Your Articles Ranking
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, here’s what matters most:
- Your articles aren’t ranking because you have 0-3 backlinks, while competitors have 10-20+. It’s about trust, not content quality.
- Being stuck on page 5 after 3 months is normal for new sites. You’re not failing—you just need backlinks.
- Start with resource page outreach (70% success) for the fastest wins.
- 5-10 quality backlinks can get you to page 1-2 for keywords like “new website no traffic.”
- Avoid buying links, mass exchanges, or spammy comments—they’ll hurt more than help.
Don’t wait. Start your 48-hour action plan today. Send your first outreach email now, and you’ll see results in 4-8 weeks.