Most common page indexing issues
Google openly acknowledges that not all pages found on a website are indexed. Using Google Search Console, you can see all the pages on your site that are not indexed
Google Search Console also provides useful information about issues and reasons why pages were not or are not being indexed. Issues can include server errors, 404 errors, and notes that a page may have too little content or duplicate content.
Why indexing is important?
If your page is indexed, it appears in Google search; if not, Google does not display it. So, if you want to be visible online, you need to prepare your website for indexing.
How indexing works?
Google indexing is the process in which Googlebot (Google’s web crawler) "scans" your page and adds it to its database so it can later show it in search results. To achieve this goal, you need to ensure that your website is "friendly" to both Google bots and users.
Typically, the process starts when system robots visit your website and begin analyzing its content. If the page has any errors or issues (e.g., bad link redirects or hard-to-access content), it can interfere with the page's indexing.
Excluding Non-Indexable Pages
There are situations where it is beneficial to keep pages non-indexed. Pages whose content provides no value to either the reader or search engines should be excluded from the indexing queue. This can be done by adding the page's URL to the robots.txt file or by using the noindex tag.
Most common idexing issues:
Crawled – currently not indexed
This error means that Googlebot found the page but decided not to index it due to a lack of content quality. There may be one or more of the following reasons: too little content, low-value or duplicate content, poor user experience, or other elements that do not meet Google’s quality standards.
If a page has limited or low-value content, Google may decide that it is not worth showing in search results. To resolve this error, you should ensure that the page contains enough useful and original information, is user-friendly, and properly optimized.
Duplicate content
Duplicate content occurs when multiple different pages or various sources on the internet provide the same or very similar content. Google aims to provide users with only one result from these pages, often selecting one and ignoring the others. If your website has multiple pages with the same content (e.g., products with identical text), it can cause indexing issues.
In this case, it's important to use "rel=canonical" tags to indicate the main page, so search engines know which content to treat as "primary" and which pages to ignore. It's also essential to create original content and avoid copying it from other websites.
Soft 404 pages
A "Soft 404" error occurs when the server returns a 200 OK response, but Google believes the page should return a 404 response. To fix this error, you need to ensure that pages with errors return the appropriate 404 or 410 HTTP status, indicating that the page does not exist, and prevent Googlebot from attempting to index it.
Crawl issue
A "Crawl issue" occurs when Googlebot is unable to access a page on your website due to various technical reasons. This can include issues related to the website's structure, such as incorrect links, blocked pages (robots.txt), faulty redirects, broken pages, and more.
A page that Google cannot access cannot be analyzed, and therefore, cannot be included in the indexing queue.
Page indexing optimization
For your website to be fully indexed and displayed on Google, it's important to prepare it according to Google’s recommended guidelines. This includes not only technical aspects but also the website's structure, content presentation, and accessibility for both users and Googlebot, as well as other search engine crawlers. The better your site is prepared for indexing, the faster and more accurately search engines can index it.
1. Website structure
The website structure should be clear and simple, allowing Googlebot to easily crawl and access all pages of the site. This includes clear categories, hierarchy, and internal links that help not only search engines but also users to easily find the information they are looking for and navigate between the website pages.
2. Mobile version
Google places a lot of emphasis on the mobile version of a website. The mobile version of the site must not only be visually suitable but also technically optimized so that Googlebot can properly analyze it. Pages that are not mobile-friendly may encounter indexing issues and even drop in search rankings.
3. Content quality
One of the most important factors that Google considers when indexing pages is content quality. The more valuable and helpful the content on your website, the higher the chance it will be included in search results. Each page should have a clear topic, headings, be original, and offer solutions or answers to users' questions.
It's also important to include internal links between pages and enrich the content with original images or pictures. Short or repetitive content can reduce your page's chances of being indexed.
4. Web speed
Page load speed is another important factor that Google considers when indexing pages. Ensure that your website's speed is optimized. By performing tasks such as reducing image sizes, selecting appropriate image file types, minimizing page code, and more, you can speed up your website's loading time. You can check your website's speed metrics using this Google tool.
5. Regular checks
It is important to continuously monitor and check your website to avoid errors, and if they do occur, fix them promptly. Use Google Search Console to learn about errors, technical issues, and indexing problems.
How to avoid most common mistakes?
Many indexing errors can be avoided by implementing a few simple practices.:
1. Optimize robot.txt file. Ensure that the robots.txt file does not block important pages of your website or search engine crawlers, allowing search engines to easily access the desired content. If there are pages you don't want to index, use "noindex" tags or specify them in the robots.txt file.
2. Update and remove old pages. If you have duplicate or outdated pages that no longer provide value to your website, consider removing them or redirecting them to an updated page on the same topic.
3. Use canonical tags. If your website has many similar pages showing the same content (e.g., products with identical descriptions), use the "rel=canonical" tag to indicate to search engines which page is the primary one.
4. Create internal linking. Creating internal links sends signals to search engines that relevant and related content is being developed on the website. This can help index new pages on the site.
Conclusion
Indexing errors can not only affect your website's visibility but also have a direct impact on SEO results. It is important to regularly monitor and analyze website pages to avoid errors that may prevent Google from displaying your pages in search results. By providing valuable, original content, a clean website structure, and well-managed technical aspects, you increase your chances of achieving high positions in search engines
