How To Index Websites On Google

If your website isn’t indexed by Google, it becomes virtually invisible. It won’t appear in search results, and you won’t receive any organic traffic whatsoever. Absolutely nothing. Not a single thing.

Since you’re already aware of this, let’s dive right into the matter at hand.

This article will guide you through resolving indexing issues.

However, before we proceed, let’s ensure that we’re on the same page and have a clear understanding of this indexing process.

What are crawling and indexing?

Google finds and adds new web pages to its index by crawling the internet. This is accomplished through the use of a web spider known as Googlebot.

Still unclear? Let’s clarify some important terms.

• Crawling: It is the act of following hyperlinks on the internet to locate fresh content.
• Indexing: It is a procedure of storing all web pages within an extensive database.
• Web spider: This Software is specifically created to perform large-scale crawling tasks.
• Googlebot: It’s like a web spider employed by Google.

When you perform a Google search, you are essentially requesting Google to provide you with all the pertinent pages from their index. Since there are typically millions of pages that match your query, Google’s ranking algorithm works diligently to arrange the pages in a way that presents the most excellent and relevant results at the top.

The key point I want to emphasize is that indexing and ranking are distinct processes.

Indexing is about participating in the race while ranking is about achieving victory.

Without initially participating in the race by being indexed, you cannot achieve victory.

How to get indexed by Google?

If you’ve discovered that your website or web page is not indexed by Google, give this a try:

• Visit Google Search Console.
• Access the URL inspection tool.
• Paste the URL of the page you want Google to index into the search bar.
• Wait for Google to check the URL.
• Click on the “Request indexing” button.

This process is a recommended practice when you publish a new post or page. By doing this, you are essentially notifying Google that you have added something new to your site and they should examine it.

However, please note that requesting indexing is unlikely to resolve underlying issues that may be preventing Google from indexing older pages. If you encounter such a situation, refer to the checklist below to diagnose and address the problem.

1. Create High-Quality Content

Start by creating valuable and unique content for your website. Google values fresh, relevant, and informative content. Make certain that your content is well-written and it should contain relevant keywords and adds value to your target audience.

2. XML Sitemap

Generate an XML sitemap for your website. This is a file that lists all the pages on your site and helps search engines understand its structure. Include the sitemap on your website and submit it to Google using Google Search Console.

3. Robots.txt File

Make a robots.txt file and save it in your website’s root directory. This file tells search engines which pages to crawl and which ones to ignore. Also, make sure that those important pages are not blocked by the robots.txt file.

4. Internal Linking

Utilize internal linking within your website. Linking relevant pages together helps search engines discover and index your content more effectively. Ensure that your internal links are descriptive and include relevant keywords.

5. External Backlinks

 Acquire quality backlinks from other reputable websites. When other websites link to your website, Google is informed that your content is worthwhile and deserving of indexing. Focus on building natural and organic backlinks from authoritative sources.

6. Social Media Presence

Also, promote your website on your social media platforms. Engage with your audience, share your content, and encourage others to share it as well. Social signals can help search engines recognize the popularity and relevance of your website.

7. Submitting to Google

You should register for Google Search Console, i.e., Google Webmaster Tools. Add your website property, verify ownership, and submit your sitemap. Google Search Console provides valuable insights into your site’s indexing status, crawl errors, and search performance.

8. Quality User Experience

Ensure your website offers a good user experience. Optimize your site for speed, mobile responsiveness, and easy navigation. Google takes into account user experience factors when determining search rankings.

9. Consistent Updates

Regularly update your website with fresh content. Adding new pages or regularly updating existing ones signals to Google that your site is active and should be crawled more frequently.

10. Patience and Monitoring

Indexing can take time, so be patient. Monitor your website’s indexing status and performance through Google Search Console. Analyze search analytics data to identify areas for improvement and optimize your website accordingly.

Conclusion

There are two main reasons why Google might not be indexing your website or web page:

1. Technical issues: There might be technical problems that are preventing Google from indexing your site. These issues could include errors in website coding, server configuration, or accessibility problems. Resolving these technical issues is crucial to ensure proper indexing.

2. Perceived low-quality content: Google may view your site or page as lacking value or relevance to its users, considering it low-quality. This could be due to various factors such as thin or duplicated content, poor user experience, or violating Google’s quality guidelines. It’s essential to improve the quality and relevance of your content to enhance the chances of indexing.

It is possible that both technical issues and low-quality content contribute to the problem. However, technical issues are typically more common. It’s important to address these issues as they can also result in the automatic generation of low-quality content that can negatively impact your website.

Remember, indexing your website does not guarantee high rankings in search results. To rank well for valuable search queries and attract consistent organic traffic, it’s crucial to prioritize search engine optimization (SEO) efforts.