How to Get Indexed by Google: Fix Common Crawling Issues

If you’re running a website, one of your main goals is to get your pages indexed by Google as quickly as possible. Without being indexed, your website won’t show up in search results, limiting your organic traffic and visibility.

However, many website owners face indexing and crawling issues that slow down the process. In this article, we will explore how to get indexed by Google, highlight Google indexing tips, and provide actionable strategies to speed up Google indexing and get your website indexed faster.

What is Google Indexing and Crawling?

Before diving into the solutions, it’s important to understand what Google indexing and crawling are.

Crawling

Crawling is the process by which Googlebot, Google’s web crawler, visits pages on your website to analyze and collect data. Googlebot follows internal links from page to page, discovering new content and checking for updates to existing content.

Indexing

Once a page is crawled, Google decides whether to index it. When a page is indexed, it’s added to Google’s database and becomes eligible to appear in search results when users type in relevant queries.

Why Your Website Isn’t Getting Indexed

There are several reasons why your website might not be indexed by Google, including:

• Technical SEO errors (e.g., blocked pages by robots.txt)
• Slow website loading speed
• Poor website structure
• Low-quality content
• No internal links to the page

If your website isn’t being indexed, it’s crucial to identify the root cause and take corrective action immediately.

How to Check If Your Website Is Indexed by Google

Before we dive into fixing the issues, it’s a good idea to check whether your website or specific pages have been indexed by Google. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Use the Google Search Operator:

• Go to Google and type site:yourwebsite.com. This will show all the pages that are currently indexed.

1. Google Search Console:

• Navigate to Google Search Console, enter the URL of the page you want to check, and click “Inspect URL.” If the page is indexed, you’ll see a confirmation message.

Common Crawling Issues and How to Fix Them

Let’s explore some of the most common crawling issues that could prevent your website from getting indexed and the steps you can take to fix them.

1. Robots.txt Blocking Pages

The robots.txt file instructs Googlebot which pages it can and cannot crawl. Sometimes, webmasters accidentally block important pages from being crawled.

How to Fix:

• Check your robots.txt file for any “Disallow” directives that are preventing Google from crawling crucial pages.
• Update the robots.txt file by removing these blocks or adjusting the directives.

2. Noindex Tag on Pages

Another common issue is the use of the “noindex” tag, which tells Google not to index certain pages. While this can be useful for certain areas of your site, accidentally using this tag on important pages can prevent them from showing up in search results.

How to Fix:

• Inspect your pages’ HTML source code for the noindex tag and remove it from any pages that you want Google to index.

3. Slow Website Speed

Google prioritizes fast-loading websites, and if your website takes too long to load, Googlebot may not crawl all of your pages, or it may take longer for them to be indexed.

How to Fix:

• Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTMetrix to identify areas of improvement.
• Compress images, use a content delivery network (CDN), and minimize CSS and JavaScript files to improve website speed.

4. Poor Internal Linking

Googlebot uses internal links to navigate your website. If your internal linking structure is weak, it may struggle to discover new pages.

How to Fix:

• Ensure that every page on your website is accessible through internal links.
• Create a logical link structure and use anchor text that is relevant to the content of the linked page.

5. Duplicate Content

If you have multiple pages with very similar content, Google may have trouble deciding which one to index, which can lead to delays in indexing or exclusion from the index altogether.

How to Fix:

• Use canonical tags to tell Google which version of a page you want indexed.
• Ensure that your content is unique and valuable on each page.

How to Speed Up Google Indexing

Now that we’ve addressed some common issues, let’s look at strategies to speed up Google indexing.

1. Submit Your Sitemap to Google Search Console

A sitemap is a file that lists all the important pages of your website. Submitting a sitemap helps Googlebot find and index your pages faster.

How to Submit a Sitemap:

1. Go to Google Search Console.
2. Navigate to the “Sitemaps” section.
3. Enter the URL of your sitemap (usually found at yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml).
4. Click “Submit.”

2. Use URL Inspection Tool in Google Search Console

The URL Inspection Tool allows you to request that Google indexes a specific page. This is especially useful when you’ve updated or added new content and want it to appear in search results quickly.

How to Use URL Inspection Tool:

1. Go to Google Search Console.
2. In the search bar at the top, enter the URL of the page you want indexed.
3. Click “Request Indexing.”

3. Build High-Quality Backlinks

Google uses backlinks as a signal of trustworthiness and relevance. When reputable websites link to your content, Google is more likely to crawl and index your pages quickly.

How to Get Backlinks:

• Create valuable, shareable content like in-depth guides, infographics, or data-driven studies.
• Reach out to relevant websites in your niche and ask them to link to your content.

4. Regularly Update Your Content

Google favors fresh content. If you update your website regularly, Googlebot is more likely to crawl it frequently, which can lead to faster indexing.

How to Keep Content Fresh:

• Update outdated information.
• Add new sections to existing posts.
• Republish older content with improvements.

5. Use Social Media to Share Your Content

Sharing your content on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn can help Google discover and index your pages faster. When your content gets shared, it increases the chances that Google will crawl and index your site.

Social Media Strategy:

• Post links to your new or updated content on all your social media channels.
• Encourage readers to share your content.

6. Improve Site Structure and Navigation

A well-organized website structure makes it easier for Googlebot to crawl and index your site. If your site has a clear hierarchy, Google will be able to navigate it more efficiently.

How to Improve Structure:

• Organize your site into clear categories and subcategories.
• Ensure that important pages are no more than 2-3 clicks away from your homepage.

7. Avoid Common SEO Mistakes

Sometimes, technical mistakes can prevent Google from indexing your site. Avoid using techniques that could block Googlebot or result in penalties.

SEO Mistakes to Avoid:

• Stuffing keywords unnaturally into your content.
• Overloading your site with advertisements or pop-ups.
• Hiding content with JavaScript that Googlebot can’t read.

Final Thoughts

Getting your website indexed by Google can seem like a daunting process, but by following these steps, you can resolve crawling issues and ensure your site is indexed faster. From submitting your sitemap to building quality backlinks and using Google Search Console effectively, there are many Google indexing tips you can follow to speed up Google indexing and improve your website’s visibility.

By addressing technical SEO issues, regularly updating your content, and improving your site’s structure, you’ll be well on your way to ensuring that your site gets indexed by Google faster and ranks higher in search results.