Google doesn’t index my website: why and what to do?

Many people experience the same frustration as you when Google fails to index their pages. In short, indexing is the process by which the search engine organizes the web’s content into a searchable database. This allows it to quickly find and display the most relevant information for users, which significantly impacts your site’s visibility. Unfortunately, there are several pitfalls behind indexing issues, but many can be prevented and fixed.

In this guide, we will examine the most frequent reasons Google fails to index a website and provide practical strategies to address visibility challenges. Whether you’re a newcomer or an experienced webmaster, it’s crucial to know the cause of a website not indexed by Google and implement fixes promptly. Now, let’s first look into the definition and why this process matters.

What does “Indexing” mean, and why should it matter to you?

Think of the search engine index as a vast virtual library. Googlebot, Google’s automated crawler, scans and collects information from across the web by following links on web pages. After gathering data, the search engine organizes the content and catalogs your pages so they can be quickly retrieved when users perform searches. This process is crucial because it helps Google understand what your pages are about, allowing it to deliver relevant and useful results to users.

For a more detailed understanding of how Google organizes information, you can refer to Google’s How Search Works: Organizing Information.

So, why does indexing matter? The most interesting book can be left unnoticed if you leave it on an unorganized shelf. Thus, the main purpose of indexing is to ensure your compelling content is visible and accessible to users as it appears on search results. To achieve this, Google uses a sophisticated system to evaluate and organize vast amounts of information. Pages are indexed based on various factors, including content quality, schema markup, keywords, etc.

In essence, if you’re wondering, “Why is Google not indexing my pages?” it’s essential to thoroughly understand how this process works. Having your pages properly indexed by the search engine helps you improve rankings and increase traffic substantially. The audience only appreciates the content once they find it, and indexing opens the door to attracting potential visitors. For a detailed overview of indexing topics, refer to Google crawling and indexing.

The most common reasons websites aren’t indexed

Now that we’ve acknowledged the significance of indexing, let’s identify the culprits behind pages not indexed by Google. From technical errors to unfriendly user experience, here are the common indexing issues you should be aware of.

1. Google can’t find your site

One possible reason your website isn’t indexed could be that the search engine hasn’t discovered it yet. This occurs when your website lacks sufficient backlinks from other sites, causing it to remain hidden from Google. Additionally, since crawlers follow links to locate pages, the absence of internal links might lead to Google struggling to navigate the site and find relevant content.

Another important factor is the absence of an XML sitemap. If you don’t have one or if it’s not correctly submitted to Google Search Console, the search engine may have difficulty locating and indexing all of your pages. A sitemap acts as a roadmap for Googlebot, making it easier to find and crawl important pages on your site.

2. Google is forbidden to read your site

A common issue that prevents Google from accessing web pages might be related to specific configurations. For instance, a robots.txt file can block search engine tools from reading your entire content, which would result in Google not indexing your site. You could have overlooked the disallow code by accident, especially if the website has been recently under development or redesign.

Moreover, noindex tags or CMS privacy settings might restrict search engines from crawling certain sections of your website. Therefore, once the site is ready for public viewing, make sure these tags and settings allow Google to access all important pages during indexing.

3. Google can’t reach your final destination

Sometimes, Google is simply unable to reach your site due to server or DNS issues. For instance, if your website frequently experiences downtime or returns a “503 Service Unavailable” response, search engine crawlers won’t be able to process your content. Persistent instability can delay indexing or even cause Google to skip certain pages altogether. Likewise, DNS misconfigurations may prevent the crawler from reaching your domain in the first place.

Additionally, multiple redirects or misconfigured redirects can trap Google in a loop, preventing it from ever arriving at the intended final page. Broken links also lead Google to a dead end. To avoid these pitfalls, regularly monitor your site’s uptime and server performance, fix DNS errors promptly, and monitor any redirect chains.

4. Search engine ignores the same content

Duplicate content may confuse search engines, leading to the inability to index individual pages. When Googlebot encounters multiple versions of the same text, it doesn’t know which version to rank. As a result, it may prioritize one version or decide to ignore them all. Therefore, avoid having several pages with identical information, such as product descriptions or articles.

Duplicate content discourages Google from indexing your website. It dilutes the visibility of pages, leading to some of them being ignored.

Furthermore, if your content closely resembles what already exists on other websites, Google may undervalue it, leading to lower rankings. Search engines prefer unique, informative content, so republishing material without adding value can harm your SEO. 

To create a content development strategy tailored to your brand, consider reaching out to content marketing services. Our dedicated team conducts in-depth competitor research and applies SEO best practices to craft high-quality, original content that will enhance your site’s visibility and set it apart in search results.

<div class="post__style-link">To learn more about SEO services and how they can transform your online presence, check out our article What are SEO services?</div>

5. The website is inaccessible to search engine

Relying heavily on JavaScript, Flash, or AJAX — without proper optimization — can prevent search engines from reading your site’s content. If essential text or navigation is hidden behind scripts or technologies that Googlebot cannot effectively interpret, those pages may remain invisible to the crawler. This is especially true for older technologies like Flash or certain JavaScript frameworks that don’t use server-side or dynamic rendering.

To address this, ensure your critical information is presented in regular HTML. Additionally, adopt rendering methods that make dynamic content visible to crawlers so that valuable pages don’t go unindexed.

6. Google prefers mobile-friendly sites

Because Google primarily evaluates and ranks the mobile version of your website, poor mobile optimization can seriously undermine your visibility. For example, suppose visitors find your website difficult to navigate on a smaller screen and leave immediately. This signals to the search engine that it isn’t user-friendly due to the high bounce rate, reducing your chance of getting indexed. Additionally, if mobile versions of your pages differ significantly from desktop, Google’s mobile-first indexing may prioritize the less optimized version, affecting visibility in search results.

7. Website loads slowly

Slow loading speeds can be a hurdle to getting pages indexed. Factors such as large images, unoptimized code, or complex plugins significantly slow down your site. When Google crawls your site and waits too long, it may not index its content due to time constraints.

Moreover, a sluggish website also negatively impacts user experience, leading to higher bounce rates and causing search engines to reduce the number of indexable pages. So, if you’re asking, “Why are my pages not indexed by Google?” optimizing site speed could be the key to resolving the issue.

8. Google rules were violated

The search engine enforces specific guidelines for fair, high-quality search result rankings. If your site happens to breach one of these rules, it may face the risk of being excluded from indexing. In particular, Google considers practices like keyword stuffing to be an unethical way to manipulate rankings. It may flag pages with repeated content as spam.

Buying and selling links to inflate a website’s backlink profile also leads to severe penalties, such as being removed from Google’s index. Another more serious example is hosting malware or pirated content. As a result, your site might be blocked to protect users from harmful activities. In short, to maintain visibility and keep your pages indexed, it’s essential to adhere to Google’s guidelines and follow ethical SEO rules.

9. Your site is new or recently updated

If your website has just launched, it may take time for search engines to find and index its pages. The timeframe can vary from a few hours to several weeks, depending on factors like domain authority and content quality. In the meantime, consistently adding and refining content can help establish your site as a valuable resource, increasing its chances of being crawled and indexed sooner.

To accelerate the process, manually submit both your URL and sitemap through Google Search Console, signaling to search engines that your site is ready for indexing. If the website has recently been redesigned or restructured, requesting a recrawl ensures that Google processes the latest changes and updates its index accordingly.

How to fix indexing problems

Having a page not indexed by Google can be frustrating, but the good news is that there are clear solutions. In this section, we’ll walk through practical fixes for common indexing problems to help search engines effectively discover, process, and rank your site. Let’s get started!

Fix HTTP errors and redirect loops

An HTTP status code 200 OK generally indicates the server successfully delivered the requested page, but remember that other factors (like restrictive robots.txt) can still block Google from indexing. In contrast, status codes such as 404 or 500 say “page not found” or “internal server error.” In this case, these HTTP errors will hinder indexing because Googlebot would assume the page is unavailable or unfunctional. You’ll need to check the server logs and implement fixes on problematic pages.

Conversely, crawlers may abandon the site if there are too many redirect loops. To avoid confusing the search engine, try to simplify your redirects by keeping them to two steps in a chain. Also, check the redirect URLs so that your audience reaches the right destination. More importantly, all pages in the redirect chain must load correctly.

While you may fix some technical issues by yourself, it’s best to employ professional technical SEO services for optimal effects. Our expertise ranges from technical audits to server log analysis, ensuring that website performance and usability are in line with indexing requirements.

Check for “noindex” tags

Noindex tags instruct Google not to include a certain page in its index, effectively keeping it hidden from public viewing. Forgetting to remove these tags can potentially cause your valuable content not to get indexed by search engines at all. To determine whether the noindex tags are working, simply check the source code of your web pages. The following is what the tag should look like:

<meta name="robots" content="noindex">

If this tag is present on a page you want indexed, remove it and save your changes. Next, go to Google Search Console and request a URL Inspection to prompt the search engine to recrawl the page.

Build the right robots.txt file

A robots.txt file makes recommendations to engine bots on which pages they are allowed or disallowed to crawl. Located in a website’s root directory, it sets rules on whether bots can visit certain pages or sections. For detailed instructions on creating one, refer to our complete guide on building the perfect robots.txt file for SEO.

In brief, a step-by-step instruction to build a robots.txt file looks like this:

• Use a text editor (e.g., Notepad) to create a new file
• Set the rules and assign which robot they applied for using the User-agent directive
• Use Disallow to block specific pages or sections and Allow to permit access to important content
• Upload the robots.txt file to the website’s root directory (e.g., yourwebsite.com/robots.txt)
• Test if it’s available and running correctly

You can use tools like Robots Testing in Google Search Console to verify and optimize the current file. Ensure that it permits Googlebot to access essential content while keeping non-public sections hidden. Remember to check the file regularly and adjust it according to your strategy.

Submit or update Sitemap.xml

To support indexing, create and update a Sitemap.xml file — a straightforward but super useful technique to help Google find your website’s pages. Usually, it lists all the website pages that search bots need to know about. Essentially, it’s a document that guides the search engines in crawling the site’s main content. This step facilitates scanning by indicating which pages are important and should be prioritized, and it helps you optimize the crawl budget as well.

You can generate or modify a sitemap in two ways:

• Manually create it in a text file by writing out the URLs and following proper XML syntax.
• Use a dedicated tool, such as an XML Sitemap Generator, to quickly produce or edit the Sitemap.xml.

Once you’ve created or updated the file, upload it to your server and confirm it’s accessible by appending “/sitemap.xml” to your domain. Next, visit Google Search Console to submit the file so that the search engine is aware of all the changes made. For more details, check out our resourceful article XML sitemap: how to create one.

Configure canonical tags сorrectly

When you have multiple URL addresses for identical or very similar content, canonical tags are HTML elements that tell search engines which is the preferred version. You can guide Google to the primary version of the page to be indexed by using this tag in the link attribute:

<link rel="canonical" href="https://yoursite.com/"/>

Configuring canonical tags appropriately ensures the bots focus on the most relevant version. It prevents the chance that Google will choose an unfavorable one or see all these versions as duplicates.

Canonical tags direct Google to the main version of a web page when there are similar ones. They help the most relevant version get indexed by indicating the preferred URL, ultimately boosting SEO efficiency and site’s visibility.

In essence, managing canonical tags can streamline indexing, enhance SEO practices, and impact your online presence in the long run. Additionally, you can find other canonical options besides the link attribute, which we mention in What is a canonical – when and how to use it?

Make your site mobile-friendly

As we’ve already mentioned earlier, Google prioritizes mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily evaluates a site’s mobile version to determine search rankings. Consider adopting a responsive design that can seamlessly adjust to multiple screen sizes, improving usability for those who access your website via mobile devices. To make browsing on a small screen smooth, simplify the site’s navigation and design for touch interactions. An intuitive mobile version will be a game-changer for your indexing efforts.

To evaluate mobile design, you can use tools like Lighthouse and Google Search Console. Simply enter the site’s URL and receive a detailed audit for performance, accessibility, SEO, and so on. Meanwhile, don’t underestimate the power of hiring professionals if web design isn’t your thing. By hiring our responsive web design services, you’ll receive unparalleled user-first designs that not only look stunning but also perform incredibly across devices.

Guarantee your website loads quickly

Making sure your website loads quickly is critical in increasing the chance of Google indexing it more efficiently. Start by optimizing large images — compress them to reduce file size without compromising quality. Complex scripts take longer to execute, so minifying them further boosts loading time. That’s why you should also eliminate unnecessary code in your CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files.

Moreover, utilize a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to store copies of your website on distributed servers globally. This step grants rapid access to users regardless of their location. To identify areas for improvement, PageSpeed Insights provides intuitive reports on performance scores, opportunities, and diagnostics.

Check for content rendering issues

Content rendering issues occur when Googlebot cannot properly load or interpret your site’s content. This often happens because of heavy reliance on client-side JavaScript, dynamic content, or improper loading sequences. If crucial elements are only rendered after scripts run (and Googlebot cannot effectively execute those scripts), some or all of your page’s content may remain invisible to the crawler, hindering indexing.

To sidestep rendering issues for enhanced indexing, you can:

• Optimize JavaScript so that important content loads promptly and remains accessible to search engines (for instance, by employing server-side or dynamic rendering).
• Employ lazy loading to make visible content rendered first. For example, you could use the Intersection Observer API to load images only when they’re about to come into view:

// Example: Lazy loading images using the Intersection Observer API
const lazyImages = document.querySelectorAll('img[data-src]');

const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, obs) => {
  entries.forEach(entry => {
    if (entry.isIntersecting) {
      const img = entry.target;
      // Swap the data-src with the real src attribute
      img.src = img.dataset.src;
      // Unobserve once the image is loaded
      obs.unobserve(img);
    }
  });
});

lazyImages.forEach(img => observer.observe(img));

• Monitor rendering reports in Google Search Console and fix any detected errors as soon as possible to ensure Googlebot can fully understand your pages.

Address Google penalties

As we noted up top in this article, if your website, unfortunately, stumbles upon one of Google’s quality guidelines, it may be penalized for violation. They can be algorithmic, enforced by updates, or manually carried out by the webspam team. The consequence is that your site might be ranked lower or even removed from the search engine’s index.

To overcome penalties and improve indexability, you first need to determine which policies your website has compromised. Check Google Search Console to see if your website has been manually penalized. Spam policies for Google web search provide a list of common spam practices, which you can refer to for more detailed descriptions. Once the issues are identified, remove or correct problematic pages to ensure your website complies with Google’s guidelines.

Wait, as a new site requires time

A new website may have to wait longer for Google to index it. As mentioned, the reason for this is search engines need time to discover and evaluate new sites. Indeed, indexing speed is influenced by domain age, backlink profile, and content quality. However, you can follow our recommendations in 7 SEO tips to boost your new website’s rankings to gain a foothold in the competition. In brief, the following actions will help you expedite the indexing process:

• Conduct keyword research
• Study your SEO competitors
• Brainstorm the site’s structure
• Create the main content early and build a content calendar
• Manage the technical aspect
• Set up Google Analytics and Google Search Console

Taking early action will eventually decrease the waiting period for the website to be indexed. Above all, don’t lose patience! With the right approach, your site will get indexed soon.

When to call in a Pro

In conclusion, we’ve explored indexing, common reasons why a website is not indexed by Google, and how to fix issues for indexability. While this article helps you gain some basics on enhancing website performance, professional assistance is invaluable when things get complicated.

Our team offers SEO services to help diagnose complex indexing issues and devise effective solutions tailored to your needs. We’re experts in developing SEO strategies, optimizing sites, and improving backlinks to ensure the visibility your website deserves. Working with the professionals gives you peace of mind, knowing that your website is always in good hands when it comes to SEO practices.

For a thorough evaluation of SEO performance, reach out to our SEO audit services. We’ll analyze technical issues, content concerns, and backlink problems in depth to offer actionable insights for optimization. Our customized approach helps you tackle all potential obstacles to indexing, allowing your website a smooth journey of search ranking performance. Take control of your website’s indexing today — because if Google can’t find you, your audience won’t either!