Why Your Pages Aren’t Getting Indexed on Google By Google

If you’ve ever noticed that some of your web pages aren’t showing up in Google search results, you’re not alone. Google’s Martin Splitt recently shed some light on this common issue, helping website owners and SEO professionals understand why certain pages might not make it into the search index.

What’s the issue?

In Google Search Console, you might see a status that says, “Discovered—currently not indexed.” This can be a puzzling situation, but Splitt’s explanation in the “SEO Made Easy” video series provides some much-needed clarity.

Understanding Google’s Indexing Process

Splitt explains that Google doesn’t index every single page on a website, and that’s actually quite normal. Here’s a quick rundown of how the indexing process works:

1. Discovery: Googlebot finds your URL through sitemaps or links.
2. Queuing: Your URL gets in line for crawling.
3. Crawling: Googlebot retrieves your page and checks it out.
4. Indexing: Your page either gets indexed or is marked as “Crawled—currently not indexed.”

Why Isn’t Your Page Indexed?

According to Splitt, there are three common reasons why your page might stay in the “Discovered—currently not indexed” status:

1. Crawl Priority: Googlebot might be busy with other URLs, so new pages have to wait their turn.
2. Technical Challenges: Issues like slow server response or errors can cause Googlebot to slow down, affecting how quickly it crawls your site.
3. Content Value: The most common reason is low-quality content. If Google notices that your page doesn’t add much value, it might choose not to index it.

What Can You Do About It?

If your pages are stuck in this status, Splitt offers a few helpful tips:

• Be Patient: Sometimes, it just takes a bit of time for Google to crawl your page.
• Check Server Performance: Use the Crawl Stats report in Search Console to see if your server is responding well.
• Work with Your Host: If there are server issues, talk to your hosting provider to get them fixed.
• Improve Content Quality: Make sure your pages have valuable, high-quality content.
• Enhance Internal Linking: Connect new pages with existing content on your site to help Googlebot find and understand them better.

Why It Matters

This “Discovered—currently not indexed” status is important because it means your pages aren’t appearing in search results, which can hurt your visibility and traffic. Addressing this issue can help you prioritize your SEO efforts and identify any larger problems with your site.

How You Can Fix It

To fix ‘Discovered—not indexed’ issues:

• Audit Your Content: Improve any thin or low-quality pages.
• Optimize Server Performance: Ensure that your server can handle Googlebot’s requests.
• Focus on important pages: Prioritize getting your high-value content indexed.
• Boost Internal Linking: Make it easier for Googlebot to navigate your site.
• Monitor GSC Regularly: Keep an eye on any indexing issues that come up.

By following these steps, you can increase the chances of your pages getting indexed, improving your site’s visibility on Google.