Introduction
If you’ve stumbled upon the dreaded “Discovered – Currently not Indexed” or “Crawled – Currently not Indexed” status in Google Search Console, you’re not alone. These are common indexing problems that prevent your pages from appearing in Google’s search results. Resolving them is crucial to ensuring your website’s visibility and success in the competitive online space.
Let’s break down what these statuses mean and, more importantly, how to fix them step by step.
Understanding the Indexing Process
What is Google Indexing?
Google Indexing is the process of adding your web pages to Google’s search database. When Google crawls your website, it evaluates the content and decides if the page should appear in search results.
Steps in Google’s Crawling and Indexing Process
- Discovery: Google finds your page through sitemaps or links.
- Crawling: Googlebot visits the page to assess its content.
- Indexing: Google evaluates and stores the page in its search index.
Common Indexing Status Messages
Key Google Search Console Messages
- Discovered – Currently not Indexed: Google found the page but hasn’t crawled it yet.
- Crawled – Currently not Indexed: Google crawled the page but chose not to index it.
Difference Between “Discovered” and “Crawled”
While “Discovered” means Google knows the page exists, “Crawled” indicates Google has evaluated the content but hasn’t added it to the index.
What Does “Discovered – Currently not Indexed” Mean?
This status means that Googlebot has identified your URL but hasn’t yet crawled it. Possible reasons include:
- Low crawl budget: Google prioritizes other pages over yours.
- Server overload: Google avoids crawling if your server is slow.
- Poor internal linking: Your page is hard to reach.
What Does “Crawled – Currently not Indexed” Mean?
This status indicates Google has crawled your page but decided it doesn’t meet its indexing criteria. Potential reasons include:
- Thin content: The page lacks valuable information.
- Duplicate content: It mirrors another page.
- Technical issues: Errors like broken links or slow loading times.
Key Differences Between These Two Issues
- Timing: “Discovered” happens before crawling; “Crawled” happens after crawling.
- Causes: “Discovered” is often a crawl budget issue, while “Crawled” is more content-related.
How to Fix “Discovered – Currently not Indexed”
- Optimize Your Crawl Budget:
- Ensure only essential pages are crawlable by using robots.txt.
- Remove unnecessary redirects and noindex tags.
- Improve Internal Linking:
- Link new pages from high-traffic pages.
- Use descriptive anchor texts.
- Submit a Sitemap:
- Use Google Search Console to submit an up-to-date sitemap.
How to Fix “Crawled – Currently not Indexed”
- Enhance Content Quality:
- Add in-depth, original content.
- Include keywords naturally.
- Resolve Duplicate Content Issues:
- Use canonical tags for duplicate pages.
- Merge or remove redundant pages.
- Fix Technical Errors:
- Resolve server issues and improve page speed.
Technical Steps to Resolve Indexing Issues
- Check Robots.txt and Meta Tags:
- Ensure pages aren’t accidentally blocked.
- Inspect URLs:
- Use the URL Inspection Tool in Google Search Console to identify problems.
- Request Indexing:
- Submit the page for indexing through Search Console.
Optimizing Crawl Budget
Google allocates a limited number of crawls for your site. To make the most of it:
- Eliminate low-priority pages from the crawl.
- Fix server errors to avoid wasted crawls.
Content Quality and Its Impact on Indexing
Google values high-quality content. To improve your chances:
- Write engaging, well-researched content.
- Use multimedia like images and videos to enrich user experience.
The Role of Backlinks in Indexing
Backlinks act as endorsements for your site. To leverage them:
- Focus on earning links from reputable sources.
- Avoid spammy backlinks that might harm your site.
Proactive Monitoring and Maintenance
Stay ahead of indexing issues by:
- Regularly reviewing Google Search Console reports.
- Monitoring your site’s performance using analytics tools.
How to find the ‘Discovered – currently not indexed’ tag on Google Search Console
- Log in to Google Search Console.
- In the left navigation panel, under Indexing, click on Pages.
- Scroll down under Why pages aren’t indexed.
- Click on Discovered – currently not indexed.
Conclusion
Addressing “Discovered – Currently not Indexed” and “Crawled – Currently not Indexed” statuses can significantly improve your website’s visibility. By optimizing crawl budget, enhancing content quality, and fixing technical issues, you can ensure your pages get indexed promptly. Regular SEO audits and proactive monitoring are key to maintaining a healthy website.
