If you’re managing a website, you’ve probably encountered the terms “Crawled Pages-Not Indexed” and “Discovered Pages-Not Indexed” in Google Search Console. These can feel like obstacles to getting your pages found on Google. But don’t worry—this blog will walk you through what they mean, why they happen, and what you can do to get more of your pages indexed and visible in Google search results.
What Are “Crawled Pages-Not Indexed”?
Let’s start with “Crawled Pages-Not Indexed.” When Google crawls a page, it means its bots (called Googlebots) have visited the page and analyzed its content. But just because a page is crawled doesn’t guarantee it will be indexed.
Google chooses not to index some pages for several reasons:
- Low-quality content: Pages with little value or minimal content (usually under 300-400 words) often don’t make the cut.
- Duplicate content: If you have multiple pages with similar or identical content, Google might only index one, ignoring the rest.
- Crawl budget issues: Large websites often have limited crawl budgets, meaning Google may not index all pages it crawls.
Simply put, if Googlebot crawls a page and decides it doesn’t add much value, it won’t index it.
Why This Happens:
Google is selective because it wants to show the most relevant, valuable content to searchers. If your page doesn’t meet its standards, it stays in the “crawled, not indexed” category.
Quick Tip:
Don’t panic if a page isn’t indexed. It doesn’t mean you’re penalized. Instead, it’s an opportunity to improve the page!
What Are “Discovered Pages-Not Indexed”?
Now, let’s talk about “Discovered Pages-Not Indexed.” These are pages that Google knows about (through sitemaps or links from other pages), but it hasn’t crawled them yet. Think of them as being on Google’s waiting list.
There are a few reasons this happens:
- New pages: Google hasn’t gotten around to crawling them yet.
- Too many pages: Large sites might overwhelm Google’s crawl budget, meaning some pages sit in the “discovered” phase for a while.
- Low-priority pages: Pages without backlinks or a strong internal link structure are seen as less important by Google, and it may delay crawling them.
Google’s resources are finite, so it prioritizes pages based on authority, link structure, and user engagement.
Quick Tip:
If you notice important pages in this category, work on boosting their priority by adding more internal links and sharing them on social media.
Key Differences Between “Crawled Pages-Not Indexed” and “Discovered Pages-Not Indexed”
Let’s break down the differences to clarify:
Common Reasons for These Issues
For Crawled Pages-Not Indexed:
- Low-quality content: Pages with little content or no clear value to users often get excluded.
- Duplicate content: Google avoids showing redundant content in search results.
- Crawl budget: If your website has thousands of pages, Google might not index all of them at once, prioritizing based on authority.
- txt or noindex tag: Sometimes, your website settings may block certain pages from being indexed.
For Discovered Pages-Not Indexed:
- New pages: Pages recently created may take some time for Google to crawl.
- Too many pages: Large websites might face crawl budget issues.
- Low-priority pages: Pages with poor internal linking or few external backlinks may not get crawled quickly.
How to Fix “Crawled Pages-Not Indexed”
If you want more of your pages indexed, here are some actionable steps:
Improve content quality:
Make sure each page provides real value to users.
Add useful information, images, videos, and answer user questions in your content.
Check for duplication:
Ensure each page has unique content. If you have multiple similar pages, consider merging them or using canonical tags to indicate the primary version.
Fix technical SEO issues:
Check your robots.txt file and make sure you’re not unintentionally blocking pages from being indexed.
Use the correct canonical tags to prevent Google from seeing duplicate content.
Optimize for crawl budget:
- Prioritize important pages by improving internal linking.
- Make sure high-priority pages are easy to find for both users and Google.
- How to Fix “Discovered Pages-Not Indexed”
If your pages are discovered but not crawled, here’s how to boost their chances:
Submit to Google Search Console:
You can manually request Google to crawl a page through the URL inspection tool.
Increase crawl demand:
- Build backlinks to these pages, especially from authoritative sites.
- Improve internal linking so that Google knows these pages are important. Link them from your homepage or other high-traffic pages.
Fix crawl budget issues:
Make sure your site’s structure is optimized for crawling. This can be done by having a clear hierarchy, using sitemaps, and avoiding orphan pages (pages with no internal links).
Tools for Monitoring and Fixing Indexing Issues
Google Search Console:
This is your go-to tool for monitoring which pages are indexed and finding reasons for non-indexed pages. The “Index Coverage” report will highlight issues like 404 errors or blocked pages.
Screaming Frog:
Screaming Frog allows you to crawl your website and compare its findings with Google Search Console data. It helps spot missing pages, broken links, and other technical issues.
SEMrush and Ahrefs:
These SEO tools provide insights into backlinks, crawl errors, and help track the health of your site’s indexing.
Final Thoughts
Getting your pages indexed by Google is key to driving traffic to your website. But sometimes, you’ll run into roadblocks like “Crawled Pages-Not Indexed” or “Discovered Pages-Not Indexed.” Understanding the reasons behind these issues and implementing the right fixes can improve your chances of getting indexed.
Keep optimizing your content, check for technical SEO issues, and use the right tools to monitor and improve your site’s performance. Regular attention to these areas will help your website gain more visibility and perform better in search results.
Ready to fix those indexing issues? Start improving your content and see the difference in your SEO performance!
y5ievx
qw1fs2