Why Google Isn’t Indexing Your Pages: Causes and Solutions

In this comprehensive guide, we'll dive into the common reasons why pages might not be indexed and offer practical troubleshooting steps to resolve these issues. Whether you're dealing with duplicate content, blocked URLs, or mysterious server errors, our insights will help you navigate the complexities of search engine optimization and improve your site's visibility.

First, let’s review the list of reasons that Google says why your web pages aren’t indexed:

1. Redirect error
   • A redirect chain that was too long
   • A redirect loop
   • A redirect URL that eventually exceeded the max URL length
   • A bad or empty URL in the redirect chain
2. URL blocked by robots.txt
3. URL marked ‘noindex’
4. Soft 404
5. Blocked due to unauthorized request (401)
6. Not found (404)
7. Blocked due to access forbidden (403)
8. URL blocked due to other 4xx issue
9. Blocked by page removal tool
10. Crawled - currently not indexed
11. Discovered - currently not indexed
12. Alternate page with proper canonical tag
13. Duplicate without user-selected canonical
14. Duplicate, Google chose different canonical than user
15. Page with redirect
16. Server error (5xx)

Before we start learning about what the indexing reasons are, and how to fix these indexing issues. We must to understand Google’s indexing process.

What Does It Mean to Be Indexed by Google?

Understanding Google's Indexing Process

Being indexed by Google signifies that your website's pages are included in Google's vast database, accessible through its search engine. This process involves Googlebot, Google's web crawling bot, discovering your site, crawling its content, and then storing it in Google's index. When a page is indexed, it becomes eligible to appear in search results, making it possible for users to find your content when they search for relevant keywords or phrases.

The Importance of Being Indexed

Indexing is the cornerstone of search engine optimization (SEO). Without indexing, your site cannot be found by your target audience, no matter how relevant or high-quality your content might be. Being indexed increases your website's visibility, drives organic traffic, and contributes to your site's ranking potential. It's the first step in competing for visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs), where higher visibility can lead to increased engagement, conversions, and ultimately, success in achieving your online objectives.

Great. Let’s start going down the list.

Server error (5xx)

What does Server error (5xx) mean?

A Server error (5xx) indicates that the server failed to fulfill a valid request, returning a 500-level error code. This usually signifies an internal server issue.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• Check your server logs to identify the specific error causing the issue.
• Verify server resources and configurations to ensure they're not overloaded or incorrectly set up.
• Consult with your hosting provider or a server administrator if the problem persists.

2. Redirect error

What does Redirect error mean?

Redirect errors occur when there's an issue in the way pages are redirected. This can include overly long redirect chains, loops, or invalid URLs within the redirect path.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• Use tools like Lighthouse to analyze redirect paths and identify the specific error.
• Simplify redirect chains to avoid exceeding the maximum URL length.
• Ensure all URLs in the redirect chain are valid and accessible.

3. URL blocked by robots.txt

What does URL blocked by robots.txt mean?

This means the page is blocked from being indexed by a directive in your site's robots.txt file.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• Use the robots.txt tester to check for and modify any directives blocking the page.
• If you want the page indexed, remove the block in robots.txt and consider adding a 'noindex' directive if necessary.

4. URL marked ‘noindex’

What does URL marked ‘noindex’ mean?

A 'noindex' directive has been found when Google tried to index the page, instructing search engines not to index it.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• Remove the 'noindex' tag from the page's HTML or HTTP headers if you want it to be indexed.
• Use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to verify that the noindex directive has been removed before requesting reindexing.

5. Soft 404

What does Soft 404 mean?

A soft 404 occurs when a page displays a "not found" message to users without returning a 404 HTTP response code.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• Ensure that pages meant to be "not found" return a 404 HTTP status code.
• Add more content to the page to differentiate it from a soft 404, or adjust your website's configuration to return the correct status code.

6. Blocked due to unauthorized request (401)

What does Blocked due to unauthorized request (401) mean?

This indicates that a page requires authentication (returns a 401 status code) and is thus blocked from being crawled by Googlebot.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• If the page should be indexed, remove authentication requirements for Googlebot or configure your server to allow Googlebot to crawl these pages without authentication.

7. Not found (404)

What does Not found (404) mean?

This means the page could not be found (returns a 404 status code) when requested by Googlebot.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• If the page was removed intentionally, no action is needed. If the page has moved, implement a 301 redirect to the new location.

8. Blocked due to access forbidden (403)

What does Blocked due to access forbidden (403) mean?

A 403 error means access to the page is forbidden, even if credentials are provided. Googlebot does not crawl these pages.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• Ensure that Googlebot is not mistakenly being denied access. Adjust server settings to allow Googlebot or remove authentication requirements.

9. URL blocked due to other 4xx issue

What does URL blocked due to other 4xx issue mean?

This refers to pages that return a 4xx error not specifically categorized (like 404 or 403), indicating client-side errors.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• Use the URL Inspection tool to identify the specific 4xx error. Resolve the issue based on the error type, ensuring the page is accessible to Googlebot.

10. Blocked by page removal tool

What does Blocked by page removal tool mean?

The page is blocked from indexing because a removal request was submitted via the URL removals tool in Google Search Console.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• Check the URL removals tool to identify any active removal requests. If you want the page indexed again, wait for the removal request to expire or countermand it if possible.

11. Crawled - currently not indexed

What does Crawled - currently not indexed mean?

Google has crawled the page, but it has not been added to the index. This may change as Google continues to update its index.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• Ensure the page has unique, high-quality content.
• Use the URL Inspection tool to request indexing once any issues are resolved.

12. Discovered - currently not indexed

What does “Discovered - currently not indexed” mean?

Google has discovered the URL but hasn't crawled it yet, possibly to prevent server overload.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• Prioritize high-value pages for crawling by improving site structure and internal linking.
• Reduce server load times to encourage Google to crawl the page sooner.
• Monitor Google Search Console for updates on crawl status.

13. Alternate page with proper canonical tag

What does “Alternate page with proper canonical tag” mean?

This indicates the page is marked as an alternate version of another, with a proper canonical tag pointing to the preferred version for indexing.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• No action needed if the canonical tag is correctly implemented. This is the desired outcome for alternate pages.
• Review canonical tags to ensure they accurately reflect the preferred page for indexing.

14. Duplicate without user-selected canonical

What does “Duplicate without user-selected canonical” mean?

The page is a duplicate of another without a specified preferred canonical version, leading Google to choose one.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• Specify a canonical URL if you prefer a different version to be indexed.
• Differentiate content between duplicates if both need to be indexed independently.

15. Duplicate, Google chose different canonical than user

What does “Duplicate, Google chose different canonical than user” mean?

Google has indexed a different page than the one you marked as canonical, indicating it found another URL more suitable.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• Review your canonical tag settings to ensure they are correct and reflect your preferences.
• Compare the content of both pages to ensure they are sufficiently distinct if both are intended to be indexed.

16. Page with redirect

What does “Page with redirect” mean?

This refers to a non-canonical URL that redirects to another page, which means the original URL will not be indexed.

Ways to troubleshoot the issue

• Ensure that the redirect is correctly implemented, leading users and search engines to the appropriate content.
• If the redirected page is the preferred one for indexing, verify that it does not have issues that could prevent its indexing.

By addressing each of these indexing issues with the outlined troubleshooting steps, you can improve your site's visibility in search engine results and ensure that your content is accessible to your intended audience.