Discovering that your website’s pages are not indexed in Google Search Console can be a cause for concern. This status indicates that Google has found the pages but has not yet crawled and indexed them.
In this article, we will explore different solutions to fix the ‘Discovered – currently not indexed’ status and provide valuable insights on crawl budget optimization.
By addressing these issues, website owners can enhance their SEO performance and improve user satisfaction.
Understanding the Discovered – Currently Not Indexed Status
What does the ‘Discovered – Currently Not Indexed’ status mean in Google Search Console?
This status indicates that Google has found the page but has not yet crawled and indexed it. The last crawl date is empty because Google rescheduled the crawl to avoid overloading the site.
However, this status does not mean that the content will never be crawled and indexed. Google may return to crawl the page later without any action from the website owner.
Solutions for Discovered – Currently Not Indexed URLs
Furthermore, to address the issue of ‘Discovered – Currently Not Indexed’ URLs, there are several solutions available.
First, fix any content quality issues by ensuring each affected page contains unique and high-quality content.
Implement internal linking best practices to help Googlebot discover and understand the connections between pages.
Prevent Google from crawling and indexing low-quality pages by checking for duplicates and using canonical tags.
Create an optimized sitemap and fix any redirect errors.
Fix Content Quality Issues
To resolve the issue of ‘Discovered – Currently Not Indexed’ URLs, it is crucial to address any content quality issues promptly. Google focuses on crawling higher quality pages and may skip crawling low-quality ones.
Website owners should address the quality of the affected page or the entire site and ensure each affected page contains unique and valuable content.
Following Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines and implementing the concept of E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) can also help improve content quality.
Follow Internal Linking Best Practices
The implementation of internal linking best practices is essential for improving the crawling and indexing of webpages.
To maximize the effectiveness of internal linking, consider the following:
- Connect pages to create a logical structure, allowing Googlebot to easily navigate your website.
- Use contextual links within your content, providing additional information and enhancing user experience.
- Avoid over-optimizing anchor text and spamming your website with links, as this can negatively impact search engine rankings.
Prevent Google From Crawling and Indexing Low-Quality Pages
One effective approach to prevent Google from crawling and indexing low-quality pages is to conduct a thorough analysis of the content’s relevance and value.
This involves evaluating the quality of the page’s content, ensuring it meets Google’s standards and guidelines.
It is important to address any issues with duplicate content, create unique and valuable content for each page, and use canonical tags to indicate the primary version of the page.
Create an Optimized Sitemap
Furthermore, an optimized sitemap is an essential component in enhancing the crawlability and indexability of a website. It serves as a roadmap for search engine bots, helping them discover and understand the structure of your site.
An optimized sitemap offers several benefits, including improved navigation for users, increased visibility in search results, and better indexing of your webpages.
Fix Redirects
Fixing redirects is crucial for ensuring proper crawling and indexing of webpages in Google Search Console. Mistakes in implementing redirects can prevent Googlebot from crawling and indexing pages. To fix redirects, ensure they are correctly implemented and functioning as intended. Monitor for any redirect errors or issues and use proper HTTP status codes for redirects. Regularly test and validate redirects to ensure they are working correctly.
Optimizing Discovered – Currently Not Indexed Pages
To improve the indexing status of pages that have been reported as Discovered – currently not indexed, it is important to optimize them for better SEO performance. This can be achieved by addressing the underlying causes of the issue and implementing the following strategies:
Enhance content quality:
- Ensure high-quality and unique content on each affected page.
- Follow Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines.
- Implement E-A-T principles (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).
Optimize internal linking:
- Create a logical structure by connecting pages through internal links.
- Use contextual links within the content.
- Avoid over-optimizing anchor text and spamming with links.
Manage crawlability:
- Prevent Google from crawling and indexing low-quality pages.
- Check for duplicate content and use canonical tags.
- Create and submit an optimized sitemap.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the ‘Discovered – currently not indexed’ status in Google Search Console can be concerning for website owners, but it does not mean that the content will never be crawled and indexed. By addressing content quality issues and following internal linking best practices, website owners can improve the chances of their pages being crawled and indexed.
Preventing the crawling of low-quality pages and creating an optimized sitemap are also important steps in increasing the likelihood of content being indexed. Additionally, fixing redirect errors can help ensure that search engine bots can properly access and crawl the website.
Optimizing these pages is essential for enhancing SEO performance and user satisfaction. When content is properly indexed, it has a better chance of appearing in search engine results and driving organic traffic to the website. By implementing these strategies, website owners can improve their overall online visibility and increase their chances of success.
