If a page is not being indexed, Google either does not yet know about it, has not yet fetched it, or has deliberately left it out. The cause is shown in the "Pages" report in Search Console. In most cases, a fixed order helps: check for technical blocks, add the page to the sitemap, set internal links from strong pages, strengthen the content, then request indexing and wait. Ping services and the Indexing API make no difference for normal pages.
The post has been online for three weeks, but it does not appear on Google, not even if you type the title word for word. Before changing anything in the text, it is worth checking Search Console, as it shows what Google has done with the page. The answer determines which action actually makes sense.
The statuses from Search Console
In the "Pages" report, Google sorts all known addresses by reason. The most important entries:
| Status | What it means | Urgency |
|---|---|---|
| Discovered, currently not indexed | Google knows the address but has not yet fetched it | Low for new pages, medium after three weeks |
| Crawled, currently not indexed | Google has read the page and not included it | High: usually a content issue |
| Excluded by noindex tag | The page itself states that it should not be indexed | High, if unintentional |
| Blocked by robots.txt | Google is not allowed to fetch the page | High, if unintentional |
| Duplicate, Google selected a different canonical page | Google considers a different address to be the original | Medium |
| Page with redirect | The address redirects, the target is indexed instead | None, if intended |
| Not found (404) | The page no longer exists | Medium, if links point to it |
You can check the address of a single page using the URL inspection tool at the top of Search Console. It shows the status, the selected canonical address and the date of the last fetch. If you don't use Search Console yet, you'll find the setup guide here.
The five most common causes
- Too new: Google simply hasn't been there yet. On websites that rarely publish new content, the crawler visits less often.
- Orphaned: No other page links to the post. Google only knows about it from the sitemap and considers it unimportant.
- Thin or duplicate: The content is short, generic, or largely overlaps with another page, either your own or someone else's. This is the main reason for "Crawled, currently not indexed".
- noindex set: A plugin, a theme or a development environment has set the page to noindex. This happens more often than you'd think, especially after a relaunch.
- Wrong canonical: The page points to a different address via a canonical tag, often the homepage, because the theme defaults to it. Google follows this instruction and leaves the page out.
The order of actions
Work through the list from top to bottom and don't skip to point 6 before points 1 to 5 are done.
- Open the URL inspection tool and read the status. It tells you whether it's a technical or a content issue.
- Remove technical blocks: look for noindex in the source code, check robots.txt, and check the canonical tag. Without this step, nothing else will have any effect.
- Check the sitemap: is the address listed, and has the sitemap been submitted to Search Console without errors? Details under XML sitemap.
- Add internal links: at least two links from pages that are themselves well indexed, ideally from the matching service page and an older post. This is the single most effective measure against "Discovered, currently not indexed". You'll find how to set this up under internal linking.
- Strengthen the content: for "Crawled, currently not indexed", expand the page with your own answer, your own examples and an FAQ section, or merge it with a similar page and redirect the old address.
- Request indexing: click "Request indexing" in the URL inspection tool, once.
- Wait: two to three weeks. Only then check the status again.
What doesn't help
- The Indexing API: according to the documentation, Google limits it to pages with job listings (JobPosting) and livestreams (BroadcastEvent). It's not intended for blog posts or service pages; tools that promise "instant indexing" with it breach the terms of use.
- Ping services and sitemap pings: Google switched off the ping endpoint for sitemaps in 2023. Services that report your address to "hundreds of search engines" don't achieve anything with this.
- Daily resubmission in the URL inspection tool: doesn't change the order and just uses up your quota.
- Changing the date without changing the content: Google notices that nothing has changed and will trust the lastmod value less in future.
- Bought links from other websites: risky and unnecessary for indexing if your own links are in order.
What to do with this
For every new page, the rule is: sitemap, two internal links, wait a week, then URL inspection. If the page still doesn't appear, the status tells you where the problem lies, and the order above will guide you through it. If the post is indexed but nobody finds it, that's a different topic: Why isn't my blog post showing up on Google?
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for Google to index a new page?
Google doesn't state a deadline and doesn't guarantee indexing. In practice, it takes hours to a few days for established websites with regular posts, and weeks for new or rarely updated websites. The more often Google finds something new on your website, the more often it comes back.
Does it help to request indexing several times?
No. One request via the URL inspection tool is enough, submitting it multiple times doesn't change the order and the quota is limited per day. If the page is still missing after two to three weeks, the cause lies with the content or the links, not with the request.
My page is indexed but isn't being found. What now?
That's a different problem: the page is in the index but isn't ranking for the terms you want. In that case, it's about search intent, competition and content depth rather than indexing. Check the performance report to see which terms the page is actually getting impressions for.
Should I delete old posts that aren't indexed?
Only if they truly no longer contribute anything. It's usually better to merge two thin posts on the same topic into one good one and redirect the old address with a 301. Deleting without a redirect creates 404 errors and wastes incoming links.