When Google won't index you. How to change the rules. Here we look at how to check your results and make changes to make a difference
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
How do you know if you are indexed?
This is a question that I ignored for far too long. It was suggested to me to check out my site with Google Search Console to see what was happening.
This gives you an idea of traffic, clicks, and site position over a selected period of time.
This is information that we need to know and understand if we want to improve our performance.
If you scroll down the list until you come to PAGES, you will look at it.
This tells you if you are being indexed and the reasons why not. You can toggle the results to see more.
The next is sight maps.
Here you can see whether your site is the problem or Google itself.
Site problems can be attended but Google issues are different.
What tools can be used to help
First of all, Google reads Text a lot better than Graphics. So if the information is important cover it in the text to make sure.
Indeed, mobile coverage is essential, and using the MOBILE tool will tell you if your page opens well on a small screen.
Here large images, small print, and links too close together are the common issues.
Slow page speed is an issue.
This may be the result of your carrier and if it is the only fix is to move to a faster site.
Large images at the top of the page will slow the sight down so moving them down the page can help.
Some plugins take time to open at the start and these can cause a bit of havoc.
Images that take you to affiliate-type actions must be marked as No Follow at the post level. Google only wants to go to a sight that helps support your work with further information.
Finally using Plagerised words or copied material will get you a slap on the wrist. We all know you should never do this. This can include rewriting material or just changing it around.
Requesting a URL inspection
This is done on the page under URL inspection. This is a manual operation and takes a minute or two to put you in the queue.
Hard work and tiring when you have a lot of pages.
I am using a new WordPress Plugin by IM Labs that tells you when Google or Bing has searched your site. Even this has its problems because you need to update the page to tell the engines you have made changes. Takes time but it works.
When Google won't index you. How to change the rules
Google is changing the rules
As I write this in late August 2022 Google is doing a complete update to how users interact with your site. A lot of this is around content intent and just what the reader wants not what you tell them.
Content is becoming critical and changing your style with Keywords and headings may well be necessary.
Bing is important as well
Bing has retained its focus on exact match keywords which is very different from the Google content intent constructed with artificial Intelligence.
They will give you sites not indexed and it is then a simple job of clicking them to get indexed. You can do up to one hundred a day.
Bing Webmaster tools are the equivalent of Google. You may even find your traffic on Bing is higher than on Google thus a critical issue that needs attention
Bing comes to the rescue
This is new and just seen this day. The developers at Bing have provided a plugin that will advise Google and Bing when your blogs are listed. This should result in more love from the carriers by indexing you sooner.
It would seem this has been a problem for a while or Bing would not go to this extreme.
Does it work? I don't know yet as I only installed it today but I will report later.
This is an overview and you will need more
Being indexed is a challenging and ongoing problem with the carriers. Certainly more in-depth training is available at Google that can be read and digested.
For many, this will be a testing issue but for others a simple annoyance and one that must be controlled.
Conclusion
I have said many times before, “blogging was not meant to be easy” and it takes a degree of dedication to come out at the top.
Site indexing and mobile compliance are just two of the challenges that you need to meet.
It's not impossible it just takes dedication to the ever-changing rules.
When Google won't index you. How to change the rules by Peter Hanley
Learning to write blogs
