Indexing is when a search engine stores a page and its content for retrieval in search results. Use a clear site structure, proper meta tags, and sitemaps to maximize index coverage.
Why Indexing Matters
Indexing is a non-negotiable part of SEO. Without it, your website is invisible to search engines. It’s the moment your content moves from a private document on your server to a publicly discoverable resource. In the past, we had to manually submit sites for indexing. Today, search engines like Google are remarkably efficient at finding and indexing new content. However, technical issues like a noindex tag, a robots.txt file that blocks crawlers, or a poorly structured site can prevent your pages from being indexed. Monitoring your indexing status is a foundational part of any SEO strategy, as a lack of indexing means you have zero chance of getting organic traffic.
Across Different CMS Platforms
The way you manage indexing differs across CMS platforms.
WordPress
WordPress users have great control over indexing. The platform’s built-in “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” option is a simple but common cause of indexing issues. Plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math make it easy to manage your sitemap and “noindex” specific pages, which is useful for things like tag or archive pages.
Shopify
For Shopify, indexing is usually automatic for core pages. However, issues can arise with duplicate content from product filters. The best way to manage this is to use canonical tags to tell search engines which version of a page is the preferred one to index.
Wix
Wix has a streamlined approach to indexing. Its SEO tools make it simple to submit a sitemap and manage which pages are indexed. The platform’s intuitive design helps prevent many common indexing issues that arise from a messy site structure.
Webflow
Webflow gives you granular control over indexing. You can easily set individual pages, collections, or even entire folders to “noindex” with a simple click. This level of control is great for managing a clean and efficient index.
Custom CMS
With a custom CMS, you have the most control but also the most responsibility. You can build a system that automatically updates your sitemap when new content is published and that uses a combination of canonical tags and noindex rules to manage your index effectively.
Across Different Industries
The importance of indexing is universal, but the focus can shift depending on the industry.
E-commerce
For e-commerce sites, you must ensure that all product and category pages are indexed. Indexing is a top priority, as a product page that isn’t indexed cannot be sold.
Local Businesses
Local businesses need to ensure their homepage, service pages, and contact page are properly indexed. This is crucial for local search visibility and for appearing in searches like “plumber near me.”
SaaS Companies
SaaS companies rely on indexing for their marketing and content pages. Their product landing pages, features pages, and blog articles all need to be indexed to attract new customers.
Blogs
For blogs, every single article is a potential entry point for new visitors. A high indexation rate is a direct measure of a blog’s SEO health.
Do’s and Don’ts for Indexing
Do’s
- Do submit a sitemap to Google Search Console. This is the most effective way to tell a search engine about all the pages on your site.
- Do use internal links. Internal linking helps search engines discover new pages and adds context to existing ones.
- Do use a clear site structure. A logical hierarchy makes it easy for crawlers to find and index your content.
Don’ts
- Don’t use a noindex tag on a page you want to rank. This is a common and often devastating mistake.
- Don’t rely on robots.txt alone. While robots.txt tells crawlers what not to crawl, it doesn’t guarantee a page won’t be indexed. A noindex tag is a much stronger signal.
- Don’t have a messy, disorganized site. A lack of a clear structure can lead to indexing issues and a waste of crawl budget.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to remove the “noindex” tag from a development site. This is a frequent mistake that can prevent a new site from ever ranking.
- Having a broken robots.txt file. A single typo can block an entire site from being crawled and indexed.
- Using JavaScript-based links that are difficult to crawl. Search engines have gotten better at this, but it is still a best practice to use standard HTML links for your core navigation.
FAQs
How is indexing different from crawling?
Crawling is the process of a search engine bot visiting your page. Indexing is the process of that search engine adding the page to its catalog. A page can be crawled but not indexed.
How do I know if my page is indexed?
The best way is to use Google Search Console’s “Coverage” report. You can also do a simple site search on Google: site:yourdomain.com/your-page-url.
How long does it take for a new page to be indexed?
It can take anywhere from a few minutes to several weeks. It depends on your site’s authority and the crawl frequency. You can speed up the process by submitting your URL to the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console.
Can a page be crawled but not indexed?
Yes. This happens when a search engine finds a page but decides it is low-quality, a duplicate, or has a noindex tag.
Does a page’s quality affect its chances of being indexed?
Yes. Search engines prioritize high-quality, original content for their index. A page with thin or duplicate content may be crawled but not indexed.
