Google Search Console provides a detailed page indexing report that displays various statuses for your web pages. These statuses can often be misinterpreted as errors, but they typically don’t require immediate action. Understanding these statuses can help you manage your website’s indexing more effectively. Here’s a guide to what each status means and what, if anything, you need to do.
Where to Find the Page Indexing Report
- Log into Google Search Console: Google Search Console.
- Navigate to Indexing > Pages: Here, you’ll find details on how many pages are indexed and reasons why some may not be indexed.
Google Search Console Page Indexing Report Statuses
- Discovered – Currently Not Indexed
- Meaning: Google knows about the page but hasn’t crawled it yet.
- Action: No action required; just wait for Google to crawl and index the page.
- Crawled – Currently Not Indexed
- Meaning: Google has crawled the page but hasn’t indexed it yet.
- Action: No action required; wait for Google to complete the indexing process.
- Alternate Page with Proper Canonical Tag
- Meaning: Google views this page as an alternate version of another page due to URL parameters (e.g., UTM tags).
- Action: No action needed; Google handles these pages appropriately.
- Page with Redirect
- Meaning: The page is a redirect to another URL.
- Action: No action required; this status is informational. Ensure the destination page is indexed if it’s a significant part of your site.
- URL Marked ‘Noindex’
- Meaning: The page is explicitly instructed not to be indexed.
- Action: If this status appears for content you want indexed, adjust your site settings or meta tags. For common pages like archives or admin pages, no action is needed.
- Not Found (404)
- Meaning: The page cannot be found, either because it was deleted or the URL is incorrect.
- Action:
- Redirect the URL to a relevant page if appropriate.
- Fix broken links or update links to point to valid pages.
- For spammy links or non-existent pages, wait for Googlebot to stop crawling them.
- URL Blocked by Robots.txt
- Meaning: The robots.txt file prevents Googlebot from accessing the page.
- Action: Use the ‘noindex’ directive for pages you don’t want indexed, or adjust your robots.txt file settings as needed.
- Soft 404
- Meaning: The page returns a 404-like response but may not be properly handled (e.g., a category with no posts).
- Action: Remove old or empty categories/tags to avoid this issue.
- Redirect Error
- Meaning: There are issues with redirects, such as redirect chains, loops, or excessive URL lengths.
- Action: Investigate and resolve the redirect issues. Contact support if needed for complex problems.
- Blocked Due to Access Forbidden (403)
- Meaning: Googlebot is blocked from accessing the page, possibly due to security settings or country blocks.
- Action: Review the blocked URL and adjust security settings or country blocks if necessary.
- URL Blocked Due to Other 4xx Issue
- Meaning: The URL returns a 4xx error, but specifics may vary.
- Action: Contact support with details for further assistance.
- Duplicate Without User-Selected Canonical
- Meaning: Google sees the page as a duplicate of another page without a user-specified canonical URL.
- Action: Set a canonical URL if you have multiple pages with similar content to indicate the preferred version.
Final Notes
Most statuses are informational and don’t require immediate action. Use Google Search Console’s indexing report to monitor your site’s health and address issues as needed. If you encounter problems or have specific questions, don’t hesitate to seek support from your hosting provider or Google’s resources.
