Technical SEO · Indexing
You’ve spent good money on a new website. Your services are listed, your about page tells your story, and you’ve added a page for that new service you launched in spring. But when you search for it on Google… nothing.
Before you worry about rankings, keywords or backlinks, there’s a more basic question: has Google actually found and indexed your pages? If a page isn’t in Google’s index, it can’t show up in search results at all, and it can’t be used in Google’s AI Overviews either.
Here’s how to check, step by step, using free tools from Google.
How Google finds your pages (in plain English)
Google describes three stages:
- Crawling: Google discovers pages, mainly by following links from pages it already knows about
- Indexing: Google tries to understand what the page is about and stores it
- Serving: when someone searches, Google shows the pages it thinks are most relevant
Google is upfront that it doesn’t guarantee it will crawl, index or show every page, even when a page follows all its guidelines. But you can make sure nothing on your end is getting in the way.
Step 1: Do a quick “site:” search
This takes 30 seconds. Go to Google and type:
site:yourwebsite.com.au
(Swap in your own domain.) Google’s SEO Starter Guide suggests exactly this: if you see results pointing to your site, you’re in the index.
Check a specific page
To check one page, search for its full address:
site:yourwebsite.com.au/your-service-page
If it shows up, great. If an important page is missing, Google may not have indexed it yet.
Know the limits
Google points out that the site: search is designed for searchers, not site owners. It doesn’t always show every indexed page, and results aren’t in any meaningful order. Treat it as a quick health check, not a definitive count. For the full picture, you need Search Console.
Step 2: Set up Google Search Console (free)
Google Search Console is Google’s free tool that shows how Google sees your website. If you haven’t set it up yet:
- Go to Search Console and add your website
- Verify that you own it (Google offers several methods, such as adding a DNS record with your domain provider or uploading a file)
- Give it a little time to collect data
If someone else built your website, ask them whether Search Console is already set up and request access. It’s your data, and you should have it.
Step 3: Inspect your important pages
Once you’re in Search Console, use the URL Inspection tool. Paste in the address of a page you care about and you’ll see one of these results:
- URL is on Google: the page is indexed and eligible to appear in search results. Google notes this doesn’t guarantee it will appear for any particular search.
- URL is on Google, but has issues: the page is indexed, but there’s something like a structured data problem that might stop some enhancements showing.
- URL is not on Google: the page can’t currently appear in Google Search. Expand the details to see why.
The tool also shows how Google discovered the page, when it was last crawled, and which version Google treats as the main (canonical) one.
Request indexing for new or updated pages
If you’ve just published or changed a page, you can click Request indexing. Google says crawling can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, and requesting it more than once won’t speed things up. Google also applies a quota to these requests, so save them for pages that matter.
Step 4: Check the Page indexing report
The Page indexing report shows how many of your pages are indexed and lists reasons why others aren’t. Some reasons you might see:
- Excluded by ‘noindex’ tag: the page is telling Google not to index it
- Blocked by robots.txt: Google has been told not to crawl it
- Not found (404): the page doesn’t exist at that address
- Crawled, currently not indexed: Google visited but chose not to index it for now
- Discovered, currently not indexed: Google knows about it but hasn’t crawled it yet
- Duplicate without user-selected canonical: Google sees it as a copy of another page and chose the other one
Not every item needs fixing. Google itself says some exclusions are intentional, like pages you’ve deliberately blocked. Focus on the pages that should be bringing in customers.
Common reasons pages go missing (and what to do)
A stray “noindex”
A noindex rule tells Google to keep a page out of search results. It’s useful for things like thank-you pages, but sometimes it’s left on by accident after a website build. On WordPress, check that the “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” box isn’t ticked under Settings, then Reading.
Robots.txt blocking important areas
A robots.txt file can stop Google crawling parts of your site. If key pages are blocked, Google may not be able to see their content.
No links pointing to the page
Google mainly finds pages through links. If a page isn’t linked from your menu, other pages or your sitemap, it may be hard for Google to discover. Link to important pages from relevant places on your site.
No sitemap submitted
A sitemap lists the pages you care about. Google says it’s especially helpful for new sites. Many website platforms create one for you, so just submit its address in the Sitemaps section of Search Console.
Thin or duplicate pages
Google prioritises useful content. If several pages say almost the same thing, it may index only one. Make each important page genuinely helpful and distinct.
Make it a monthly habit
Once a month, open Search Console, glance at the Page indexing report and inspect any page you’ve added or changed. It takes five minutes and can catch problems before they cost you enquiries.
Google indexing FAQs
How long does it take Google to index a new page?
It varies. Google says crawling can take from a few days to a few weeks, and that requesting indexing doesn’t guarantee a page will be included.
My page is indexed but doesn’t rank. Why?
Being indexed makes a page eligible to appear, not guaranteed to rank. Rankings depend on how relevant and helpful the page is compared with others, plus many other factors.
Do I need to submit every page to Google?
No. Google mainly finds pages through links, and a sitemap covers the rest. Use Request indexing only for important new or updated pages.
Keep reading
Sources
- Google Search Central, In-depth guide to how Google Search works
- Google Search Central, SEO Starter Guide
- Google Search Central, How to use the site: search operator
- Search Console Help, URL Inspection tool
- Search Console Help, Page indexing report
- Search Console Help, Verify your site ownership
- Google Search Central, Ask Google to recrawl your URLs
- Google Search Central, What is a sitemap
- Google Search Central, Block search indexing with noindex
- Google Search Central, AI features and your website
Not sure what you’re looking at?
If Search Console is showing errors you don’t understand, or key pages just won’t show up, we can help. Request a free SEO audit and we’ll check how Google sees your site, or contact the team.
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