How to fix crawl errors and indexing issues in Google Search Console

If Google isn’t indexing your content, your pages won’t appear in search results, costing you valuable organic traffic. Google Search Console (GSC) provides detailed reports on crawl errors and indexing issues, but understanding how to fix them is key to ensuring your content gets properly indexed and ranked. While some indexing issues resolve naturally over time, others require active intervention to ensure your pages appear in search results as intended.

Common indexing issues include:

• “Discovered – currently not indexed” – Google found the page but hasn’t crawled it yet, usually due to crawl prioritisation or server load issues.
• “Crawled – currently not indexed” – The page was crawled but isn’t indexed, often due to low content quality or duplication.
• “Blocked by robots.txt” – A robots.txt file is preventing Google from crawling certain pages.
• “Duplicate without user-selected canonical” – Google sees multiple versions of the page but isn’t sure which one to index.
• “Excluded by ‘noindex’ tag” – A meta tag is instructing search engines not to index the page.
• “Alternate page with proper canonical tag” – The page is correctly marked as an alternate version of another URL but isn’t indexed independently.

Step 1: Check which pages are not indexed

1. Go to Google Search Console and navigate to Indexing > Pages.
2. Review the Why pages aren’t indexed section to see which errors Google has flagged.
3. Click on the specific error category, then examine affected URLs.
4. Use the URL Inspection Tool to test individual pages for indexing eligibility.
5. Review the Coverage Report to identify patterns in indexing issues, such as recurring problems across specific content types.

Step 2: Fix “Discovered – currently not indexed” issues

This issue means Google knows about the page but hasn’t crawled it yet, often due to:

• Low priority in Google’s crawl queue, especially on large websites with frequent updates.
• A site with too many new or updated pages at once, leading to crawl budget limitations.
• Insufficient internal links pointing to the page, making it harder for Google to discover organically.
• Slow server response times or performance issues causing Google to deprioritise the crawl.

Fixes:

• Improve internal linking – Link to the affected page from high-authority and frequently crawled pages.
• Submit the page manually – Use Request Indexing in the URL Inspection Tool to force a re-crawl.
• Ensure crawl budget isn’t exceeded – Use Google Search Console’s Crawl Stats report to check how often Google is crawling your site.
• Reduce server response times – Upgrade hosting or implement caching strategies to improve load speeds.
• Generate an updated XML sitemap – Ensure your sitemap is submitted in Google Search Console and includes affected pages.
• Use structured navigation – Implement breadcrumbs and category pages to make content easier to find.

Step 3: Resolve “Crawled – currently not indexed” errors

If Google has crawled your page but hasn’t indexed it, the issue may be related to content quality, duplication, or user experience.

Fixes:

• Improve content quality – Thin or duplicate content may be ignored by Google. Expand articles, add original research, and ensure uniqueness.
• Check for duplicate metadata – Ensure each page has a unique title and meta description to avoid confusion.
• Avoid excessive ads or popups – Google deprioritises low-quality user experiences, so excessive interstitials can be a problem.
• Use structured data – Adding schema markup (e.g., Article, FAQ, Breadcrumbs) can help Google better understand your content.
• Request re-indexing – Use the URL Inspection Tool to resubmit the page after making improvements.
• Enhance E-E-A-T signals – Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) play a role in ranking decisions. Ensure your content is well-sourced and backed by author credentials.
• Compare indexed vs. non-indexed pages – If similar pages are indexed while others are not, look for quality or engagement discrepancies.

Step 4: Address robots.txt, noindex, and canonical issues

If pages are blocked from crawling or indexing due to technical configurations, they won’t appear in search results.

Fixes:

• Check robots.txt – Ensure important pages aren’t accidentally disallowed.
• Remove accidental “noindex” tags – Use site:yourdomain.com in Google to check if a page is indexed.
• Inspect canonical tags – Ensure self-referencing canonicals are in place where needed.
• Check for conflicting directives – Avoid using both noindex and canonical tags on the same page, as it can confuse Google.
• Use hreflang correctly – If running a multilingual site, improper hreflang implementation can lead to indexing issues.

Step 5: Monitor indexing performance and long-term trends

After making fixes, track indexing status in Google Search Console:

• Use the Index Coverage report to see improvements.
• Monitor crawl stats to ensure Google is visiting key pages efficiently.
• Check for manual actions under Security & Manual Actions to rule out penalties.
• Analyze logs for crawl patterns – Log file analysis can reveal how Googlebot interacts with your site.
• Monitor Google’s algorithm updates – Core updates can influence indexing behaviours, so staying informed helps with long-term planning.

Step 6: Implement proactive indexing strategies

To prevent future indexing issues, optimise your website structure and content:

• Regularly update high-value content – Keeping articles fresh signals importance to Google.
• Build quality backlinks – More authoritative links improve crawl frequency and indexing likelihood.
• Ensure mobile-friendliness – Mobile usability impacts crawlability and ranking.
• Use content clusters – Organising content in topical clusters helps Google understand page relationships.
• Automate sitemap updates – If frequently publishing new content, automate sitemap generation for real-time accuracy.

Final thoughts

Crawl errors and indexing issues can prevent your content from appearing in search results, but proactive fixes ensure better visibility. By optimising internal linking, improving content quality, resolving technical issues, and monitoring performance, you can help Google index and rank your pages efficiently. Long-term indexing success depends on a combination of technical SEO, high-quality content, and structured site navigation.