Why is my website not showing on Google? Here’s the steps that you missed.

“Why is my website not showing on Google?” There’s nothing more frustrating than pouring your heart and soul into crafting an article, only to realize it’s not attracting any traffic.

You search for your targeted keywords, but your content is nowhere to be found. Often, this happens because your page isn’t indexed by Google.

Without indexing, your content is essentially invisible on search engines. In this guide, we’ll explore how to get Google to index your site faster using RankMath, a powerful WordPress SEO plugin. Stick around till the end for some bonus tips to enhance your indexing success.

Understanding Google Indexing

Before diving into practical steps, it’s essential to grasp the basic concept of how Google indexing works. Indexing involves two main phases:

1. Discovery (Crawling)

Google continuously searches for new and updated web pages using robots or spiders known as Google bots. These bots either follow links from known pages or use site maps provided by website owners to discover new content. Once a URL is found, the bot crawls the page to analyze its content and layout.

2. Indexing

After a page is crawled, Google processes it to understand its purpose, meaning, and context. This includes analyzing the title tag, text content, alt attributes, images, and videos. The page is then sorted and ranked based on different search terms. Our focus here is to ensure your content gets indexed, setting the stage for better ranking.

Steps to Get Your Pages Indexed

Now, let’s walk through some practical methods to get your pages indexed by Google and other search engines efficiently.

Submit Your Sitemap

A sitemap is a file where you provide information about the pages, videos, and other files on your site, and the relationships between them. Search engines like Google read this file to crawl your site more intelligently. Here’s how you can submit your sitemap using RankMath:

1. Install RankMath Plugin:
   • Go to your WordPress dashboard.
   • Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
   • Search for “RankMath,” install and activate the plugin.
2. Setup RankMath:
   • After activation, follow the setup wizard.
   • Connect RankMath to your Google account to integrate with Google Search Console and Analytics.
   • Ensure all post types and assets are selected for inclusion in the sitemap.
3. Submit Sitemap to Google Search Console:
   • Find your sitemap link in RankMath under Sitemap Settings.
   • Copy this link and go to Google Search Console.
   • Navigate to Sitemaps, paste your sitemap link, and submit.

By submitting your sitemap, you make it easier for Google to discover all the links on your site.

Use URL Inspection Tool

For individual pages, you can use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to see if a page is indexed and request indexing if it’s not.

1. Access URL Inspection Tool:
   • In Google Search Console, enter the URL of your page in the URL Inspection tool.
   • If the page is not indexed, click on “Request Indexing.”

Enable Instant Indexing

For time-sensitive content, such as news articles or live events, instant indexing can be crucial. RankMath offers an Instant Indexing plugin for Google that allows you to send URLs directly to Google’s API.

1. Install Instant Indexing Plugin:
   • Go to RankMath > Instant Indexing.
   • Add new URLs or updated URLs and hit “Send to API.”

Avoid Common Indexing Issues

Certain settings and content types can prevent your pages from being indexed:

• Duplicate Content: Ensure your content is unique. Consolidate similar pages or use canonical tags to indicate the preferred page.
• Robots.txt and Meta Tags: Make sure your robots.txt file and meta tags aren’t blocking Google from indexing your site.
• WordPress Settings: Ensure the “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” option is unchecked under Settings > Reading in WordPress.

Monitor and Troubleshoot Indexing Status

RankMath Pro provides an Index Status tab under Analytics, making it easy to monitor which pages are indexed and troubleshoot any issues directly from your WordPress dashboard.

Bonus Tips for Better Indexing

Internal Linking

Leverage internal links from indexed pages to new content. This helps search engines discover your new pages faster.

Produce High-Quality Content

Always create unique, valuable content that directly answers specific queries. This increases the likelihood of your content being deemed worthy of indexing.

Manage Crawler Traps

For e-commerce sites, avoid creating too many filter-generated URLs, which can confuse search engines. Use your robots.txt file to block unnecessary pages from being crawled.

Wrapping Up: Why is My Website Not Showing on Google?

If your website isn’t showing up on Google, it’s likely because it’s not indexed.

Indexing involves two main phases: discovery and processing of your pages. To ensure your site gets indexed, you should submit your sitemap via Google Search Console using a plugin like RankMath (when using WordPress), utilize the URL Inspection tool for individual pages, and enable instant indexing for time-sensitive content.

Avoid common pitfalls such as duplicate content and improper use of robots.txt or meta tags and regularly monitor your indexing status and ensure your site’s settings are optimized for search engines.

By following these steps and utilizing RankMath, you can significantly improve the chances of getting your content indexed quickly by Google. Regularly monitor your indexing status and adjust your strategies as needed. Remember, quality content and proper SEO practices go hand in hand for successful indexing and ranking.