Google\u2019s indexation process is very effective, but it isn\u2019t perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And considering that it\u2019s impossible to reach your marketing goals if your pages aren\u2019t indexed, indexation isn\u2019t something you should leave up to chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to help Google quickly and accurately index your pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this post, I\u2019ll go over nine ways you can take a more proactive approach to your site\u2019s indexation \u2014 and, as a result, improve your online visibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You’ll learn how do to get Google to index your website and how to check your Google index ranking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But first, let\u2019s take a step back and look at what indexation actually is, <\/em>and why it plays such a major role in your digital marketing results<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Before we can jump into ways to speed up the indexation process, it\u2019s important to understand what, exactly, indexation is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In its most basic form, and index is a list of information. Long before the Internet, indexes existed in many forms, like the alphabetical indexes at the end of books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A web index, then, is a database of information on the Internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Search engines use these databases to store billions of pages of information. So when you use a search engine, you aren\u2019t actually searching everything that exists on the Internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019re searching that search engine\u2019s <\/em>index of stored pages and information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bots or \u2018spiders\u2019 crawl new pages online and store them in an index based on their topics, relevance, authority, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every search engine has its own index. But because Google is the world\u2019s largest search engine \u2014 and where most marketers focus their SEO strategies \u2014 we\u2019re going to be focusing on theirs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2016, Google claimed to have knowledge of over 130 trillion individual<\/a><\/u> pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, it doesn\u2019t specify exactly how many pages are in its index \u2014 but says that its search algorithm sorts through \u201chundreds of billions<\/a><\/u>\u201d of pages in its index to deliver useful and relevant results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Creating a library with billions of pages requires some powerful tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most important of these tools are called spiders. These automated bots are automated browsers that \u201ccrawl\u201d from site to site, following links to find content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All of the information that these spiders crawl is stored in Google\u2019s index.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, when a user performs a search, Google\u2019s search algorithm sorts through its giant database to find the most relevant pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pulling from this established database (instead of attempting to find information in real time) allows the search engine to deliver results quickly and efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google\u2019s spiders are constantly crawling for new information and updating its database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though the results are pulled from a stored source, the search engine\u2019s goal is to always provide up-to-date results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So as you add new content, it\u2019s in your best interest to make sure that it gets indexed as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Given that Google\u2019s spiders are constantly crawling for information, you might be wondering why you need to put in any extra work to help them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After all \u2014 if they\u2019re already crawling, won\u2019t they find your site anyway?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The fact is: They might.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But if your site is relatively new, or doesn\u2019t get crawled often, it could days, or even weeks for your new content to get indexed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This causes delays in search engine visibility<\/em> \u2014 which is one of most important factors in your digital marketing success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can attract traffic from a variety of sources, but when you consider that 51% of all trackable website traffic<\/a><\/u> comes from organic search, it\u2019s impossible to deny that your search presence can make or break your success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indexation is essential for establishing rankings, attracting traffic, and reaching your goals for your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google is probably going to index your website, regardless, unless you\u2019ve specifically taken action to refuse indexation (which we\u2019ll get to later).<\/p>\n\n\n\n But you want your website indexed quickly<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sooner your pages are indexed, the sooner they can start competing for \u2014 and establishing \u2014 top spots in search results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider that only 5.7% of newly-published pages<\/a><\/u> make it into the top ten results within a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s clear that establishing high rankings doesn\u2019t happen overnight. This data shows that Google tends to favor established content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, the average page one ranking is over two years old<\/a><\/u>, and the average page in position one is almost three years<\/em> old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s not to say that new pages can\u2019t <\/em>rank well, of course. But achieving a top spot quickly is rare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, of all of the pages ranking in position one, less than two percent were less than a year old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sooner your pages are indexed, the faster they can start competing for those top spots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a particularly important concern for new websites. If Google has no existing record of a site, its spiders can\u2019t simply follow internal links to find new pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So while other sites continue to have new pages added to its database, your site could get ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The same holds true if you switch domain names. Even if you migrate all <\/em>of your content, Google will view your new domain as an entirely new site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, when Podia (formerly Coach)<\/a><\/u> recently rebranded and adopted a new name, they also changed their domain name to reflect that. Their services remained largely the same, as did their site content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Google can\u2019t immediately recognize when a site simply switches to a new location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So even though a customer could likely identify that this was the site they were looking for, they needed to take steps to ensure that Google could get those users there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google does <\/em>help with this process by letting webmasters who are switching domains fill out a \u201cChange of Address\u201d form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But beyond that, there are plenty of other steps you can take to make sure that your content is getting indexed as quickly and efficiently as possible<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting your site properly indexed might sound like a complicated task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And the truth is, it sometimes can be \u2014 but there are lots of tools available to simplify the process, many of which are extremely user-friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are tons of options you can use that offer advanced features and functionality, but the two most important and widely-used are Google Search Console\u00a0and Yoast SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google Search Console is a free tool that helps you monitor your site\u2019s presence in Google\u2019s index and search results. You can use it to make sure that Google can access your content, submit new content, and monitor and resolve any issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yoast SEO is a free WordPress plugin designed to easily optimize sites for search. If you run a WordPress site, it\u2019s one of the best tools you can use to improve your presence in search \u2014 and at this point, it\u2019s basically considered an essential tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re already familiar with these tools, feel free to skip down to the next section for nine tips you can use to improve your indexation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google Search Console<\/a><\/u> (formerly known as Google Webmaster Tools) is one of the most valuable SEO tools at your disposal \u2014 and it\u2019s completely free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can use it to keep an eye on many different aspects of your search visibility. But for the sake of indexation, you can use it to monitor crawling, index errors, and security issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t yet have an account, go to Search Console<\/a><\/u> and log in with your Google account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you already have a Google Analytics account, sign up with the same email address. This will simplify the process and make it easier to keep all of your information in one place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve created an account, click the \u201cAdd a Property\u201d button in the top right corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Type your domain name, then click \u201cAdd.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After you do this, you\u2019ll be taken to a page with instructions for verifying your ownership of the property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you opt to verify with an HTML file upload, you\u2019ll see an HTML file available for you to download.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Download the verification file, then use your FTP to upload it to your root directory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve uploaded the file, you can verify that it by opening the target URL in your browser. If you see the file name in your browser window, your upload is completed. Go back to Search Console and click \u201cVerify.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once this step is completed, you can access your Search Console data. It\u2019s important to note, though, that you\u2019ll need to leave the verification file on your site. Even after the initial verification, this file shows Google that you are the correct owner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have trouble verifying your site with the HTML file \u2014 or if you just prefer to verify if a different way \u2014 there are a few other options you can use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you already have a Google Analytics account, this is an easy option to use. Make sure that you\u2019re logged in with the same Google account you use for Analytics, select \u201cGoogle Analytics\u201d and click \u201cVerify.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After authenticating your account, you can familiarize yourself with a few basic features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Set your preferred domain<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the easiest fixes you make make for indexation purposes is setting your preferred domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Users can arrive on your site by typing your domain name with or without WWW in front of it. This may not seem like an issue \u2014 but Google views WWW and non-WWW versions of your domain as different sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t tell Google that these are both your site (and which one you prefer) it could be indexing the same content under different URLs. This can create some annoying, but easily avoidable, issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Setting a preferred domain tells Google which version you prefer, and ensures that all of your pages are indexed in the correct place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fortunately, it\u2019s also an easy process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, add all versions of your domain following the same process as above. Make sure to add both the WWW and non-WWW versions, as well as the HTTP and HTTPS versions of both, if you have HTTPS enabled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This means that many site owners end up with four properties for a single site:<\/p>\n\n\n\n After you\u2019ve added all versions of your domain, click the gear icon and select \u201cSite Settings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the top of the page, you\u2019ll have the option to determine which version of your site you want Google to recognize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This way, if another site links to the WWW version of your site, but you prefer the non-WWW version, Google will know to attribute the link to the version you prefer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The version you go with is essentially subjective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Site owners have debated for years <\/em>which is better, but there\u2019s no indicator that selecting either version over the other is better for SEO purposes. The important thing is just to pick one \u2014 it doesn\u2019t really matter which.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve set your preferred domain, you can start utilizing the many features available in Search Console. But for the purposes of this post, the ones listed under \u201cGoogle Index\u201d and \u201cCrawl\u201d in the left menu are the most important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Index Status <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Index Status report shows how many of your URLs Google has indexed over the past year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n This report makes it easy to determine whether Google is finding and indexing your pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also check out the \u201cAdvanced\u201d tab to see how many pages on your site have been blocked by your robots.txt file (which we\u2019ll get to later).<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re intentionally preventing Google from indexing certain pages, this tab will let you know that you\u2019ve set up the blocks correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And if you don\u2019t <\/em>want to block Google from indexing certain pages, this tab will let you know if there\u2019s an issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remove URLs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you ever want to temporarily remove a URL that you own from search results, you can do this using the Remove URLs feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n This won\u2019t permanently remove the page from search results, but can be helpful for pages that are under construction, or you don\u2019t want to attract traffic to for any other reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Crawl Errors <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Crawl Errors reports gives you an at-a-glance overview of any site or URL issues over the past 90 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This makes it easy to quickly identify and fix and issues that might be preventing your pages from being indexed and ranked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Crawl Stats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Crawl Stats report shows Google\u2019s activity on your site over the previous 90 day period, including pages crawled per day, kilobytes downloaded per day, and time spent downloading a page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The pages per day graph at the top is arguably the most important of the three, since it shows how frequently Google is crawling and indexing your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The more Google crawls your site, the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though you can\u2019t directly impact your site\u2019s crawl rate, you can safely assume that if Google is crawling your site at a consistent speed, your site is in decent shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you see a sudden drop, though, this could indicate a problem like broken links or unsupported content. Keeping an eye on this frequency can help you identify potential issues before they turn into real problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your site runs on WordPress, Yoast SEO is an essential plugin. It\u2019s designed to make SEO easy for WordPress users and doesn\u2019t require any technical or coding knowledge to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yoast offers a paid, premium version with advanced features, but its free version has plenty of functionality for most users. All of the tips we mention in this post can be done in the free version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you haven\u2019t yet installed it, log into your WordPress dashboard<\/a><\/u> and select \u201cPlugins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Select \u201cAdd New,\u201d then search for Yoast in the search bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Click the \u201cInstall Now\u201d button to download and install the plugin, then follow the required prompts to activate it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yoast simplifies many of the steps involved in optimizing your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is Google indexation?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What is a web index?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How does Google index work?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/14233154\/130-trillion.png\" "\\"how")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow does Google index the Internet? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/14233252\/crawl-index-search.png\" "\\"google")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhy does it matter if your site is indexed quickly on Google?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/14233116\/brightedge-traffic.png\" "\\"google")
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow do I get Google to index my site using these SEO tools: Google Search Console & Yoast<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"crazy](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/30154137\/index-website.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nGoogle Search Console<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/14233201\/add-property.png\" "\\"google")
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![\"google](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/14233239\/preferred-domain.png\" "\\"google")
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"google](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/14233153\/remove-url.png\" "\\"google")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"google](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/14233139\/crawl-errors-90.png\" "\\"google")
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nYoast<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"google](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/14233156\/pasted-image-0-16.png\" "\\"google")
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