Navigating Website Changes: A Lesson in URL Structure and Google Indexing
Hello Everyone,
I recently embarked on an exciting journey to create a website dedicated to enriching culinary experiences through authentic recipes from around the world. However, my initial approach to structuring the website URLs left much to be desired.
As a newcomer to web development, I initially employed UUIDs in my URLs. For example, I structured them as recipe/[uuid] and creator/[uuid]. After some contemplation, I recognized the value of using more descriptive slugs instead. This led me to revamp the URLs to recipe/[slug] and creator/[slug] for better user experience and SEO.
What I hadn’t anticipated was the impact this change would have on my Google Search Console (GSC) setup. I had already configured GSC with the previous UUID URLs, and now I found myself in a predicament where it feels like an eternity for Google to recrawl and reindex the new slug-based paths.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, you might be wondering how long it typically takes for Google to process such changes. Additionally, I would love to hear any advice on strategies to streamline this transition or best practices that could have improved my website migration.
Your insights and experiences would be invaluable as I navigate this challenge. Thank you for your support!