Troubleshooting Google Indexing Issues: A Comprehensive Guide
Hello, readers!
Today, I would like to delve into a common and frustrating issue that many website owners encounter: Google indexing problems. If you’ve found yourself in a similar situation, you’re not alone, and there are potential solutions to explore.
An Overview of the Situation
Recently, I have been grappling with the challenge of getting my web pages properly indexed by Google. Created in December of last year, my site was built shortly thereafter and seemed to be functioning well. While I’m aware that new websites often experience limited impressions due to the absence of backlinks and other ranking signals, my primary concern now centers around indexing stability rather than visibility.
Insights from Google Search Console
Upon inspecting my Google Search Console (GSC) data, I’ve observed some alarming trends:
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HTTPS Experience Fluctuations: Initially, I had about 140 URLs listed under the HTTPS experience category. However, as of April 13, this number plummeted to just 3. After a brief recovery to around 60 from April 24 to May 3, it dropped back down again—all without any modifications made to the website.
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Breadcrumbs Report Anomalies: A similar troubling pattern emerged in the Breadcrumbs Report, where the valid breadcrumbs count fell from approximately 125 to zero, then momentarily rebounded to 60, only to drop back down to zero again.
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Dramatic Page Indexing Changes: The total number of indexed pages has seen a substantial decrease, dropping from 1,156 down to just 375.
Interestingly, my experience with Bing contrasts sharply; their indexing appears to be progressing as expected, with no reported issues during crawls.
Seeking Solutions
With such inconsistencies in indexing behavior, the question arises: where do I begin the diagnosis? Here are some key areas to investigate:
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Server Response Codes: Examine whether there are any issues with server responses that could hinder Google’s ability to crawl your site effectively. A consistent and correct response code (200) indicates that your pages are accessible.
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Crawl Budget Issues: It may be worth reviewing the crawl budget allocated to your site. Understanding how Google prioritizes and crawls your pages can provide insights into indexing challenges.
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Structured Data Errors: Ensure that your structured data is implemented correctly. Errors in the structured data can impact Google’s ability to index your content properly.
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