Navigating Google Search Console Challenges: Trailing Slash URLs and HTTPS Count Issues
Hello Readers,
Today, I want to address some frustrating challenges I’ve encountered with Google Search Console while managing my blog, which is hosted on Vercel. I’d appreciate your insights and tips to navigate these concerns effectively.
Issue 1: Persistent Old Trailing Slash URLs in Google’s Index
About a month ago, I noticed that Google indexed several of my pages with a trailing slash at the end, despite my configuration being set up for HTTPS URLs without trailing slashes as the primary version. Currently, everything on my site—from links to sitemaps and canonical tags—consistently directs to the no-slash variant. New content is being indexed properly without any trailing slashes, yet these outdated versions continue to appear in Google Search Console.
Here’s my dilemma: should I utilize the URL removal tool to expedite the elimination of these old slash URLs, or is it better to let Google sort it out with the established 301 redirects?
Issue 2: Drop in Correct HTTPS Page Count
Additionally, I’ve noticed a significant decline in the number of my valid HTTPS pages (the ones formatted without slashes) indexed by Google. This figure plummeted from around 14 to just 3. While there’s a slight uptick occurring—primarily with new posts—the older HTTPS pages that were previously indexed have not returned to visibility. This situation is perplexing, especially since new articles are correctly indexed as HTTPS, with all my sitemap settings and canonical links pointing to the right versions.
To Summarize:
- How can I effectively remove the outdated slash URLs from Google’s index?
- Why are my older, correct HTTPS pages struggling to be re-indexed, while new content is being recognized without issues? Is this potentially related to Vercel’s hosting service, or is it more about Google’s indexing speed?
I would greatly appreciate any advice or experiences you may have with similar scenarios. Your input could be invaluable as I seek to resolve these issues!
Thank you!