It is a common and logical assumption that if the number of non-indexed URLs for a website decreases, the number of indexed URLs should proportionally increase. However, in the complex world of Google’s search algorithms and indexing processes, this relationship is not always a direct one-to-one correlation. Several factors can influence why a reduction in non-indexed pages might not immediately translate into a corresponding rise in indexed pages. This document will delve into these nuances, providing a comprehensive explanation of Google’s indexing mechanisms and the various reasons for such discrepancies, insights that are particularly valuable for those involved in SEO services aiming to enhance site visibility and performance.
What is a non indexed page in google search console?
A non-indexed page in Google Search Console refers to a page on your website that Google has discovered but has chosen not to include in its search index. This means the page won’t appear in Google search results.
Google Search Console categorizes these under “Page indexing” reports and shows various reasons why pages might not be indexed:
Common reasons for non-indexed pages:
Crawled – currently not indexed: Google found the page but decided not to index it, often due to low quality, thin content, or because Google doesn’t see it as valuable enough compared to other pages on your site
Discovered – currently not indexed: Google found a reference to the page (like in a sitemap or through links) but hasn’t crawled it yet, possibly due to crawl budget limitations
- Excluded by ‘noindex’ tag: The page has a noindex meta tag or HTTP header telling Google not to index it
- Blocked by robots.txt: Your robots.txt file prevents Google from crawling the page
- Redirect error: The page has redirect issues that prevent proper indexing
- Soft 404: Google considers the page to be a soft 404 (appears to be an error page but returns a 200 status code)
- Duplicate content: Google sees the page as substantially similar to another page that’s already indexed
Google’s Indexing Process: A Multi-Stage Journey
To understand why the numbers might not align as expected, it’s crucial to first grasp Google’s multi-stage process for getting content into its index [1, 6]. This process typically involves three main phases:
- Crawling: Google uses automated programs called crawlers (e.g., Googlebot) to discover new and updated pages on the web. These crawlers follow links from known pages, sitemaps, and other sources to find content [4].
- Indexing: Once a page is crawled, Google analyzes its content, meaning, and context. This involves rendering the page (executing JavaScript and CSS), understanding its topics, and categorizing it. If the page is deemed valuable and meets Google’s quality guidelines, it is then stored in Google’s vast index [2, 8]. This is the critical step where a page becomes eligible to appear in search results.
- Ranking: After indexing, Google’s ranking algorithms determine where a page should appear in search results for relevant queries. This involves hundreds of factors, including relevance, quality, user experience, and authority [5].
The key takeaway here is that crawling does not automatically equate to indexing. A page can be crawled multiple times but still not be indexed if it doesn’t meet Google’s criteria for inclusion in its index.
Reasons for Discrepancies: Why Non-Indexed Pages Decrease Without a Proportional Increase in Indexed Pages
When you observe a decrease in non-indexed URLs in Google Search Console, it’s important to consider the underlying reasons for that decrease. It doesn’t always mean those pages have suddenly become indexed. Here are several common scenarios that can lead to this apparent discrepancy:
1. Improved Crawl Budget Management and Efficiency
Google allocates a finite amount of resources, known as the “crawl budget,” to each website [1, 4]. This budget is determined by various factors, including the site’s size, health, and the number of valuable pages it has. If a website has a large number of low-value URLs (e.g., duplicate content, thin content, error pages), it can exhaust its crawl budget, preventing Google from discovering and indexing more important pages.
When you take steps to improve your site’s crawl efficiency, such as fixing broken links, removing duplicate content, and using the robots.txt file to block low-value pages, you effectively reduce the number of non-indexed URLs that Googlebot encounters. This frees up crawl budget, allowing Google to focus on your more valuable content. However, this doesn’t automatically mean that all of your previously non-indexed pages will now be indexed. It simply means that Google can now crawl your site more efficiently, which is a positive step towards getting more pages indexed in the long run.
2. De-indexing of Low-Quality or Irrelevant Content
Google is constantly refining its algorithms to prioritize high-quality, helpful, and relevant content [1, 3]. As part of this effort, Google may de-index pages that it previously had in its index but no longer considers to be of sufficient quality. This can happen for several reasons:
- Thin Content: Pages with very little or no unique content.
- Duplicate Content: Pages that are identical or very similar to other pages on your site or on other websites.
- Low-Quality Content: Pages that are poorly written, contain spammy links, or provide a poor user experience.
When Google de-indexes these low-quality pages, the number of indexed pages will decrease. At the same time, if you are also working to fix the issues that caused these pages to be considered low-quality, the number of non-indexed pages may also decrease. This can create a situation where both indexed and non-indexed page counts are in flux, and a decrease in one doesn’t directly translate to an increase in the other.
3. Canonicalization and Duplicate Content Consolidation
When Google finds multiple versions of the same page, it will try to identify the most representative version (the “canonical” page) and index only that one. The other duplicate pages will be marked as “Duplicate, Google chose a different canonical than the user” or “Alternative page with proper canonical tag” and will not be indexed.
When you implement proper canonicalization by using the rel=”canonical” tag to specify your preferred version of a page, you are essentially telling Google which page to index. This can lead to a decrease in the number of non-indexed pages (as Google no longer sees as many duplicate versions), but it won’t necessarily increase the number of indexed pages because you are simply consolidating the signals for a single page that may or may not have already been indexed.
4. Time Lag in Re-crawling and Re-indexing
Even after you’ve fixed the issues that were preventing your pages from being indexed, it can take time for Google to recrawl and re-index them. Google has to prioritize its crawling and indexing resources, and it may not immediately revisit all of your updated pages. This can result in a time lag between when you fix the issues and when you see the corresponding changes in your Google Search Console reports.
During this time, you might see a decrease in non-indexed pages (as Google starts to process your changes), but the number of indexed pages may not increase until Google has had a chance to fully re-evaluate and re-index your updated content.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the relationship between non-indexed and indexed URLs is more complex than a simple inverse correlation. A decrease in non-indexed pages is generally a positive sign that you are improving your site’s SEO health and crawlability. However, it’s important to understand that this is just one piece of the puzzle. To increase the number of indexed pages, you need to focus on a holistic approach that includes:
- Improving Crawl Budget: Make it easy for Google to find and crawl your most important pages.
- Creating High-Quality Content: Provide valuable, helpful, and relevant content that meets Google’s quality guidelines.
- Resolving Technical SEO Issues: Fix duplicate content, broken links, and other technical issues that can prevent your pages from being indexed.
- Patience and Persistence: It can take time for Google to recrawl and re-index your site after you’ve made changes.
By focusing on these areas, you can create a website that is not only more easily crawled and indexed by Google but also provides a better experience for your users — a core objective at Digital marketing agency at Leadtap, where strategic online growth is a priority.
