Google Search Console Indexing Issues Fixed: Full Guide to Getting Your Posts & Pages Indexed in 2025

“Indexing problems don’t mean your content is bad — they mean your site needs a clear map and healthy signals.” — The Blogging 6 Sense

If Google Search Console shows “Pages not indexed” or coverage errors, don’t panic. Indexing problems are among the most common technical SEO headaches — and they’re almost always fixable with a few systematic checks. This guide walks you through the exact steps to diagnose and resolve indexing issues for both Blogger and WordPress sites in 2025. Follow it step-by-step and you’ll turn “discovered” or “crawled — currently not indexed” into consistent indexing and traffic.

Quick overview: Common GSC Indexing statuses & errors

• Submitted URL not selected (indexing) — Google found the URL but chose another canonical or didn’t index it.
• Crawled — currently not indexed — Google crawled but didn’t index yet (often temporary).
• Discovered — currently not indexed — Google knows about the URL but hasn’t crawled it yet.
• Blocked by robots.txt — robots.txt is preventing crawling.
• Server error (5xx) or 404 — server issues prevent indexing.
• Duplicate, submitted URL not selected as canonical — canonicalization conflicts.

Step 1 — Confirm basics (is your site verified & healthy?)

Before changing anything, ensure your site is properly added and verified in Google Search Console (GSC) for the exact property type you use (http/https and www/non-www). If you recently moved domains or switched protocols, add the new version to GSC and submit sitemaps for the new property.

Checklist

• GSC property verified (URL-prefix or Domain property)
• Sitemap submitted and processed (Sitemaps > Add/Test Sitemap)
• No manual actions or security issues in GSC (Security & Manual Actions)

Step 2 — Use URL Inspection: live test & index request

Open Search Console → URL inspection → paste the full URL (live) → click Test live URL. This provides a clear snapshot:

• If “URL is on Google” — indexed already.
• If “URL is not on Google” — check the reason: blocked, noindex meta, redirects, robot exclusion, server error, or canonical conflict.

If the live test shows the page is crawlable and renders fine, click Request indexing. For Blogger/WordPress, this often triggers re-crawl within minutes to hours. Use index requests sparingly — focus them on high-value pages.

Step 3 — Check robots.txt & blocking rules

Common mistake: accidentally blocking CSS/JS or entire directories.

How to check

1. Visit https://yourdomain.com/robots.txt and review rules.
2. In GSC, use the Robots.txt Tester to simulate user-agent behavior.

Fixes

• If you find Disallow: / remove it immediately (unless staging).
• Allow CSS/JS so Google can render the page: Allow: /*.css$ and Allow: /*.js$.
• Ensure sitemap is declared: Sitemap: https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml

Blogger note: Blogger exposes robots.txt via Settings > Crawlers and indexing > Custom robots.txt. Edit carefully and keep /search disallowed if you use many dynamic search URLs.

WordPress note: Many plugins can generate virtual robots.txt files. Use Yoast/Rank Math to edit or create a physical /robots.txt at the server root when needed.

Step 4 — Check for meta robots or HTTP headers that prevent indexing

Robots.txt blocks crawling; meta robots (or X-Robots-Tag headers) control indexing. If a page has <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"> it will not be indexed even if crawlable.

How to check

• Open the page source and look for meta robots tags.
• Use URL Inspection → View tested page → HTML code to see server headers.

Fixes

• Remove or change noindex to index, follow for pages you want indexed.
• For WordPress, check SEO plugin settings (Search Appearance → noindex for categories/tags).
• For Blogger, check post-level robot headers in custom robots header tags setting.

Step 5 — Solve canonicalization & duplicate content issues

Google may choose a different canonical and not index your submitted URL. Typical causes:

• Multiple URLs showing same content (trailing slash, www/non-www, HTTP/HTTPS).
• Tag/category archives duplicating post content.

Fixes

• Use proper canonical tags: <link rel="canonical" href="https://yourdomain.com/your-post/" />.
• Set preferred domain (redirect non-preferred to preferred via 301s).
• Use canonical self-references in templates (WordPress themes, Blogger templates).

Step 6 — Fix server errors & slow responses

Server 5xx errors or slow response times can prevent indexing. If GSC reports server errors, your host may be rate-limiting Googlebot or your server is unstable.

Fixes

• Contact hosting support, check server logs, and increase resources or caching.
• Enable caching (page cache, object cache) and a CDN to reduce load.
• Retry URL Inspection live test after fixes to trigger re-crawl.

Step 7 — Handle “Discovered — currently not indexed” and crawl budget

This status often means Google found the URL (via a link or sitemap) but hasn’t crawled it yet due to prioritization. Improve discovery and priority:

• Ensure post appears in Sitemap and RSS feeds.
• Internal link from high-authority pages to the new post (contextual links).
• Promote via social & email to generate immediate visits — Google notices traffic spikes.

Step 8 — Fix structured data & mobile issues that stop indexing

Severe structured data errors or mobile usability failures can affect how Google treats pages.

How to check

• GSC > Enhancements (Core Web Vitals, Mobile Usability, Rich Results) for flagged issues.
• Use Rich Results Test and Mobile-Friendly Test.

Fixes

• Correct structured data or remove invalid snippets until fixed.
• Fix mobile layout issues: viewport meta, font sizes, tap targets.

Step 9 — Sitemaps: build, submit & monitor

Ensure your sitemap is accurate, up-to-date and submitted in GSC.

Best practices

• Include only canonical URLs.
• Split large sitemaps (>50k URLs) using an index file.
• Use lastmod timestamps to hint freshness.

Step 10 — Redirects & migration problems

If you migrated or changed URLs, ensure all old URLs point to new ones via 301 redirects. Avoid chains and loops.

Fixes

• Implement server-level 301 redirects for changed URLs.
• Update internal links to point directly to the final URL.
• Resubmit sitemap and use Fetch as Google (URL Inspection) to test redirects.

Special fixes for Blogger users

• Enable custom robots.txt in Settings > Crawlers and indexing and paste the recommended Blogger template.
• Use Custom robots header tags for individual pages (noindex for label pages if thin).
• Use the built-in sitemap: https://yourblog.blogspot.com/sitemap.xml and submit it to GSC.

Special fixes for WordPress users

• Check SEO plugin settings (Yoast / Rank Math) — sometimes archives are set to noindex by default.
• Ensure your theme doesn’t inject noindex in certain conditions (search results, private pages).
• Use tools like Broken Link Checker to find 404s and fix them.

Troubleshooting flow (do this sequence)

1. URL Inspection → Live Test → Fix reported issue (robots, noindex, redirect).
2. Confirm robots.txt & sitemap are correct.
3. Fix server or rendering issues (allow CSS/JS).
4. Resolve canonical conflicts and update canonical tags.
5. Request indexing (only after fixes).
6. Monitor Coverage report for a few days and check server logs if needed.

When to use removals (and when not to)

GSC’s Removals tool temporarily hides URLs from search. Use it only for emergencies (sensitive data leaked). It’s not a long-term solution. To permanently remove, use meta robots noindex or server-level protections.

Monitoring & long-term hygiene

Indexing is not “fix-and-forget.” Schedule periodic checks:

• Weekly: Coverage & URL Inspection spot checks
• Monthly: Sitemap validation and sitemap freshness
• Quarterly: robots.txt audit & canonical audits

Mini checklist to copy

• ✅ Verified property in GSC
• ✅ Sitemap submitted
• ✅ robots.txt allows CSS/JS, and doesn’t block important pages
• ✅ No accidental noindex tags
• ✅ Canonical tags point to the preferred URL
• ✅ No server 5xx errors
• ✅ Structured data & mobile issues fixed

FAQ

Q: How long until Google indexes a fixed page?

A: If you resolve the blocking issue and request indexing, Google often re-crawls within minutes to days. Full ranking benefits may take longer as the page gains signals.

Q: Can I force indexing for many pages?

A: Request indexing is meant for individual URLs. For bulk changes, update sitemaps and improve internal linking — Google will re-crawl more efficiently.

Q: My page shows “discovered — currently not indexed.” Should I worry?

A: Not immediately. It often means Google will schedule a crawl later. Improve internal links and sitemap inclusion to speed it up.

Q: Is noindex in robots.txt valid?

A: No. Use meta robots noindex or X-Robots-Tag headers. Robots.txt does not control indexing reliably.

“Indexing is the bridge between your content and searchers — build it carefully and keep it clean.” — The Blogging 6 Sense

Transforming Technical Expertise into Premium Content & Revenue

© 2025 The Blogging 6 Sense — All rights reserved.

Author Credit: Powered By TheBlogging6Sense Team

The Blogging 6 Sense: Master Deep Tech Blogging, Become a Multimillionaire — without Google AdSense