Crawled – Currently Not Indexed: How to Fix GSC Indexing Issues

In the world of search engine optimization (SEO), search engines indexing your content is crucial for visibility and organic traffic. However, sometimes you may encounter a situation where your pages are crawled by search engine bots but not indexed. This can be frustrating as it means your content won’t show up in search results, potentially impacting your website’s performance. In this article, we will explore the reasons behind the issue of “Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” in Google Search Console (GSC) and provide actionable solutions to fix it.

What does currently not indexed mean?

When you encounter the status “Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” in Google Search Console (GSC), it means that search engine bots have successfully crawled your web pages but haven’t yet included them in their index. Essentially, this status indicates that your pages are visible to search engines but not available in search results.

The “Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” status can occur due to various reasons, such as crawlability issues, low content quality or relevance, duplicate content, canonicalization problems, or incorrect crawling and indexing instructions. It’s crucial to identify and address the specific issues causing this status to improve your page’s indexing potential.

By implementing the strategies discussed in this article, such as technical optimization, improving content quality and relevance, resolving duplicate content and canonicalization issues, and managing crawling and indexing instructions, you can fix the “Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” problem and improve your website’s visibility in search results.

Why is my page crawled but not indexed?

Several factors can contribute to the issue of pages appearing as “crawled but not indexed”. Understanding these reasons can help you diagnose and resolve the problem effectively. Here are a few possible explanations:

1. Crawlability issues: If search engine bots encounter crawl errors while accessing your website, they may fail to index your pages. Common crawl errors include server errors (e.g., 5xx HTTP status codes), DNS resolution problems, or robots.txt directives that block indexing.
2. Low content quality or relevance: If your content lacks quality, originality, or relevance to search queries, search engines may choose not to index it. This could be due to thin content, excessive keyword stuffing, or outdated information.
3. Duplicate content: Having duplicate content across multiple pages or websites can confuse search engines, leading to indexing issues. When search engines encounter duplicate content, they may choose not to index all versions, resulting in “Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” errors.
4. Canonicalization issues: Canonicalization refers to the process of specifying the preferred version of a web page when multiple versions exist. If canonical tags are not implemented correctly or if you have non-preferred domains that are not redirected, search engines may fail to index your pages.
5. Incorrect crawling and indexing instructions: Improper use of robots.txt directives or accidentally applied “noindex” tags can prevent search engine bots from indexing your pages. Double-check your robots.txt file and don’t overuse “noindex” tags .
6. Website and server performance: Slow-loading pages, frequent downtime, or server issues can deter search engine bots from indexing your content. If search engines can’t access and render your pages properly, they may choose not to index them.

How do I fix crawled but currently not indexed?

When your web pages are crawled by search engine bots but not indexed, it’s crucial to identify and address the underlying issues. Here are some effective strategies to fix the “Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” problem:

Technical Optimization

1. Check for crawl errors: Begin by checking for any crawl errors reported in Google Search Console. Fix any issues related to crawlability, such as server errors, DNS resolution problems, or robots.txt directives that may be blocking search engine bots.
2. Ensure proper website architecture: Organize your website’s structure logically, with clear navigation and internal linking. Make sure that all important pages are easily discoverable by search engine bots. Create an XML sitemap and submit it to GSC to facilitate crawling and indexing.
3. Optimize page loading speed: Slow-loading pages can deter search engine bots from indexing your content. Optimize your website’s performance by compressing images, minifying CSS and JavaScript files, leveraging browser caching, and utilizing content delivery networks (CDNs) if necessary.

Improve Content Quality and Relevance

1. Create unique and valuable content: Craft high-quality, original content that provides value to your target audience. Conduct thorough keyword research to identify relevant search terms and incorporate them naturally into your content. Avoid keyword stuffing, as it can harm your chances of getting indexed.
2. Optimize meta tags and headings: Craft compelling title tags and meta descriptions that accurately reflect the content on each page. Utilize relevant keywords in a natural and meaningful way. Similarly, structure your headings (H1, H2, etc.) to provide a clear hierarchy and keyword relevance.
3. Increase content depth: Search engines prefer comprehensive content that covers a topic in-depth. Expand your existing content by adding more valuable information, incorporating multimedia elements, and ensuring a well-structured format with appropriate headings and subheadings.

Fixing Duplicate Content

1. Identify duplicate content: Duplicate content can confuse search engines and lead to indexing issues. Use tools like Copyscape or Siteliner to identify instances of duplicate content on your website.
2. Consolidate or canonicalize duplicate pages: If you have multiple versions of the same content, consider consolidating them into a single authoritative page. Alternatively, use canonical tags to indicate the preferred version to search engines.
3. Implement 301 redirects: If you have duplicate content across different URLs, set up 301 redirects to redirect users and search engine bots to the preferred version of the page. This consolidate link equity and the preferred version gets indexed.

Resolving Canonicalization Issues

1. Choose a preferred domain: Decide whether you want your website to be accessed with the “www” prefix or without it. Set your preferred domain in Google Search Console to avoid confusion and ensure consistent indexing.
2. Implement 301 redirects for non-preferred domains: If you can access your website via multiple domains (e.g., with and without “www”), use 301 redirects to redirect traffic from non-preferred domains to your preferred domain. This helps consolidate indexing and prevents duplicate content issues.
3. Avoid URL parameters: Excessive use of URL parameters can create duplicate content issues. Where possible, avoid dynamically generated URLs with parameters and ensure that important pages have static, keyword-rich URLs.

Managing Crawling and Indexing Instructions

1. Check robots.txt file: Ensure that your robots.txt file isn’t blocking search engine bots from accessing your content. Review the file to make sure it’s correctly configured to allow crawling and indexing of important pages.
2. Use “noindex” tags sparingly: Verify that you haven’t accidentally added “noindex” tags to your important pages. These tags instruct search engines not to index a specific page. Use them judiciously and only where necessary, such as for private or temporary pages.
3. Leverage XML sitemaps: Create an XML sitemap that includes all your important pages. Submit the sitemap to Google Search Console to help search engine bots discover and index your content more efficiently.

Crawled – Currently Not Indexed: Fixed

The issue of “Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” in Google Search Console can be a roadblock to your website’s organic visibility. By understanding the underlying causes and implementing the recommended solutions, you can increase your indexed pages and improve your overall SEO performance.

Remember to optimize your website’s technical aspects, create high-quality and relevant content, address duplicate content and canonicalization issues, and manage crawling and indexing instructions effectively. With diligent effort and ongoing monitoring, you can overcome the “Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” issue and ensure that your web pages receive the visibility they deserve in search engine results.

Head to the marketing section of the blog for related content, and subscribe below for updates.