Wondering when that great new content you published will start bringing in organic traffic?
The time it takes Google to index new pages varies quite a bit. It can be just hours for some pages, while others take weeks.
In this article, we'll cover:
- The factors that impact how fast Google indexes pages
- Expert opinions on average indexing times
- Why some high-quality pages may never get indexed
- What indexing entails behind the scenes
- Tips to get your latest content indexed faster
Understanding the indexing process will help you set proper expectations for when pages go live. Plus, you’ll learn ways to speed things up.
How Long Does Indexing Take? According to Experts
The time it takes for Google to index a new page can vary significantly, ranging from several hours to several weeks.
According to John Mueller, a Google Search Advocate, most high-quality content is typically indexed within about a week.
Research conducted by Rudzki supports this, showing that on average, 83% of pages are indexed within the first week of publication.
However, some pages may have to wait up to eight weeks to get indexed.
Pro-tip: You can reduce the time that indexing takes, read our article on speeding up indexing.
Is there a guarantee that your page will be indexed?
While Google strives to index as many pages as possible, it does not guarantee that all pages will be indexed. Even high-quality pages may not always be indexed.
"A page can be of high quality and still not be indexed - it's not guaranteed", as John Mueller of Google stated.
This means that even if your page meets all the quality thresholds and there are no technical obstacles, it may still not be indexed.
Crawl Demand And Crawl Budget
Crawl budget refers to the amount of time and resources that search engine bots allocate to crawling your website and indexing its pages. It is determined by two factors: crawl limit and crawl demand.
Crawl limit refers to how much crawling a website can handle, while crawl demand refers to which URLs are worth (re)crawling the most. Google prioritizes pages with more backlinks or those that attract higher traffic.
However, exceeding the allocated budget for crawling a website can cause slowdowns or errors in the system, leading to pages being indexed late or not at all.
What Needs To Happen Before Your Page Is Indexed?
Content Discovery
Before a page can be indexed, it first needs to be discovered by search engine bots. This process involves the bots finding new and updated pages to add to Google's index.
Crawling
Crawling is the process by which search engines, like Google, discover your page. During this process, Googlebot looks at your page to assess its value. If the bot determines that the page it is crawling has something valuable to add, it may schedule the page to be indexed.
Rendering
After a page has been crawled, it is then rendered. This involves taking the HTML, JavaScript, and CSS information to generate how the page will appear to users. This is important for the search engine to understand how the webpage content is structured.
Can You Get Your Page Indexed Faster?
→ Main Article: How to Get Google to Index Your Blog Posts in Hours (Not Weeks)
Make Sure Your Page Is Indexable
To ensure that your page is indexed by Google, you need to make sure that it is indexable. This means that it should be accessible to Googlebot, not blocked by robots.txt, and not marked with a 'noindex' directive.
Submit A Sitemap
Submitting a sitemap to Google can help it discover your pages faster. This is especially useful for larger websites or sites with a complex structure.
Ask Google To Recrawl Your Pages
You can ask Google to recrawl your pages through the Google Search Console. However, it's important to note that this does not guarantee that the page will be crawled again immediately or that it will be indexed.
If Relevant, Use Google’s Indexing API
Google's Indexing API allows you to notify Google directly about pages on your site that need to be crawled. This can help speed up the indexing process. We ranked the top website indexing tools to use Google's Indexing API.
Prevent The Server Overload On Your Site
Preventing server overload can help ensure that Googlebot can crawl your site efficiently. If your server is overloaded, it may slow down the crawling process, which can delay indexing.
Summary
In conclusion, the time it takes for Google to index a new page can vary widely, and there is no guarantee that all pages will be indexed. Factors such as crawl demand and crawl budget can influence the indexing process.
In summary, to increase the chances of your page being indexed faster:
- Ensure your page is indexable
- Submit a sitemap
- Ask Google to recrawl your pages
- Use Google's Indexing API if relevant
- And prevent server overload on your site.
Commit these proven search engine optimization (SEO) skills to memory for publishing blog content that earns swift indexing to maximize organic visibility and reader value.
Want to learn more about content marketing and how writing high-quality blog posts and social media posts can help?
- What Is Content Marketing?
- How to Create an Effective Blog Content Strategy in 7 Steps
- Read our Content Marketing Guide for Beginners
- Find digital marketing agencies near you
To discuss how content marketing can transform your marketing performance, request a demo or start your free StoryChief trial (a blogger’s secret weapon!). Our team would be happy to give you a walkthrough.
.
