How to index your site on Google: easy guide in 3 steps

Google website indexing – Introduction

Do you have a great website, but it remains invisible on Google?

Do not panic !

Indexing is the key to solving this problem.

In this simple guide, we'll show you how to get your site indexed on Google in just 3 easy steps.

Why is indexing so important?

It's simple: without it, your site won't appear in search results.

Imagine your site as a book in a huge library.

If this book is not listed, no one will find it.

Indexing is precisely the process that allows Google to “list” your site.

Here's what you'll learn:

1. How to prepare your site for indexing
2. Essential tools to submit your site to Google
3. Tips to speed up the indexing of your pages

Whether you are new to SEO or an experienced webmaster, this guide will help you master Google site indexing.

You will discover simple but effective techniques to improve the visibility of your site in search results.

Ready to give your site the visibility it deserves?

Let's start!

How does Google indexing work?

Before we dive into the practical steps to get your site indexed, it’s important to understand how Google works. Think of Google as a giant digital library. Here’s how that library fills up:

The Google crawling process

1. Crawler robots: Google sends “robots” called Googlebots onto the web. These robots are like tireless readers.
2. Page discovery: Googlebots follow links from one page to another. This is how they discover new web pages.
3. Reading the content: Once on a page, robots “read” its content. They analyze the text, images, and structure of the page.
4. Adding to the index: If the page is deemed to be of quality, Google adds it to its index. It's like adding a new book to the library.

Factors influencing indexing

There are several things that can affect how Google indexes your site:

• Content quality: Google favors pages with original and useful content.
• Site structure: A well-organized site with clear navigation is easier to index.
• Loading speed: Pages that load quickly are favored.
• Links: The more quality links your site receives, the more important Google considers it.
• The robots.txt file: This file guides robots on which pages to crawl or ignore.
• Update frequency: Sites that are updated regularly are crawled more often.

By understanding these mechanisms, you can better prepare your site for effective indexing.

In the next section, we'll look at how to put this knowledge into practice to get your site indexed on Google.

The 3 steps to index your site on Google

Now that you understand how indexing works, let's get to work.

Here are the 3 simple but effective steps to index your site on Google:

Step 1: Prepare your site for indexing

• Create an XML sitemap: It's like a road map for Google's robots.
  
  • Use free tools like XML-Sitemaps.com to generate your sitemap.
  • If you are using WordPress, install the plugin Yoast Seo and then go to settings, there you will find your sitemap.
  • Add this file to the root of your site (for example, www.yoursite.com/sitemap.xml).
• Optimize your robots.txt file:
  
  • Make sure it's not blocking Google from accessing your important pages (in the settings of Wordpress, go to the reading tab and make sure that the box “discourage search engines from indexing my site” is unchecked).

Step 2: Submit your site to Google

• Use Google Search Console:
  
  • Create an account if you don't already have one.
  • Add and verify your site ownership (to do this, copy the small piece of text and add it to your DNS settings, follow the tutorial on my TikTok channel)

• Use the “Request Indexing” tool:
  
  • In Search Console, go to “URL Inspection”.
  • Enter the URL of your homepage.
  • Click on “Request indexing”.

Step 3: Speed ​​up the indexing of your pages

• Create quality content regularly:
  
  • Google likes active and frequently updated sites.
• Get quality backlinks:
  
  • Share your content on social media.
  • Collaborate with other sites in your niche to get links.
• Optimize your site's loading speed:
  
  • Use tools like Google's PageSpeed ​​Insights to identify possible improvements.
• Use appropriate meta robots tags:
  
  • Make sure your important pages have an “index, follow” tag.

By following these three steps, you will greatly increase the chances that Google will quickly index your site.

Please keep in mind that indexing can take a few days to a few weeks.

Please be patient and continue to improve your site in the meantime.

You can also use the website indexmenow.com to speed up indexing, but it costs money.

Common mistakes to avoid when indexing your site on Google

Even when following the above steps, it is possible to make mistakes that can hinder the indexing of your site.

Here are the three most common mistakes and how to avoid them:

1. Incorrect use of noindex tags

The problem: The “noindex” tag tells Google not to index a page. Sometimes webmasters mistakenly use it on important pages.

How to avoid it:

• Check your pages regularly with Google Search Console.
• Make sure that only pages you don't want indexed (like thank you pages after a purchase) have the "noindex" tag.
• Use this tag in the HTML code of your page:
• If you are on WordPress check the image below

2. Canonicalization Issues

The problem: When multiple URLs point to the same content, Google can have trouble determining which version to index.

How to avoid it:

• Use canonical tags to indicate the preferred version of a page.
• Add this tag in the section from your HTML:
• Make sure all versions of a page point to the same canonical URL.

3. Pages blocked by robots.txt file

The problem: A misconfigured robots.txt file can prevent Google from accessing important pages on your site.

How to avoid it:

• Check your robots.txt file regularly.
• Use the robots.txt test tool in Google Search Console to ensure your important pages are accessible.
• Here is an example of a well configured robots.txt file:

By avoiding these common mistakes, you make the job of Google's robots much easier and increase the chances that your site will be correctly indexed.

Remember: If you make changes to fix these errors, use the Google Search Console “Request Indexing” tool to get the changes reflected faster.

Tools to check the indexing of your pages

Once you have put the steps in place to index your site, it is crucial to track the indexing status. Here are the essential tools to check if your pages are well indexed by Google:

1. Google Search Console

Google Search Console is Google's official and free tool for webmasters. It is your best ally to monitor the indexing of your site.

How to use it :

• Log in to your Google Search Console account.
• In the left menu, click on “Index” then “Pages”.
• You will see a detailed report on the indexing status of your pages.

Advantage:

• Direct data from Google
• Ability to request indexing of new pages
• Alerts for indexing issues

Helpful Tip: Use the “URL Inspection” feature to quickly check the indexing status of a specific page.

2. Third-party tools: Screaming Frog

Screaming Frog is a powerful tool for in-depth analysis of your site's indexing.

How to use it :

• Download and install Screaming Frog SEO Spider.
• Enter your site URL and start the analysis.
• Check the “Indexability” tab to see the status of each page.

Advantage:

• In-depth analysis of your site structure
• Quick identification of pages blocked from indexing
• Easy data export for analysis

Practical tip: Use the free version for sites with less than 500 pages, or invest in the paid version for larger sites.

Other useful tools:

• Sitebulb : Similar to Screaming Frog, with a more user-friendly interface.
• SEMrush : Provides site auditing features including indexing.
• Ahrefs : Allows you to check indexing and other SEO aspects of your site.

By using these tools regularly, you can:

• Quickly detect indexing problems
• Track the progress of your site's indexing
• Identify pages that need optimization

Remember: indexing is an ongoing process.

Check the status of your pages regularly, especially after making major changes to your site.

Conclusion: Master Google Indexing to Boost Your Online Presence

Congratulations !

You now have all the keys in hand to effectively index your site on Google.

Let us recall the essential points:

1. Indexing is crucial for the visibility of your site.
2. Prepare your site with an XML sitemap and an optimized robots.txt file.
3. Use Google Search Console to submit your site.
4. Avoid common mistakes like misusing noindex tags.
5. Monitor indexing status regularly with tools like Google Search Console and Screaming Frog.

By following these steps and remaining vigilant, you greatly increase the chances that your site will be properly indexed and visible in Google search results.

However, we understand that managing indexing and SEO optimization can seem complex, especially if you are new to the web world.

This is why many entrepreneurs and businesses choose to hire professionals to ensure that their website performs at its best.

Do you want a new optimized website? Or maybe improve your current site?

We can help you.

At Votre Site Pro, we create high-performance websites.

Our agency, based in Brussels, specializes in website creation in Brussels.

Whether you are a small local business or a large corporation, we can help you maximize your online presence and achieve your business goals.

Visit our services page to find out how we can support you in your digital journey.

Remember: a well-designed and properly indexed website is the foundation of a successful digital strategy.

So, are you ready to give your business the online visibility it deserves?

FAQ about indexing websites on Google