Once you publish your content, you want to make sure it indexes. Follow this guide to make sure you show up on Google.
Indexing is how search engines (like Google) catalog and organize the web content they know about. It is one of the most important parts of publishing content online—possibly the most important—because content that is not indexed has no possibility of being ranked in a search result. Thankfully, ensuring that your content is indexed only takes a few simple steps.
Part 1: Check if Your Web Page Is Already Indexed
To do this, complete the following steps:
- Step 1: Find and Copy the URL of Your Page’s Live Link—This will be the link that takes you to the webpage on your site you’re hoping to index. If you’re a DemandJump customer, your content links should be recorded on the “Link Tree” spreadsheet provided to you.
- Step 2: Paste Your Live Link Into Google’s Search Bar—Type :siteURL into the search bar, then paste your live link immediately after it and press enter. For example, if you were checking DemandJump’s home page, you would type in “site:https://www.demandjump.com/”
- Step 3: Read the Results—If your page is already indexed, it will show the title of the article on Google. If the page is not indexed, it will instead say “Try Google Search Console” at the top of the search results.
- Step 4: Record the Results on Your Link Tree—If your page was indexed, you can mark it as “indexed” on your DemandJump Link Tree. You do this by locating the “Indexed?” column in your Link Tree, and typing “Yes — (date of verification)” in the corresponding row for that page. Then, highlight that cell in green.
If the page wasn’t indexed, there are a couple more steps to follow (see part two below). But first, make sure to update the appropriate row in the “Indexed?” column of your Link Tree—in this case, with a “No— (date of verification).” Then, highlight that cell in yellow.
Part 2: Request Indexing for Your Page
If your content has not been indexed, requesting that it gets indexed only takes a few steps. To request indexing, complete the following steps:
- Step 1: Set Up Google Search Console—Though you don’t need a Google Search Console (GSC) account to check for indexing, you will need one to request indexing. Search for “Google Search Console” on Google, and click the top link (that isn’t an ad). Once it redirects you, click the blue “Start Now” button. You’ll see an option for two property types; you’ll want to select the “Domain” option. Copy and paste your domain into the box to set up your account. This is a free account, so don’t worry about costs!
- Step 2: Check for Indexing Again in the Google Search Console—Once your Google Search Console is online, copy and paste the live link of your unindexed page into the search bar. If the page is indexed, it will say “URL is found on Google.” (see below). If the page is not indexed, GSC will instead say “URL is not found on Google.”
- Step 3: Record (Or Request) Indexing—If the URL is indexed, simply update your Link Tree accordingly as in the previous steps. If it’s not indexed, click the “Request Indexing” button that shows up in the bottom right corner of the URL status’s box (also below).
If you had to request indexing, wait until the page has completely loaded before exiting; you’ll have a loading bar popup that will tell you the status of progress (see below).
Keep in mind that you can only request indexing for ten pages every 24 hours, so Google may cut you off and make you come back another day if you have more pages that need indexing.
- Step 4: Check Regularly for Indexing (And Resend if Needed)
Once you have requested indexing, all you can do is wait for Google to approve (or deny) your request. Sometimes a request can be approved as quickly as 24-48 hours, but it can take weeks for newer pages or websites that don’t have much content. Ultimately, there is no concrete way to judge when exactly your page will be indexed. Be sure to check regularly, ideally once a week, to see if the indexing request has been approved. Although Google says requesting multiple times does not influence the request (see below), we have found that requesting once a week can prove helpful. At the very least, we recommend requesting at least once a month.
Part 3: Celebrate—You’re on Google!
Barring some strange circumstance, your content will eventually be indexed on Google. Congratulations for taking that next step to reaching your audience! If you have any questions about this process, please reach out to your Customer Success representative or any of your DemandJump contacts. We’re happy to help you any way we can.