Why Your Website Isn't Indexing on Google (and How to Fix It in 24 Hours)

Key Takeaways

• Your website isn't indexing on Google due to technical barriers like robots.txt blocks, noindex tags, or sitemap errors - not content quality

• Google Search Console is your diagnostic tool - check Coverage and URL Inspection first

• Common culprits: "Discourage search engines" in WordPress, password protection on Shopify, privacy modes in Wix/Squarespace

• Most indexing fixes take minutes, with Google re-crawling within 24-72 hours

• Platform settings cause most issues - check visibility toggles first

  
  

Why Your Website Won't Index on Google

Google's indexing system crawls billions of pages daily, but sometimes yours doesn't make the cut. This isn't about poor content. It's usually technical barriers telling Google to stay away. We've seen businesses lose thousands in monthly revenue because someone ticked the wrong box.

Your site can look perfect to visitors whilst being completely invisible to search engines. Google tries to reach your pages but hits walls you didn't know existed. According to Google's own data, most indexing problems come from configuration errors that business owners don't spot until traffic drops to zero.

Here's the thing: diagnosing website indexing problems doesn't need technical expertise. With Google Search Console and 10 minutes, you can find exactly what's blocking your site from Google's index.

Run Your 10-Minute Diagnostic (Step-by-Step)

Start with Google Search Console (it's free after verifying ownership). Go to Coverage under Index. This shows which pages Google indexed and which it excluded. You'll see specific errors explaining why your website isn't indexing, like "Submitted URL blocked by robots.txt" or "Excluded by 'noindex' tag."

Use URL Inspection next. Just paste any URL and Google shows its indexing status: indexed, crawled but not indexed, or blocked. Error messages tell you exactly why your site won't index on Google.

Check your robots.txt file using the Tester under Settings (you'll find it at yoursite.com/robots.txt). A single line saying "Disallow: /" blocks your entire site from Google's index. Test your homepage and important pages.

Platform settings cause tonnes of indexing headaches:

• WordPress: Uncheck "Discourage search engines" under Settings > Reading

• Shopify: Disable password protection after launch

• Wix/Squarespace: Switch off privacy modes and check visibility toggles

  
  

How to Fix Robots.txt Blocking Issues

Your robots.txt file tells search engines which parts they can crawl. A proper setup blocks admin areas whilst allowing everything else. An incorrect one blocks your whole site and stops your website indexing on Google.

We've found shops with "Disallow: /" for months after a developer set it during building. That single line tells every search engine to ignore everything. Sales dropped, traffic vanished, but the site worked fine for visitors.

Use Search Console's robots.txt Tester to see what's blocked. If your homepage or product pages are blocked, edit or remove the problem lines through cPanel or your hosting file manager.

After fixing robots.txt, Google re-crawls within 24-48 hours. Use "Request Indexing" for urgent pages.

Fix XML Sitemap Issues Stopping Indexation

Honestly, sitemaps are basically Google's roadmap to your site. Without one, Google might miss content entirely. E-commerce sites especially need them to make sure every page gets crawled.

Common errors: wrong URL formats (mixing HTTP/HTTPS), 404 errors, or dodgy formatting. If your sitemap lists 500 URLs but only 50 are indexed, something's blocking the rest.

Check the Sitemaps report in Search Console. A massive gap between discovered and indexed signals problems. Your sitemap might be blocked by robots.txt or pointing to blocked pages.

Just create a fresh sitemap through your CMS. WordPress users can use Yoast or Rank Math. Shopify creates them automatically at yoursite.com/sitemap.xml. Submit the updates in Search Console.

Remove Noindex Tags Preventing Indexing

Noindex tells search engines to skip specific pages. These appear as meta tags in your code or HTTP headers. Accidentally leaving them on kills indexing instantly, and it's a common reason your website won't index on Google.

SEO plugins like Yoast let you set noindex on pages or entire sections. We've seen staging settings carry over to live sites during launches. Hundreds of pages vanished from Google overnight.

URL Inspection shows if noindex is active. Look for "Excluded by 'noindex' tag." Tools like Screaming Frog can check your whole site in minutes.

Remove noindex from pages you want indexed. In WordPress, check both page settings and your plugin's global settings. Clear your cache, then request re-indexing. Google usually picks up the changes within 24 to 72 hours.

Platform-Specific Website Indexing Fixes

WordPress has plenty of potential blocking points. The "Discourage search engines" checkbox is the biggest culprit. SEO plugins add another layer. Check both page-level and global settings.

Shopify stores often leave password protection on after launch, blocking everything. Some themes have visibility settings that stop collections from being crawled. Review your settings and installed apps.

Wix and Squarespace use privacy modes during building. You need to disable these before launch and check page-level visibility settings too.

Mind you, server issues occasionally cause problems. 503 errors, SSL problems, or DNS errors all block Googlebot. Search Console's Crawl Stats report shows these.

JavaScript Rendering Problems Affecting Indexation

Sites built with React, Vue, or Angular sometimes serve blank pages to crawlers. These frameworks use JavaScript to render content, but crawlers can struggle with it. Truth be told, Google has improved tonnes here, but delays remain common causes of why websites won't index properly.

We've seen gorgeous React sites with zero indexed pages because Google couldn't render the content. The site worked brilliantly for visitors but appeared completely empty to crawlers.

Test rendering using Google's Mobile-Friendly Test or URL Inspection. Both show you how Google actually sees your page. If content's missing, you've got a rendering problem blocking indexation.

For complex sites, you'll need to implement server-side rendering. For simpler sites, just reduce JavaScript dependency where you can.

Re-Indexing Timeline: What to Expect After Fixes

After fixing indexing barriers, most sites get re-indexed within 24 to 72 hours. Sites with decent authority get crawled tonnes - sometimes multiple times daily. Newer sites might wait several days.

Use "Request Indexing" for critical pages. Google processes these much faster than natural crawling, helping your website index on Google more quickly.

Keep an eye on the Index Coverage report to track your progress. If pages stay excluded after a week, look for additional blocking factors.

Set up Search Console alerts for coverage errors. These notify you within 24 hours, letting you fix indexation issues before traffic takes a hit.

Before launching updates, double-check your robots.txt, noindex tags, and platform settings. We've seen shops accidentally push staging configurations live, de-indexing everything instantly. A quick pre-launch checklist prevents this nightmare.

Still Stuck? Getting Professional Help

Website indexing problems feel absolutely catastrophic when traffic disappears, but they're usually fixable within hours. Start with Search Console diagnostics, check your platform settings, and tackle the obvious culprits first.

Still not getting anywhere? Technical SEO issues can get very complex with custom sites or unusual configurations. At Lucky Penny, we diagnose and fix indexing problems quickly (often same-day). Get in touch if you need help getting your site indexed on Google.

Stay Classy

Tom Griffiths

FAQ

How quickly can I fix my website not indexing on Google?

Look, most barriers get spotted and fixed within a few hours. Simple stuff like robots.txt errors? 10 to 20 minutes tops. Google re-crawls within 24 to 72 hours, faster if you use Request Indexing.

Will fixing indexing issues restore my previous rankings?

Getting indexed again doesn't mean you'll jump straight back to your old rankings. If your site wasn't indexing for weeks, competitors may have nabbed your spots. Getting indexed is just the first step before ranking recovery can happen.

Can better hosting prevent my website from not indexing?

Sure, premium hosting helps with speed and cuts down server errors. But most indexing cock-ups? They're configuration problems. Noindex tags, robots.txt blocks, and platform settings cause way more indexation failures than hosting quality.

Why does Search Console show "Discovered - currently not indexed"?

Google found your URLs but hasn't indexed them yet. Causes include low crawl budget, thin content, JavaScript rendering issues, or partial technical barriers. Give these pages a proper review and make sure they're accessible to crawlers.

Do I need to resubmit my sitemap after fixing indexing problems?

Not strictly necessary if it's already in Search Console, but updating and resubmitting prompts faster re-crawling. Just create a fresh sitemap and submit it if you've fixed significant indexing barriers.