Ask An SEO: Why Is Google Not Indexing My Pages?

 

Diagnosing and Resolving Website Crawling Issues

Understanding the Core Problem

After analyzing your website, it's clear that the primary issue lies in a lack of actual pages rather than an indexing problem. Currently, only nine pages are indexed by Google, which corresponds to the nine existing pages on your site.

This article outlines the structural gaps in your website and provides actionable solutions to improve crawling and indexing.

Identifying Website Structure Gaps

Navigation on your website is challenging for both users and search engines due to missing internal links and unclear navigation pathways. Additionally, there are two sitemaps present, one of which is incorrect. Fortunately, the correct sitemap is listed in the robots.txt file. However, it only contains navigational pages and excludes dynamically generated pages.

To address these issues:

• Include all significant subpages in your sitemap to improve discoverability.
• Update the robots.txt file to "allow" critical folders and pathways, ensuring search engines can access and crawl them.

Internal linking is also absent. Without internal links, crawlers cannot effectively discover new pages for indexing.

The content on your website is sparse and lacks the depth and local expertise required to provide valuable information.

Additionally, essential SEO elements like meta robots tags and canonical links are missing. These elements guide search engines on how to index and prioritize pages.

Another major concern is the absence of city- or state-specific pages. These pages only exist when searched for via the drop-down menu and do not have permanent URLs, making them invisible to search engines.

Solutions to Improve Crawling and Indexing

1. Create a Robust Folder Structure:

Develop a clear folder structure for cities, regions, and states. This strategy standardizes how users and search engines access location-specific pages and prevents competing URLs.

For example:

• /us/california/los-angeles/
• /mx/jalisco/guadalajara/

2. Develop Unique, Location-Based Content:

Generate original content tailored to each location. Incorporate local-specific concerns, such as weather-related storage solutions or emergency preparedness.

Ensure to include:

• Physical addresses
• Hours of operation
• Phone numbers
• Directions to the location

3. Implement Internal Linking and Breadcrumbs:

Add breadcrumbs with appropriate schema at the top of each page for better navigation.

Incorporate contextual internal links to facilitate crawler movement:

• Link from state pages to city pages.
• Reference related locations in copy to aid user navigation and search engine discovery.

4. Optimize Robots.txt and Sitemaps:

• Ensure the updated sitemap includes all relevant pages and categories.
• Modify the robots.txt file to allow search engines to crawl these folders.
• Submit the updated sitemap to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.

5. Engage in Local PR for Visibility:

Local public relations can drive organic demand and improve trust through high-value backlinks. Consider outreach to:

• Local newspapers, blogs, and media outlets
• Regional podcasts and radio stations

Displaying an "As Seen In" section with media mentions can also build regional trust.

Summary

Your website's core issue is a lack of discoverable pages rather than an indexing problem. By building location-based pages, enriching content, enhancing internal linking, and refining your technical SEO, you can significantly improve your website's crawlability and indexing.

By following these steps, you will guide search engines to your most valuable content while providing a better user experience for your audience.