Reasons why pages get indexed and then de-indexed?

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Understanding Fluctuating Page Indexing: Possible Causes

Greetings, Fellow Web Enthusiasts!

I’m currently working with a travel agency to enhance their website’s performance. Despite having high-quality content filled with unique insights and personal experiences, we’re encountering a curious issue with a few pages.

Here’s what happens:

  • Initially, the page gets indexed via Google Search Console
  • It starts receiving impressions and a small amount of traffic
  • After a few days, it’s suddenly de-indexed
  • We proceed to index the page again
  • And the cycle repeats…

What I’ve Investigated:

  • Internal Linking: The pages are well-connected internally.
  • Technical Hurdles: I’ve explored potential problems using Google Search Console, Ahrefs, and manual checks, with the aid of our developers, yet found no issues.
  • Content Quality: The content is top-notch, in my (as neutral as possible) opinion.

Does anyone have insights on what might be causing this phenomenon?

Thank you in advance!
“`

Hubsadmin

2 responses to “Reasons why pages get indexed and then de-indexed?”

  1. Hello!

    Dealing with pages that are indexed and then suddenly de-indexed can be quite perplexing but is not entirely uncommon. There are several potential reasons for this type of behavior, and it’s great to see you’ve already done some preliminary checks. Below are a few additional factors you might consider investigating:

    1. Content Quality and Duplication

    • Thin or Duplicate Content: Even if the content seems high-quality, ensure there’s no duplication across the site or from external sources. Google is likely to de-index pages that appear to have duplicate content.
    • Keyword Cannibalization: If multiple pages target the same or similar keywords, they might compete against each other, affecting indexability.

    2. Crawl Budget and Crawl Frequency

    • Crawl Budget: Google allocates a crawl budget, and if your site has many pages, some might initially get indexed and then removed upon deeper crawls. Optimizing your site structure can help Google efficiently crawl more important pages.

    3. Manual Actions or Algorithmic Filtering

    • Manual Actions: Check Google Search Console for any manual penalties that might indicate a policy violation.
    • Core Updates & Filters: Frequent algorithm updates could cause shifts in what’s indexed. Follow SEO best practices to maintain compliance with the latest guidelines.

    4. Technical SEO Factors

    • Server and Site Performance: Ensure uptime, quick response times, and server stability with no unexpected downtimes.
    • Meta Tags & Robots.txt: Double-check for any noindex directives within the HTML header, robots.txt, or wrongly configured canonical tags.

    5. Backlink Profile

    • Link Quality: High-quality backlinks enhance the credibility of pages and help maintain their index status.
    • Spammy or Unnatural Links: Odd spikes in low-quality links might trigger de-indexing. A periodic audit of your backlink profile with tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush can help.

    6. User Engagement Metrics

    • Bounce Rates & Dwell Time: If users find the content irrelevant or unsatisfactory, it might signal search engines to reevaluate worthiness for indexing.

    7. Feedback from Google Search Console

    • Look for soft 404 errors, redirect errors, and other crawl anomalies.
    • Use the URL Inspection Tool to see specific issues related to each problematic page.

    8. External Factors

    • **Competitor Actions
    Reply

  2. Thank you for sharing your experience with the indexing issues you’re facing; it sounds quite frustrating, especially given the quality of your content. From what you’ve described, I can suggest a few additional avenues you might want to explore:

    1. **Duplicate Content**: Even if your content is unique, if there are similar pages on your site or elsewhere addressing the same topic, Google might choose to consolidate indexing efforts to just one page. Use tools like Copyscape or Siteliner to check for duplicate content both internally and externally.

    2. **Page Experience Signals**: Google has increasingly prioritized user experience signals in its ranking and indexing algorithms. Make sure that your page is mobile-friendly, loads quickly, and provides a good overall user experience. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can help you evaluate and improve these aspects.

    3. **Crawl Budget Issues**: For larger websites, there can be limitations on how often and how many of your pages Google will crawl. Ensure your site has a well-structured sitemap and that your most valuable pages are prioritized in your internal linking strategy.

    4. **Algorithm Updates**: If your site was indexed only to later be de-indexed, it’s worth checking if any recent Google algorithm updates could be affecting your niche. Keeping up to date with SEO news can help you adapt your strategies accordingly.

    5. **Manual Actions**: Though it sounds like you’ve already jailed the technical side, it might be a good idea to double-check Google Search Console

    Reply

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