Internal Links: Boosting the Indexing of Discovered Pages.

Article Summary

As a website owner, few things can be as frustrating as seeing the "discovered, currently not indexed" status for your pages in Google Search Console. You've put in the hard work to create valuable content, only to have it languishing in Google's crawl queue, seemingly ignored by the search engine.

But the solution to this indexing dilemma may lie in a powerful yet often overlooked SEO tactic: internal linking. By strategically connecting your website's pages through thoughtful hyperlinks, you can not only enhance the user experience, but also provide crucial signals to Googlebot that can help expedite the indexing of your "discovered, not indexed" content.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the intricacies of the "discovered, not indexed" phenomenon and uncover how mastering internal linking can be the key to unlocking your website's full search engine potential.

Decoding the "Discovered, Not Indexed" Dilemma

When you log into Google Search Console and navigate to the "Index Coverage" report, you may notice that some of your pages are listed as "Discovered, currently not indexed." This status indicates that Google's web crawler, known as Googlebot, has become aware of these pages, but for one reason or another, has not yet crawled and proceeded to index them in the search engine's database.

There are a few common causes for this indexing delay:

Googlebot Hasn't Had a Chance Yet: Google's crawler is constantly scouring the internet, crawling and indexing new and updated content. However, it can't get to every single page immediately. If Googlebot has recently discovered your page, it may simply be a matter of waiting for it to return and complete the indexing process.
Server Performance Issues: If Googlebot encounters slow response times or errors when trying to crawl your pages, it may hold off on indexing them to avoid overwhelming your server. This is more common on websites with very large numbers of pages.
Low-Quality or "Thin" Content: Google's algorithms are designed to identify and deprioritize pages with low-quality, "thin" content that doesn't provide much value to users. If Googlebot detects a pattern of such content on your site, it may choose not to index those particular pages.

The positive aspect is that the "discovered, not indexed" status isn't necessarily an indication of a critical problem. It's simply Google's way of communicating that it's aware of your page, but hasn't gotten around to fully processing and indexing it yet. However, if you have pages that you feel should be indexed, there are steps you can take to investigate and address the issue.

Leveraging Internal Links to Accelerate Indexing

While the reasons behind the "discovered, not indexed" phenomenon are important to understand, the real key to resolving this challenge may lie in the strategic use of internal links within your website.

Internal links are hyperlinks that connect different pages on your own website. They connect the dots within your website, guiding both users and Googlebot through your content.

These internal connections serve two critical purposes:

Navigation and User Experience: Internal links help guide your visitors through your website, allowing them to easily discover and access related content. This enhances the overall user experience and keeps people engaged with your site.
Search Engine Optimization: Search engines like Google use internal links to better understand the structure and hierarchy of your website. By linking related pages, you:
- Facilitate Crawling: Googlebots use internal links to discover new pages on your site. This helps ensure that all your pages are found and indexed.
- Boost Indexing: By linking to important pages, you signal to Google which content is most valuable. This can improve the chances of these pages being indexed and ranked higher in search results.
- Distribute Link Equity: Internal links help distribute the authority and ranking power (link equity) across your site, which can enhance the SEO.

When it comes to optimizing your internal linking structure, there are a few key best practices to keep in mind:

Use Meaningful Anchor Text: The text you use to hyperlink between pages should be clear and descriptive, giving users (and search engines) a good idea of where the link will take them. Avoid generic phrases like "click here" or "this page."
Maintain a Logical Structure: Organize your internal links in a way that makes sense for your users. Group related content together, create a clear hierarchy, and make it easy for visitors to navigate your site.
Avoid Overoptimization: While internal linking is important, you don't want to go overboard. Too many links can be distracting and make your pages feel cluttered. Use internal links judiciously, focusing on the most relevant and valuable connections.
Leverage Contextual Links: In addition to navigation-focused links in your site's menus or sidebars, incorporate contextual links within the body content of your pages. This helps readers discover additional information that's directly relevant to what they're reading.
Use the Appropriate HTML Element: When creating internal links, be sure to use the proper <a> element with an href attribute. Avoid using other elements like <span>, <div>, or <button> to create links, as this can confuse both users and search engines.
Monitor and Iterate: Regularly review your internal linking structure and make adjustments as needed. Pay attention to user behavior, search engine performance, and any changes to your site's content and organization.

By applying these internal linking best practices, you can create a seamless user experience while also signaling to Google the importance and relevance of your website's content. This, in turn, can lead to improved search rankings, higher traffic, and faster indexing of your "discovered, currently not indexed" pages.

Beyond Internal Linking: Additional Strategies to Address "Discovered - Currently Not Indexed" Pages

While internal linking is a powerful tool to boost the indexing of discovered pages, it's not the only strategy at your disposal. Here are some additional approaches you can use in conjunction with internal linking to address the "discovered - currently not indexed" status:

Enhance Content Quality: Ensure the content on these pages is unique, valuable, and comprehensive. Google prioritizes high-quality content that satisfies user intent.
Optimize Page Speed: Improve the loading speed of these pages by compressing images, minifying CSS and JavaScript, and leveraging browser caching.
Submit for Manual Indexing: Use Google Search Console's URL Inspection tool to manually submit these pages for indexing and request a crawl.
Improve Technical SEO: Check for and fix any crawl errors, ensure proper use of robots.txt, and implement schema markup to provide context about your content.
Enhance Page Authority: Build high-quality backlinks to these specific pages to increase their perceived importance.
Update Content Regularly: Frequently refresh the content on these pages to signal their relevance and currency to search engines.
Optimize Meta Tags: Create compelling, unique title tags and meta descriptions that accurately represent the page content and include relevant keywords.
Check for Duplicate Content: Ensure these pages aren't too similar to others on your site or elsewhere. Use canonical tags if necessary.
Improve Mobile-Friendliness: Make sure these pages provide an excellent experience on mobile devices.
Implement Schema Markup: Use appropriate structured data to provide additional context about the page content.

While these strategies can be effective, remember that internal linking remains a crucial factor in helping search engines discover and understand the importance of your content. By combining these approaches with a strong internal linking strategy, you can significantly improve the chances of your "discovered - currently not indexed" pages moving into the index and appearing in search results.

Unlocking the Power of Integrated SEO

The relationship between the "discovered, not indexed" status and internal linking is a prime example of how various SEO elements work together to drive success. By understanding the underlying reasons behind indexing delays and then leveraging internal links to address those issues, you can take a significant step towards optimizing your website for search engines and users alike.

Remember, SEO is an ongoing process of testing, learning, and refinement. Keep a close eye on your Google Search Console data, continuously review your internal linking structure, and be proactive in making improvements. With patience and dedication, you can unlock your website's full potential and attract more of the right kind of traffic to your valuable content.

Ready to get started? Take a deep dive into your Google Search Console data, identify any "discovered, currenty not indexed" pages, and address any underlying issues through strategic internal linking. Keep iterating, stay informed about the latest SEO best practices, and watch your website soar to new heights.

Acknowledgment

This article is based on insights from a videos by Google Search Central. For a more detailed explanation, you can watch the full videos here:

Google Search isn't indexing my pages

How to use internal linking

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