When it comes to SEO, one of the most important steps is ensuring that your website’s pages are indexed by Google. Without proper indexing, your content won’t appear in search results, which can significantly limit your site’s visibility and traffic. Think of indexation as the equivalent of getting listed in a library’s catalog—if it’s not there, people won’t even know your content exists.

This quick guide will show you how to check how many of your pages are indexed on Google and ensure that your website is set up for success.

Why Checking Indexed Pages Matters

Indexed pages are the gateway to being discovered online. If Google hasn’t indexed your content, it’s essentially invisible to searchers. Regularly checking your indexed pages helps you identify issues, such as missing or unindexed pages, crawl errors or blocked content, and opportunities to optimize underperforming pages.

SEO isn’t just about keywords and backlinks—it’s about creating a discoverable online presence. If your pages aren’t indexed, even the best content won’t make an impact.

Quick Ways to Check Indexed Pages on Google

1. Use the site: Search Operator

The fastest way to check how many of your pages are indexed is by using the site: operator directly in Google Search.

  • Open Google Search.
  • Type site:yourdomain.com (replace yourdomain.com with your website’s URL).
  • Press Enter.

Google will display all indexed pages for your website. The number at the top indicates the approximate total of indexed pages.

The site: operator acts like a quick snapshot of how “visible” your website is.

2. Google Search Console

Google Search Console (GSC) provides a more detailed view of your site’s indexation status.

  • Log in to Google Search Console.
  • Navigate to the “Coverage” report under the “Indexing” section.
  • Review the “Valid” pages—these are the pages currently indexed by Google.

GSC also highlights pages that couldn’t be indexed, offering insights into potential issues like crawl errors or “noindex” directives.

Pro Tip: Set up regular alerts in GSC to get notified of indexation issues. Think of it as setting up notifications for your bank account—you want to know immediately if something’s off.

3. Index Coverage Reports

Within Google Search Console, the Index Coverage report offers a breakdown of your website’s indexation status.

  • Valid Pages: Successfully indexed pages.
  • Excluded Pages: Pages deliberately or mistakenly excluded (e.g., blocked by robots.txt or noindex tags).
  • Errors: Pages that Google tried to index but failed due to server errors, redirects, or other technical issues.

This report is particularly useful for identifying and resolving technical SEO problems.

4. Third-Party SEO Tools

Several SEO tools can help you check indexed pages and identify potential indexing issues. Tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Screaming Frog allow you to analyze the number of indexed pages, compare indexed pages to your site’s sitemap, and identify technical SEO issues blocking indexation.

Common Issues with Indexation

  • Noindex Tags: Ensure noindex directives are only used on pages you intentionally want excluded.
  • Blocked by robots.txt: Check your robots.txt file to ensure Google isn’t being blocked from important areas of your site.
  • Duplicate Content: Google may exclude duplicate pages from its index. Use canonical tags to consolidate duplicate content.
  • Thin Content: Pages with very little useful content might not get indexed.

Pro Tip: Imagine you’re curating a gallery exhibit. Google is the curator—it wants the most unique and valuable pieces to display. Thin or duplicate content often gets ignored because it doesn’t add value to the “exhibit.”

Why Pages Might Not Be Indexed

  • New Pages: Google hasn’t crawled them yet.
  • Slow Server Response: Pages taking too long to load might not be indexed.
  • Low Quality: Pages with poor content or technical issues may be skipped by Google.
  • Broken Links: Links pointing to nonexistent or incorrectly redirected pages can prevent indexation.

Getting your site in the “library”: Think of indexing like a librarian curating books to add to the “library”. If your content is valuable, fast, and error-free, Google gives it a thumbs-up and adds it to its “library.”

How to Ensure Your Pages Get Indexed

  • Submit a Sitemap: Create and submit your XML sitemap to Google Search Console to help Google crawl and index your pages.
  • Fix Errors: Use the Index Coverage report to address errors and exclusions.
  • Build Internal Links: Link to new pages from high-traffic, indexed pages to help Google discover them faster.
  • Improve Content Quality: Ensure each page provides unique, valuable content that aligns with user intent.

Now You Know!

Checking your indexed pages is a fundamental SEO task that ensures your content is discoverable by search engines. Tools like Google Search Console and simple search operators make it easy to stay on top of your site’s indexation status.

By addressing common indexing issues and proactively submitting your content to Google, you can maximize your site’s visibility and reap the full benefits of your SEO efforts. Remember, unindexed pages are like unread books—beautiful, but ultimately unseen. Regularly monitor your indexing to keep your site growing and thriving.