How to get your website indexed in Google (and indexed faster)
A page that isn't indexed can't rank — it doesn't exist as far as Google is concerned. Here's how to get your site and new pages indexed in Search Console, why some pages take weeks, and how to speed the whole thing up.
Search engine optimisation is the best way to earn free, organic traffic — but none of it matters until your pages are indexed. To rank in Google, every page has to be crawled (found) and indexed (stored in Google's database), with any errors cleared along the way. A page that isn't indexed simply doesn't exist as far as search is concerned.
This guide walks through getting your site and new pages indexed in Google Search Console, why some pages take days or weeks, and the practical ways to speed it up. If you'd rather hand the technical side to specialists, it's part of what our SEO team does as standard.
Crawling is Google finding your page. Indexing is Google deciding to store it and consider it for results. You can be crawled and still not indexed — which is why "submitted" doesn't always mean "ranking".
Crawling vs indexing — what's the difference
Google processes pages in stages. First it crawls the page and reads the HTML. Then, often after a delay, it returns to render the full page — including anything loaded by JavaScript — before deciding whether to index it. Rendering is resource-hungry, and even a company Google's size doesn't have infinite crawl resources to throw at every site.
That's why the structure of your pages matters. If your important content is present in the initial HTML, Google can read it in the first pass. If the key content only appears after heavy JavaScript runs, it may sit in a queue waiting for resources — which is a common reason content takes far longer to index.
Submit your site in Google Search Console
Google Search Console (formerly Webmaster Tools) is where you tell Google your site exists, submit it for crawling, and monitor how it performs in results. Getting set up properly is the foundation of being indexed.
- ✓ Add and verify your site. Add your domain as a property in Search Console and verify ownership — connecting your Google Analytics account or adding a verification tag are common methods.
- ✓ Submit your sitemap. Under Sitemaps, submit your XML sitemap (e.g.
/sitemap.xml). This hands Google a map of every page you want found and is the single most efficient way to get a whole site discovered. - ✓ Check the Pages report. Search Console's indexing reports show which pages are indexed and flag errors keeping others out — your checklist for what to fix.
Get new or updated pages indexed quickly
When you publish or substantially update a page, you don't have to wait for Google to find it on its own. The URL Inspection tool at the top of Search Console lets you check any URL and request indexing directly.
- Paste the URL into the inspection bar at the top of Search Console.
- Review the result — it tells you whether the page is already indexed and whether Google can crawl it.
- Click Request indexing to push the page into Google's priority queue.
It's not instant, but it's far faster than waiting passively — and it's the right move every time you ship something important. For pages you don't want indexed at all, like login areas, private data or feeds, block them with a robots.txt file or a noindex tag so Google leaves them out.
We'll find what's blocking your rankings in a free audit.
A senior strategist audits your indexing, technical setup and content, then hands you a prioritised plan to get found and rank — yours to keep, whether or not you work with us.
Why indexing can take days or weeks
There's no fixed timeframe between Google crawling a page and indexing it. Because every site differs and Google's systems are constantly updated, it can take days or even weeks. A site heavy with JavaScript is a frequent culprit, since the content waits for a second, resource-intensive rendering pass before it can be indexed.
New or low-authority sites also tend to be crawled less often, simply because Google allocates crawl resources by trust and value. The good news is that both the structure and the authority problems are fixable.
How to speed up indexing
- Serve key content in HTML. Make sure your main content is readable in the initial HTML rather than locked behind heavy JavaScript, so Google can index it on the first pass.
- Keep a clean, submitted sitemap. An up-to-date XML sitemap in Search Console helps Google find new pages quickly.
- Request indexing for important pages. Use URL Inspection whenever you publish something that matters.
- Build quality backlinks. A backlink is a link from another site to yours. Relevant links from trusted sites tell Google your content is credible — which speeds up indexing and lifts your rankings. A few links from quality, relevant sites beat many from low-quality ones.
- Fix crawl errors. Clear the issues flagged in Search Console so nothing blocks Google from your pages.
Indexing is step one, not the finish
Getting indexed gets you into the race; it doesn't win it. To actually rank, you need genuinely high-quality content — thorough, credible, written by a trusted author, with relevant imagery — that gives the reader real value. If a search asks a question, answer it as completely as you can.
Keywords still matter: target terms with solid search volume and lower competition for your market, and lean into long-tail questions, which face less competition and can earn featured snippets at the very top of results. Start with our guide to keyword research for the method. There are usually dozens of ways to improve a site — and a trusted SEO agency can find the ones that move the needle. See the results in our case studies.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my website indexed in Google?
Add and verify your site in Google Search Console, submit your XML sitemap so Google can find every page, and check the indexing reports for errors keeping pages out. For individual pages, use the URL Inspection tool to check status and request indexing directly — far faster than waiting for Google to find them on its own.
How long does it take Google to index a page?
There's no fixed timeframe — it can take anywhere from hours to several weeks. The delay depends on your site's authority, how often Google crawls it, and how heavily it relies on JavaScript, since JavaScript-heavy pages wait for a resource-intensive rendering pass. New and low-authority sites are typically crawled and indexed more slowly.
Why isn't my page being indexed by Google?
Common causes include key content being locked behind heavy JavaScript rather than present in the HTML, crawl errors flagged in Search Console, a missing or outdated sitemap, low site authority, or the page being blocked by robots.txt or a noindex tag. Search Console's Pages report will usually show you exactly which issue applies.
How can I make Google index my site faster?
Serve your key content in HTML so Google can read it on the first crawl, keep a clean XML sitemap submitted in Search Console, use URL Inspection to request indexing for important pages, build quality backlinks from relevant trusted sites, and fix any crawl errors. Higher authority and cleaner structure both speed indexing up.