Indexing status

Indexing status indicates whether a search engine includes a URL in its index or why it is absent. The statement relates to the particular search engine and the data available in the information source used.

A reachable page can be absent from the index

In a fictional company website, the integration page opens in a browser. It is nevertheless absent from the search engine’s index being examined. The team therefore checks the recorded URL, the time of the information and any signs of access or indexing problems. The browser view alone does not answer these questions.

Separate inclusion from search results

Google distinguishes crawling, indexing and serving search results. Crawling means fetching a page; it does not automatically result in inclusion in the index. Conversely, a positive indexing status guarantees neither visibility for every query nor a particular position. Record which URL and which statement you are checking before deriving a technical change from the status.

Sources

• Google Search Central: How Search Works