'Crawled – Currently Not Indexed': What It Means and How to Fix It

Introduction

The "Crawled – currently not indexed" status in Google Search Console (GSC) is a silent traffic killer. Google found your page but deemed it unworthy of its index, leaving it invisible to 92% of searchers. This affects 1 in 3 websites, with e-commerce and large blogs hit hardest.

This guide explains why this happens and provides actionable fixes backed by case studies, tools, and advanced SEO strategies.

Key Takeaway: Use MyURLMonitor to automate indexing checks and catch issues before they harm rankings.

Why Google Crawls But Doesn't Index

Google's crawlers process over 20 billion pages daily, but only 60% get indexed. Here's why your page might be excluded:

1. Content Quality Failures

• Thin Content: Pages under 800 words with no original insights.
• Keyword Stuffing: Over-optimized text flagged by AI detection.
• Missing Media: No images, videos, or interactive elements.

Example: A blog post titled "Best SEO Tools" with 300 words and affiliate links may be excluded for thin content.

2. Duplicate Content & Cannibalization

• Internal Duplicates: Multiple pages targeting the same keyword.
• Canonical Errors: Pages pointing to the wrong canonical URL.

Diagnostic Tool: Use Screaming Frog to crawl your site and identify duplicates.

3. Poor Site Architecture

• Orphaned Pages: No internal links (e.g., /blog/post-123 with zero internal anchors).
• Deep Nesting: Pages buried 5+ clicks from the homepage.

4. Crawl Budget Waste

• Parameter Bloat: Infinite URL strings (e.g., /product?color=red&size=large).
• Low-Value Pages: Tag archives, empty categories, or outdated content.

Advanced Fixes for 'Crawled – Not Indexed'

1. Content Optimization Framework

Step 1: Audit Content Depth

• Use SurferSEO or Clearscope to compare with top-ranking pages.
• Add "Content Upgrade" sections:
  • Comparison tables
  • Step-by-step tutorials
  • Original research/data

Step 2: Fix AI-Generated Content

• Run text through Originality.ai to detect AI patterns.
• Humanize with:
  • Personal anecdotes
  • Case studies
  • Expert quotes

Case Study: A SaaS company revamped 50 AI-generated pages with user testimonials and saw indexing rates jump from 45% to 82%.

2. Technical SEO Overhaul

Fix Canonical Conflicts:

• Crawl site with Ahrefs or Sitebulb.
• Filter pages with rel=canonical errors.
• Update canonicals to self-referential tags:

<link rel="canonical" href="https://yourdomain.com/target-page" />

Resolve Crawl Waste:

• Block low-value pages via robots.txt:

User-agent: *
Disallow: /search/
Disallow: /filter=

• Use GSC's URL Parameters Tool to consolidate duplicate product variants.

3. Internal Linking Mastery

Strategy 1: Link from High-Authority Pages

Prioritize pages with:

• 1,000+ organic monthly visits
• DA 40+ backlinks

Strategy 2: Fix Orphaned Pages

• Use MyURLMonitor's Crawler to find unlinked pages.
• Add contextual links from:
  • Blog posts
  • Category pages
  • Resource hubs

Example Anchor Text: ✅ "Our 2024 study shows 73% of pages recover from 'Crawled – Not Indexed' with proper internal linking."

4. Indexing Acceleration Tactics

Manual Submission:

• GSC > URL Inspection > Enter URL > Request Indexing.
• Limit: 10 URLs/day.

Automated Submission:

• Use MyURLMonitor's Indexing API to submit 1,000+ URLs/day.
• Track progress via real-time dashboards.

Pro Tip: Combine with social media shares to signal freshness to Google.

Case Study: E-Commerce Recovery

Problem:

A fashion retailer had 1,200 product pages stuck in "Crawled – Not Indexed."

Diagnosis:

• Thin product descriptions (avg. 150 words).
• Duplicate meta titles across sizes/colors.

Solution:

• Expanded descriptions to 500+ words with size charts and fabric details.
• Added unique schema markup for each variant.
• Built 300 internal links from blog posts like "How to Style Summer Dresses."

Results:

• Indexed pages: 200 → 1,100 in 4 weeks.
• Organic revenue: +$12,000/month.

Preventative Maintenance

Automated Monitoring:

• Set up MyURLMonitor alerts for indexing drops.

Quarterly Audits:

• Crawl site to check for orphaned pages.
• Update thin content using Frase.io content scoring.

Crawl Budget Optimization:

• Block crawlers from /admin/ or /test/ paths.

FAQs

Q: How long does Google take to index after fixes?

A: 3-14 days. Use GSC's "Request Indexing" for faster results.

Q: Can I force Google to index a page?

A: No—but improving content and authority increases chances.

Q: Does pagination cause "Crawled – Not Indexed"?

A: Yes, if overused. Add rel=prev/next tags or noindex to paginated pages.