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What Is Indexing?
SEO
Updated 18 September 2026
Quick Answer
Indexing is when a search engine stores a crawled page in its database, making it eligible to appear in search results — a page must be indexed before it can rank for anything.
Indexing vs. Crawling — What's the Difference?
| Indexing | Crawling | |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | The page is stored and made eligible to appear in results | A search engine discovers and reads the page in the first place |
Why It Matters
- A page that's crawled but not indexed still can't appear in search results at all, regardless of content quality.
- Checking indexing status is a basic, essential diagnostic step whenever a page isn't showing up in search.
How It Works
- A search engine's crawler discovers and reads a page.
- If the page meets basic quality and technical criteria, it's added to the search engine's index.
- Only indexed pages are eligible to be shown in response to a relevant search.
Key Takeaways
- Indexing means a page is stored and eligible to appear in search results.
- A crawled but unindexed page still can't rank for anything.
- Google Search Console is the direct way to check indexing status.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if my page is indexed?
Google Search Console shows indexing status directly, or you can search 'site:yourdomain.com/page-url' to check manually.
Why would a page not get indexed?
Common causes include thin or duplicate content, accidental blocking (via robots.txt or a noindex tag), or the page simply not yet being crawled.
How long does indexing take after publishing a new page?
It varies, often from a few days to a few weeks, though submitting a sitemap can help speed up discovery.