If you’ve ever wondered why some of your pages never show up in Google, even though they’re published and look great, the answer often comes down to indexation.
Indexation is how search engines like Google store and organise your website’s pages. If a page isn’t indexed, it’s invisible to searchers, no matter how great your content is. One of the easiest ways to ensure your site is fully crawlable and indexable is through a well-structured XML sitemap.
In this guide, we’ll explain how to check your site’s indexation, fix common issues, and create an effective sitemap.
What is Indexation and Why Does It Matter?
When Google crawls your website, it doesn’t automatically show every page in search results. Only pages that are properly indexed will appear.
Why indexation matters:
- Ensures your important pages appear in search results
- Prevents duplicate content or broken pages from confusing search engines
- Helps search engines prioritise high-value pages
Step 1: Check Your Indexation Using Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool that shows exactly which pages of your site are indexed and if there are issues.
How to check:
- Log in to Google Search Console.
- Select your website property.
- Navigate to Coverage under the Index section.
You’ll see a report broken into categories:
- Valid: Pages successfully indexed
- Excluded: Pages Google has chosen not to index
- Errors: Pages with critical issues
- Valid with warnings: Pages indexed but with potential issues
Common issues you might find:
- Pages accidentally set to “noindex”
- Blocked by robots.txt
- Redirect errors or broken pages
- Duplicate content flagged
Step 2: Identify Pages Not Indexed
Once you know which pages are excluded or causing errors, you can take action.
Tips:
- Review noindex tags: Are they intentional? If not, remove them.
- Check robots.txt: Make sure it’s not blocking important pages.
- Fix redirects or broken pages.
- Consolidate duplicate content or use canonical tags.
Tip: Focus first on high-value pages: your main service pages, product pages, and key blog posts.
Step 3: Create and Submit an XML Sitemap
An XML sitemap is a simple file that lists all important pages on your site. It acts like a roadmap for search engines, helping them find and index your content faster.
How to create a sitemap:
For WordPress:
- Use SEO plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math.
- The plugin automatically generates a sitemap (usually at
yoursite.com/sitemap_index.xml).
For Other Platforms:
- Many website builders (Wix, Squarespace, Shopify) automatically generate a sitemap.
- If you’re coding manually, you can generate one using tools like XML-Sitemaps.com or Screaming Frog.
What to include in your sitemap:
- Main pages (home, services, product pages)
- Blog posts or news articles
- Important category pages
- Exclude pages that are noindex, duplicates, or low-value (like login pages)
Step 4: Submit Your Sitemap to Google
Once your sitemap is ready:
- Go to Google Search Console → Sitemaps.
- Enter the URL of your sitemap (e.g.,
https://www.yoursite.com/sitemap_index.xml) - Click Submit
Google will start crawling your sitemap and index the pages listed. You can monitor progress in the Coverage report.
Step 5: Keep Your Sitemap Updated
Your sitemap should be dynamic — updated automatically whenever you add new pages, posts, or remove outdated ones.
Tips to maintain a healthy sitemap:
- Regularly check Google Search Console for errors
- Ensure new pages are properly linked internally
- Remove old pages or set them to “noindex”
- Re-submit your sitemap if you make major structural changes
Common Sitemap Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Why it’s a problem | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Including noindex pages | Google won’t index them | Exclude them from sitemap |
| Missing important pages | Pages don’t get discovered | Add key pages to sitemap |
| Broken URLs | Causes crawl errors | Fix or remove broken URLs |
| Sitemap too large | Google may only partially read it | Split into multiple sitemaps if >50,000 URLs |
Why This Matters for Your SEO
Even the best content won’t perform if search engines can’t find it. Checking indexation and maintaining a clean, updated sitemap ensures:
- Search engines can crawl your site efficiently
- Important pages get ranked faster
- Duplicate or low-value content doesn’t dilute SEO authority
It’s the backbone of any technical SEO audit — a small step that can have a big impact.
Next Steps
- Log in to Google Search Console and check your coverage report today
- Make sure all your important pages are included in your sitemap
- Submit the sitemap to Google and monitor indexing progress
- Repeat every few months or whenever you add major new content
Want a faster, easier way to check your site’s health? Download our free Technical SEO Audit Checklist, which walks you through indexation, sitemap setup, and all the key technical steps for SEO success.
