When Google Rejects Your Pages: Causes & Solutions
In the "Page Indexing" report, Google shows you exactly which URLs are in the index and which are not. Don't be discouraged by high numbers under "Not indexed" – often, these are intentional exclusions. Here are the most important messages in detail:
Common Messages Explained
1. Crawled – currently not indexed:
Google has read the page but decided not to include it (yet).
Solution: Check the quality. Is the text too short (thin content)? Does the page offer value? Often, expanding the content and requesting indexing again helps.
2. Discovered – currently not indexed:
Google knows the URL (e.g., from the sitemap) but hasn't even visited it yet.
Solution: No need to worry. Google has simply postponed the visit. You can speed up indexing manually via "URL Inspection."
3. Duplicate without user-selected canonical:
Google found an identical or very similar page that is already in the index.
Solution: Use Canonical Tags. Explicitly tell Google which version is the "main page." Especially important for product variants (e.g., different colors).
4. Not found (404):
Google followed a link that leads to a dead end.
Solution: If the page was permanently deleted, a 404 is correct. However, if you want to keep the traffic, set up a 301 redirect to a successor product.
Caution with "Blocked by robots.txt"
If you see this message, your robots.txt file is forbidding the Google bot from accessing the page. Check if you have accidentally blocked important categories. A typical entry for shops is blocking shopping cart or login pages – this is correct and should remain so.
When Do You Need to Act?
Focus on the URLs that are important for your revenue. The fact that "Legal Notice," "T&Cs," or the "Shopping Cart" are sometimes not indexed is irrelevant for your ranking. However, if your **top products** appear under "Crawled – currently not indexed," action is required regarding the content.
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