How to Fix 'Discovered – Currently Not Indexed' Errors in Google Search Console

When you’re managing a website and optimizing for search engines, one of the most important aspects to monitor is your site's indexing status. If you've been reviewing your site's health in Google Search Console (GSC), you may have come across the "Discovered – Currently Not Indexed" error under the Coverage report.

This error may seem a bit perplexing, as it suggests that Googlebot has found the page but hasn’t indexed it yet. While Googlebot discovers pages, there are various reasons why a page might not get indexed immediately or at all. Fortunately, this issue can usually be resolved with some attention and adjustments to your site's settings.

In this article, we’ll dive into what the "Discovered – Currently Not Indexed" error means, what causes it, and how you can fix it to ensure your pages are properly indexed by Google.

What Does 'Discovered – Currently Not Indexed' Mean?

The "Discovered – Currently Not Indexed" error in Google Search Console indicates that Google has successfully crawled the URL and found it, but for some reason, it hasn’t yet indexed the page. This means that while Googlebot has discovered the page, it hasn't added it to the index, which is crucial for the page to show up in Google’s search results.

This issue can occur for various reasons. Sometimes, Google may decide not to index a page for a while or it might have other reasons related to the content or structure of the page.

Essentially, the page is on Google's radar, but it's not yet available in search results. As a result, even if the page is visible to you or Googlebot, it won’t show up in organic search.

Why Does the 'Discovered – Currently Not Indexed' Error Occur?

There are several possible causes for the 'Discovered – Currently Not Indexed' error. Understanding these reasons will help you determine the best course of action for fixing the issue.

1. Low-Quality Content

Google has sophisticated algorithms that prioritize indexing pages with high-quality content. If a page is considered to have thin content or does not provide sufficient value to users, Google may choose not to index it.

Example:

• A page with only a few sentences of content or a page with duplicate content could be considered low-quality by Google’s standards, making it less likely to be indexed.

2. Crawl Budget Issues

Every website has a limited crawl budget, which refers to the number of pages Googlebot will crawl on your site within a given timeframe. If you have a large website with many pages, Google might prioritize crawling more important pages over others, leading to some pages being discovered but not indexed.

Example:

• Google may prioritize product pages or blog posts, leaving less important pages, like archive pages, uncrawled or unindexed.

3. Technical Issues (e.g., Robots.txt or Meta Tags)

Certain technical configurations on your site, such as robots.txt settings, noindex meta tags, or HTTP status codes, could prevent pages from being indexed. Google may have discovered the page, but it cannot index it due to these restrictions.

Example:

• A page may have a noindex meta tag, which tells Google not to index it, even though it’s crawled.
• Your robots.txt file could be blocking Googlebot from crawling the page, or the server may return a 404 Not Found or 403 Forbidden status.

4. Duplicate Content

Google tries to avoid indexing duplicate content to provide a better experience for users. If a page’s content is very similar to other pages on your site or on the web, Google might choose not to index it.

Example:

• Multiple pages with very similar content (like product variants or pages with very little content difference) might be considered duplicates, causing Google to skip indexing them.

5. Page Was Recently Updated

If you've recently made changes to a page (such as adding new content or updating the URL), Google may temporarily not index the page while it re-evaluates the content. This delay can occur as Googlebot reviews the page’s content and structure.

Example:

• After making an update to a product description page, Google might take time to ensure that the updated content meets indexing guidelines before including it in search results.

6. Lack of Internal Links

Pages that are not linked to from other pages within your site might not get crawled regularly, leading to them being discovered but not indexed. Internal linking is essential for making sure Googlebot can easily find and crawl all of your important pages.

Example:

• A blog post that is buried deep in your site structure with no links pointing to it may be discovered but not indexed.

How to Fix 'Discovered – Currently Not Indexed' Errors

Now that we understand the common causes, let’s look at the step-by-step solutions for fixing the "Discovered – Currently Not Indexed" error in Google Search Console.

1. Improve the Quality of the Page Content

One of the primary reasons a page might not get indexed is if Google deems the content to be of low quality. To increase the likelihood that your page will be indexed:

• Add more meaningful content: Ensure the page provides value to users. A detailed, informative page is more likely to be indexed.
• Avoid duplicate content: Make sure that the content is unique and not too similar to other pages on your website. If the page is duplicate, use the canonical tag to tell Google which version to index.

2. Check and Optimize Your Crawl Budget

If your site has a lot of pages and you suspect that crawl budget issues might be a factor, here’s what you can do:

• Prioritize important pages: Use internal linking to ensure that important pages are easily accessible to Googlebot. Link to these pages from your homepage, category pages, or other high-traffic pages.
• Submit an updated sitemap: Make sure your XML sitemap is up to date and includes all relevant pages you want indexed. This will help Google know which pages to prioritize.
• Fix low-value pages: If your site has low-value or duplicate pages, consider noindexing or removing them to help Googlebot focus on more valuable pages.

3. Fix Technical Issues (e.g., Robots.txt, Meta Tags)

Technical issues such as incorrect robots.txt settings or meta tags can prevent Google from indexing your pages. To fix these:

• Review your robots.txt file: Make sure you’re not blocking any important pages from being crawled. You can use Google’s robots.txt Tester in GSC to test your file.
• Check for Noindex tags: In the HTML source code of your page, ensure that there’s no noindex tag unless you specifically want to exclude the page from indexing. You can use the URL Inspection Tool to check for any accidental noindex directives.
• Fix HTTP status codes: Ensure the page is returning a 200 OK status code and not a 404 or 403 error.

4. Increase Internal Linking

Pages that lack internal links may be discovered but not indexed. To fix this:

• Add internal links: Ensure that important pages are linked to from other pages on your site. This helps Googlebot discover and index those pages.
• Create a clear site structure: A well-structured website with a logical hierarchy makes it easier for both users and Googlebot to find and navigate your pages.

5. Check for Duplicate Content

If Google detects duplicate content, it may choose not to index the page. Here’s how to address this:

• Use canonical tags: If you have similar pages, ensure that you are using rel=canonical tags to indicate which page Google should prioritize for indexing.
• Consolidate pages: If you have pages with nearly identical content, consider merging them into a single page with more comprehensive information.

6. Give Google Time to Revisit the Page

Sometimes, Google may not index a page immediately after it’s discovered. If your page is newly updated or created, Google may take time to evaluate it. Here’s what you can do:

• Be patient: If you’ve already made updates, it may take some time for Google to crawl and index the page.
• Request indexing: You can manually request Google to re-crawl a page using the URL Inspection Tool in GSC. Click on Request Indexing after Google fetches the page.

Conclusion

The "Discovered – Currently Not Indexed" error in Google Search Console can be frustrating, but it’s often solvable with some tweaks to your site’s content, structure, and technical setup. By improving page content quality, addressing crawl budget issues, fixing technical issues, and ensuring proper internal linking, you can increase the chances of getting your pages indexed by Google.

If you have any questions or need further help with fixing this error, feel free to leave a comment below. And don't forget to visit my website regularly for the latest updates and SEO tips!