What is indexation?

Imagine the internet as a huge library, and search engines like Google are the librarians. When you create a new book (or a webpage), you want the librarians to know about it so they can add it to their catalog. Indexation is that process: it's when a search engine discovers your website's pages and adds them to its vast database.

For your website to show up when someone searches for something related to your business, its pages must first be indexed. If a page isn't indexed, it's essentially invisible to search engines, meaning no one can find it through organic search. It's like having a book in the library that isn't in the catalog; nobody knows it exists.

Search engines use automated programs called crawlers or spiders to visit websites, read their content, and follow links. These crawlers collect information about your pages and send it back to the search engine. Then, the search engine processes this information and decides whether to add your page to its index. This entire process is fundamental to your online visibility.

Why it matters

Indexation is the first critical step for your website to gain visibility in search results. Without it, all your hard work on creating great content, designing a beautiful website, and optimizing it for keywords would be in vain. Here's why it's so important:

• Organic traffic: When your pages are indexed, they have the chance to rank for relevant search queries. This brings organic traffic, which is free and highly targeted visitors to your site.
• Credibility and authority: Being present in search results helps establish your brand as a credible source of information or products in your industry.
• Customer reach: People use search engines every day to find answers, products, and services. Indexation ensures your business can be found by potential customers at their moment of need.
• Foundation for SEO: Every other SEO effort, from keyword optimization to link building, relies on your pages being indexed first. It's the absolute baseline for any successful search engine optimization strategy.

How to improve indexation

Getting your pages indexed efficiently is key. Here are some practical steps you can take to encourage search engines to discover and add your content:

Create high-quality, unique content

Search engines prioritize valuable, original content that truly helps users. Pages with thin, duplicate, or low-quality content are less likely to be indexed or might be indexed with lower priority. Focus on creating helpful blog posts, detailed product descriptions, and informative service pages.

Build and submit a sitemap

A sitemap is like a table of contents for your website, listing all the important pages you want search engines to crawl and index. You can create an XML sitemap and submit it to Google Search Console (and other search engine webmaster tools). This gives search engines a clear roadmap of your site.

Ensure crawlability

Search engine crawlers need to be able to access your pages. Things that can block them include:

• Robots.txt file: This file tells crawlers which parts of your site they should or shouldn't visit. Make sure you haven't accidentally blocked important pages.
• Noindex tags: These are codes in your page's HTML that tell search engines not to index that specific page. Use them only for pages you truly want to keep out of search results.
• Broken links: If crawlers encounter too many broken links, they might stop crawling your site effectively.

Use internal linking

Link from one page on your site to another. This helps crawlers discover new pages as they follow these links. It also passes authority between your pages, which can help with ranking. For example, link from a blog post about 'email marketing strategies' to your 'email marketing service' page.

Fix broken links and redirects

Broken links (links that lead to a non-existent page) are a dead end for crawlers. Regularly check for and fix them. Use 301 redirects for pages that have moved permanently to guide both users and crawlers to the new location.

Best practices for ongoing indexation

Indexation isn't a one-time task; it's an ongoing process. Maintain these practices for sustained visibility:

Regularly update content

Fresh content signals to search engines that your site is active and relevant. Update old blog posts, add new products, or refresh service descriptions. This encourages crawlers to revisit your site more often.

Monitor with Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a free tool that provides insights into how Google sees your site. You can check your index coverage report to see which pages are indexed, which have errors, and why. You can also request specific pages to be indexed or re-indexed.

Optimize for mobile

With most searches happening on mobile devices, Google primarily uses the mobile version of your content for indexing and ranking. Ensure your website is responsive and provides a good experience on all devices.

Understanding and actively managing indexation is fundamental to your website's success in search engines. By ensuring your content is discoverable and accessible, you lay the groundwork for increased traffic, better visibility, and ultimately, business growth.