Requesting a specific URL to be indexed on Google Search Console
If you own a website (either on Squarespace or another platform) or create content online, it's really important to make sure that search engines, especially Google, know about your web pages.
This is because it helps bring more natural (a.k.a. organic) and free traffic to your site.
While search engines automatically find new content on the web, there are times when you might want to speed up the process for certain web addresses.
In this article, we'll show you how to ask Google to check and list a specific Squarespace URL /web address.
Watch the tutorial video or read the step by step instructions that follow
What is Google Search Console?
Google Search Console is a free web service provided by Google that allows website owners to monitor, optimise, and troubleshoot the presence of their websites in Google search results. It provides valuable insights into how Google perceives your site, which pages are indexed, and potential issues that may affect your site's visibility.
Why Request Indexing for a Specific URL?
In most cases, Google automatically crawls and indexes web pages based on its algorithms. However, certain scenarios warrant a more proactive approach:
New Content: When you publish a new webpage or make significant updates to an existing one, you may want it indexed promptly to drive traffic and increase visibility
Limited Internal Links: Pages with few or no internal links might be difficult for Google's crawlers to discover. Requesting indexing ensures these pages get a chance to appear in search results
Urgency: Time-sensitive information, such as event announcements or breaking news, requires immediate indexing to be relevant.
Page Not Previously Indexed: If a specific page hasn't been indexed yet, you can request it to speed up the process.
Step-by-Step Guide to Requesting Indexing:
Here's how you can request Google to index a specific URL using Google Search Console:
1 | Log in to Google Search Console
If you don't already have a Google Search Console account, sign up for one and add your website to the dashboard. Verify ownership of the website using one of the available methods
2 | Navigate to the URL Inspection Too
Once logged in, find and select your website property in Google Search Console. In the left sidebar, locate "URL Inspection" under the "Index" section, and click on it.
3 | Enter the URL
In the URL Inspection tool, enter the specific URL you want to request indexing for. Click the "Enter" button to proceed.
4 | Check URL Status
Google will inspect the URL and display its status. If the URL has already been indexed, it will be indicated along with the date of the last crawl. If not indexed, the status will show as "URL is not on Google."
5 | Request Indexing
If the URL is not indexed, click on the "Request Indexing" button. A popup will appear, asking you to confirm the request.
6 | Submit the Request
After confirming, click "Request" to submit the URL for indexing. Google will then prioritise crawling the requested page.
7 | Monitor Indexing Status
Back in the URL Inspection tool, you can monitor the indexing status of the submitted URL.
🥳 That’s how you add a url to Google search console!
Other third-party helpful guides:
URL Inspection Tool: https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9012289?hl=en
We hope you found this article and guide useful in helping request a specific URL to be indexed on Google Search Console.
It’s quite a bit technical and so if you want us to handle anything, get in touch and let us know, we also have great Squarespace support packages that will really help elevate your website!
