URL not indexed but shows in results?
-
We are working on a site that has a whole section that is not indexed (well a few pages are). There is also a problem where there are 2 directories that are the same content and it is the incorrect directory with the indexed URLs.
The problem is if I do a search in Google to find a URL - typically location + term then I get the URL (from the wrong directory) up there in the top 5. However, do a site: for that URL and it is not indexed! What could be going on here?
There is nothing in robots or the source, and GWT fetch works fine.
-
If you want to share a set of urls I'd be happy to take a look at it in case anything else jumps out.
-
I wouldn't say that the question is answered as such, more an issue identified. For me it looks like having a directory of URLs having a canonical set to another directory of duplicate URLs messes things up for Google.
I get virtually no visibly indexed single URLs out of around 500 URLs, the directory site: search returns the URLs. Some URLs were cached in the last day or 2, and plenty throw a 404 Google page when checking for a cached version. Seems flaky all round.
-
It appears as though they are though. You got what you need then? Your question is answered?
-
The canonical issue is identified. This is more of a "i've never seen that" day. Yes the directory Site: search returns all the URLs, but do a site: search for individual URLs and 95% are not showing as indexed.
-
The site command doesn't always show you every page that is indexed. You can:
- look to see if it has been cached (like you just did); or
- execute a specific site:domain.com/pagename.html or site:domain.com/section/ command to see if Google returns an indexed result; or
- look at Google Analytics to see if the page is receiving any search-engine-sourced page entries.
It sounds like your pages might, in fact, be indexed.
As to the wrong directory content getting indexed, I'm assuming you've no indexed one of them or assigned canonical tags indicating your strong preference. Both of these are only "suggestions" to Google. It can ignore you and when that happens, the situation like the one you describe happens.
The other thing to bear in mind is how long ago you noindexed or tagged your pages. It can take Google days, weeks, months and sometimes forever to catch up to your requested changes. You have to be patient and cross your fingers.
-
yes, a sample page is cached. It was cached today, however that URL using site: is not indexed. This URL was not showing as indexed yesterday either!
-
If you search for the page directly, can you see if a version of it has been cached?
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
Google selecting incorrect URL as canonical: 'Duplicate, submitted URL not selected as canonical'
Hi there, A number of our URLs are being de-indexed by Google. When looking into this using Google Search Console the same message is appearing on multiple pages across our sites: 'Duplicate, submitted URL not selected as canonical' 'IndexingIndexing allowed? YesUser-declared canonical - https://www.mrisoftware.com/ie/products/real-estate-financial-software/Google-selected canonical - https://www.mrisoftware.com/uk/products/real-estate-financial-software/'Has anyone else experienced this problem?How can I get Google to select the correct, user-declared canoncial? Thanks.
Technical SEO | | nfrank0 -
Indexed, but not shown in search result
Hi all We face this problem for www.residentiebosrand.be, which is well programmed, added to Google Search Console and indexed. Web pages are shown in Google for site:www.residentiebosrand.be. Website has been online for 7 weeks, but still no search results. Could you guys look at the update below? Thanks!
Technical SEO | | conversal0 -
Duplicate Landing Pages showing up in search results
Hey Guys, I recently noticed that our Christmas Gifts landing page was ranking twice in the Google serps for the query "Christmas Gifts." One of these pages is an old url that has already been 301 redirected to the new url page which is also showing up in the search results. In the results, the following shows up in position 2 & 3 for the Christmas Gifts query: <cite class="_Rm">www.uncommongoods.com/gifts/christmas/christmas-gifts</cite> <cite class="_Rm">www.uncommongoods.com/occasions/christmas-gifts/christmas-gifts</cite>The url with "occasions" in it has already been 301 redirected to the url above it. Not sure why this is still showing up. I know it takes Google some time to index 301s and sometimes they show old urls, but it's been a few months since the old "occasions" url was redirected.The title tags for these pages are different but they are actually the same page. The new "gifts" version of the url was made live in the Navigation of our site just last week and before that it was hidden from our Navigation. Would this be the reason it's now showing up in search?Any ideas on why this might be happening? ThanksExplanations?
Technical SEO | | znotes0 -
Trailing Slashes on URLs
Hi everyone I have a question on trailing slashes in URL. The crux of it is this: is having both: example.com/subdirectory/ and: example.com/subdirectory on all of your subdirectories considered duplicate content by Google - or in some other way really bad? We have done a heck a lot of research into this, and it would seem...no one knows for sure (it is easy to get lost in a sea of Webmaster tool forums from 2012). Google itself has both URLs for it's subdirectories (try https://www.google.co.uk/maps and https://www.google.co.uk/maps/) as does Moz; and yet there are some rumblings on the internet of people who think you must put a 'redirect' (although not really a redirect as it isn't a 301) in your htaccess file to one or the other (so for example.com/subdirectory/ would 'forward' to example.com/subdirectory); and this is what bbc.co.uk do. We tried putting this htaccess 'forward' in as an experiment, but I noticed our site then stopped being fully crawled by Google bot, so we reversed it. Can any one shed any light?
Technical SEO | | NickOrbital0 -
Webmaster tools not showing links but Moz OSE is showing links. Why can't I see them in the Google Search Console
Hi, Please see attached photos. I have a website that shows external follow links when performing a search on open site explorer. However, they are not recognised or visible in search console. This is the case for both internal and external links. The internal links are 'no follow' which I am getting developer to rectify. Any ideas why I cant see the 'follow' external links? Thanks in advance to those who help me out. Jesse T7dkL5s T7dkL5s OkQmPL4 3qILHqS
Technical SEO | | jessew0 -
How can I see the SEO of a URL? I need to know the progress of a specific landing-page of my web. Not a keyword, an url please. Thanks.
I need to know the evolution on SEO of a specific landing-page (an URL) of my web. Not a keyword, a url. Thanks. (Necesito saber si es posible averiguar el progreso de una URL específica en el posicionamiento de Google. Es decir, lo que hace SEOmoz con las palabras clave pero al revés. Yo tengo una url concreta que quiero posicionar en las primeras posiciones de Google pero quiero ver cómo va progresando en función a los cambios que le voy aplicando. Muchas gracias)
Technical SEO | | online_admiral0 -
Slide show showing up as video in serp
Saw an interesting SERP today that made me wonder how this is working - A search for alaska train tours reveals the Flash slideshow from this page http://www.alaskatours.com/alaska_railroad_packages/alaska_family_tour.htm showing up on the second/third pages. I'm guessing this is the work of a video sitemap perhaps? Unsure how they pulled this off exactly, but I am very interested to see what people think as I could probably use this for a few different sites.
Technical SEO | | NetvantageMarketing0 -
URL Rewrite
We are trying to convince a client to do a massive rewrite from all URL's looking like this: "www.company.com/category/categoryId=82374" to something like "www.company.com/womens/jackets/rain" How would you describe the importance and impact of doing URL rewrites to an ecommerce site? What evidence/research can we share with them to convince them it is worth the time and effort to do?
Technical SEO | | Hakkasan0