Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article
TL;DR Summary of Google’s John Mueller Advises Against Force Indexing Large Sites
John Mueller from Google advises large websites not to rely on force indexing their pages. He emphasizes that trying to manually push pages into Google Search is generally ineffective and unnecessary. Instead, site owners should use existing tools like the Merchant Center or standard indexing methods. This reflects Google’s ongoing stance that manual indexing requests can indicate potential quality issues with the site.
Optimixed’s Overview: Why Relying on Manual Indexing is Not Advisable for Large Websites
Google’s Stance on Manual Indexing Requests
Google’s Webmaster Trends Analyst, John Mueller, recently reiterated that website owners, especially those managing large sites, should avoid attempting to force indexing their pages via manual requests. This approach is discouraged because it is not an efficient or scalable solution for getting content discovered and ranked in Google Search.
Background and Context
- In 2020, Google noted that sites requesting manual indexing often have underlying quality issues that need addressing.
- Google Search Console’s reindexing requests are not necessary for most pages, as Google continuously crawls and indexes content automatically.
- For merchants and ecommerce sites, Google recommends using the Merchant Center to ensure product information is properly indexed.
Best Practices Suggested by Google
Instead of relying on manual actions to push pages into the index, site owners should focus on:
- Improving overall site quality and content relevance to naturally attract indexing.
- Leveraging Google’s standard crawling and indexing mechanisms.
- Utilizing specialized tools like Merchant Center for product listings.
This approach aligns with Google’s goal to maintain search quality and efficiency, ensuring that indexing reflects the site’s true value and user experience.
