How to Get a New Website Indexed by Google
You have launched a new website, searched for it, and found nothing. That is normal at first. Google needs to discover and process your pages, which can take from a few days to a few weeks. These steps help the process along and make sure nothing is blocking it.
Step 1: Make sure nothing is blocking you
The most common reason a new site is missing is an instruction left over from development:
- Remove any site-wide
noindextag. See noindex and nofollow - Check that robots.txt does not disallow the whole site
- In WordPress, make sure the setting that discourages search engines from indexing the site is switched off
- Remove password protection from the live site
Step 2: Set up Google Search Console
Verify your site, ideally as a domain property. See how to set up Google Search Console. It shows what Google knows about your site and reports problems.
Step 3: Submit your sitemap
Create an XML sitemap listing your important pages and submit it in Search Console. See what is a sitemap.xml. It helps Google discover pages, though it does not guarantee indexing.
Step 4: Request indexing for key pages
Use the URL Inspection tool to inspect your homepage and a few important pages, then request indexing. This is useful for new pages, but there is a quota, and repeated requests do not speed things up. Do not submit the same page again and again.
Step 5: Get links to your site
Google discovers pages by following links, so links from other sites help it find you sooner. Easy starting points:
- Your Google Business Profile. See setting up Google Business Profile
- Social media profiles
- Local directories and associations. See which online directories matter
- Partners and suppliers who can link to you
Step 6: Link your pages together
Every page should be reachable by links from your navigation or other pages. See internal linking. Orphan pages with no links can be overlooked.
Step 7: Make the site worth indexing
Google does not index everything it finds. Pages with thin, duplicated, or low-value content may be left out. Give each page a clear purpose and useful content. See on-page SEO checklist.
Step 8: Check your technical basics
Make sure pages load successfully, work on mobile, and use HTTPS. See the technical SEO checklist.
Step 9: Be patient and monitor
Check the page indexing report in Search Console. If pages show as "Discovered, currently not indexed" or "Crawled, currently not indexed," that means Google has seen them but has not added them yet, often due to site newness or perceived quality. Improve the content, add links, and wait.
What not to do
- Do not buy "guaranteed indexing" services
- Do not create hundreds of low-quality pages
- Do not keep re-submitting the same URL
Rankings come later
Being indexed is the first step. Ranking takes time and good content. See how Google crawls and indexes your site and the launch checklist.
The bottom line
Remove blocks, verify in Search Console, submit a sitemap, earn a few links, and publish worthwhile pages. Then allow a few weeks for Google to catch up.