If you’ve recently noticed a spike in the “Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” status in Google Search Console (GSC), you’re not alone. This strange occurrence has left many webmasters scratching their heads — especially when everything seems in order: no technical errors, fresh content, and clean site structure. So why is Google crawling your page… but refusing to index it?
Let’s dig deep into this mysterious SEO issue and find out what you can do to ensure your content gets the attention it deserves.
The Situation: Crawled But Not Indexed in Google Search Console
Imagine this: Your site is pushing out fresh, high-quality content. It’s technically sound, user-focused, and keyword-optimized. And yet, you head to Google Search Console and see this:
Crawled – Currently Not Indexed
Pages: 214
Spike started: End of May
It’s frustrating. These pages are clearly crawled by Googlebot, so Google is aware of them. But they are simply… not indexed. That means they don’t appear in search results — essentially making your hard work invisible.
What Does “Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” Mean?
This message means that Google has successfully accessed the page, but for whatever reason, it has decided not to include it in its index — at least not yet.
This differs from errors like “Discovered – Currently Not Indexed,” where the page hasn’t even been crawled, or from issues like soft 404s or canonical mismatches.
Key point: It’s not a crawling issue — it’s an indexing decision.
Common Reasons Google Crawls but Doesn’t Index
Let’s look at the most common (and subtle) reasons this happens:
Low Perceived Value or Thin Content
Google’s algorithm is highly selective. If it feels your page doesn’t offer unique or substantial value beyond what’s already indexed, it might choose to skip it. This could happen even if your content is newly published.
What to check:
-
Does your page cover a topic already saturated in Google?
-
Is your content original, in-depth, and useful?
-
Are there enough internal links pointing to this page?
Indexing Delay from Google
In some cases, especially around core update rollouts or crawling infrastructure changes, Google may take longer to process and index new content. This appears to be a plausible reason behind the end-of-May spike many are reporting.
What to do:
Be patient. If the page has value, Google may index it eventually. Monitor for 1–3 weeks.
Crawl Budget vs. Site Authority
Google doesn’t index everything it crawls — especially on large or low-authority sites. If your domain is newer or not perceived as highly authoritative, Google may hold back on indexing less critical pages.
Tips:
-
Build more quality backlinks to improve site authority.
-
Focus on E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust.
Poor Internal Linking Structure
Google heavily relies on internal links to understand page relevance. If your content isn’t well-integrated into your site’s architecture, it might get crawled but deemed unimportant.
Best practices:
-
Add internal links from your high-traffic pages.
-
Use keyword-rich anchor texts relevant to the page.
Duplicate or Near-Duplicate Content
If your content is too similar to another already indexed page (yours or someone else’s), it might get ignored.
Fix:
-
Use tools like Copyscape or Siteliner to detect duplicate content.
-
Add unique insights, visuals, FAQs, or updated stats to set it apart.
Over-Optimization or SEO Spam Signals
Sometimes, too much SEO can hurt — keyword stuffing, unnatural internal links, or overuse of similar metadata can make a page appear spammy.
Ensure that:
-
Meta titles and descriptions are unique.
-
Keyword usage is natural, not excessive.
How to Encourage Google to Index Your Pages
If your pages are stuck in “Crawled – Currently Not Indexed,” here are actionable steps you can take:
Request Indexing in Google Search Console
This is the most direct approach. Use the URL Inspection Tool to manually request indexing. It’s not guaranteed, but it often works for high-quality pages.
Build Internal and External Links
Link equity is a strong indexing signal. Point internal links from strong pages to the affected page. Even better, get external backlinks from relevant sources.
Improve Content Quality
Update the page with:
-
More detailed content
-
Original research or statistics
-
Images, infographics, videos
-
FAQ schema to enhance visibility
Reduce Crawl Waste
Clean up:
-
Broken links
-
Redirect chains
-
Orphan pages
This allows Googlebot to focus on your high-value content.
Check for Technical Errors
Use tools like:
Look for crawl anomalies, canonical errors, noindex tags, or robots.txt misconfigurations.
When to Worry — And When Not To
Don’t panic immediately.
If the spike occurred recently (e.g., around the end of May), it may be a temporary delay or a part of Google’s internal update cycles. Give it time.
Start investigating if:
-
The status persists beyond 30 days
-
You see a pattern across multiple pages
-
There are significant traffic drops
Final Thoughts: SEO Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
“Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” can be frustrating, but it’s not the end of the world. Think of it as feedback — a chance to improve your content, strengthen your site, and fine-tune your SEO strategy.
Google is always evolving, and so should your approach. Stay focused on value, structure, and user experience. The index will follow.
Bonus Tip: Monitor Your Indexing Patterns Weekly
Use tools like:
-
Google Search Console (Coverage Report)
-
Index Coverage API
-
Sitemap submissions
This helps spot trends early and stay proactive in your indexing strategy.
Need Help Fixing Indexing or SEO Issues?
Whether you’re an in-house marketer or run your own site, understanding how Google treats your content is crucial. If you’re stuck with indexing issues or just want your site to perform better in search — reach out to an SEO expert who understands the algorithm and the game.
