If you’ve been monitoring your website in Google Search Console (GSC), you might have come across the frustrating status:
“Crawled – Currently Not Indexed.”
This message means that Google has crawled the page, but has decided not to include it in its index — at least, not yet. It’s a limbo status that leaves many website owners scratching their heads. The good news? There are ways to diagnose and fix this.
In this post, we’ll explain what this issue means, why it happens, and how to improve your chances of getting your content indexed.
🚨 What Does “Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” Mean?
This status appears under GSC > Pages > Excluded and indicates:
- Googlebot accessed the URL
- Google didn’t find the page valuable or ready enough to include in search results
Unlike “Discovered – currently not indexed” (where Google hasn’t even visited the page), your page was crawled but deliberately not indexed.
🧠 Why Google Might Not Index a Crawled Page
Here are some of the most common reasons:
- Thin or Low-Quality Content
Google may see your page as offering little value. - Duplicate Content
Your content might be too similar to other pages on your site or across the web. - Over-optimization or Keyword Stuffing
If it reads like it was written for search engines, not humans, Google might skip it. - Internal Linking Issues
If the page is orphaned (i.e., no internal links point to it), Google might ignore it. - Crawl Budget Prioritization
On large sites, Google may crawl but delay indexing to focus on more important pages. - Recent Changes or New Content
Sometimes it just takes time — especially for brand new sites or pages.
✅ How to Fix It: Step-by-Step
1. Improve Content Quality
Make sure the page:
- Provides unique value (not copied or scraped)
- Has a clear topic and purpose
- Is at least 300–500+ words of well-structured text
- Includes relevant media (images, video, charts)
👉 Ask: Would a user genuinely benefit from reading this page?
2. Check for Duplicates
- Use tools like Siteliner, Copyscape, or even GSC’s URL Inspection Tool.
- Rewrite or consolidate duplicate content into a single canonical page.
3. Improve Internal Linking
- Add contextual links from relevant, high-authority pages on your site.
- Include the page in sitemaps, menus, category pages, or blog roundups.
4. Submit the URL for Indexing
- Use GSC’s URL Inspection Tool → Click “Request Indexing.”
- This can trigger re-crawling and potentially indexing.
⚠️ Don’t abuse this feature — use it selectively on high-quality pages.
5. Ensure Technical SEO is Clean
- Check for noindex tags or canonical tags pointing elsewhere
- Ensure the page is not blocked by robots.txt
- Run a Lighthouse audit or use tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs
6. Build External Backlinks
Google is more likely to index a page that others find valuable. Get backlinks by:
- Promoting content on social media
- Guest blogging
- Email outreach to relevant sites
7. Wait and Monitor
Sometimes, it’s just a matter of patience. Indexing isn’t instant. Monitor:
- GSC for changes in status
- Google Search using:
site:yourdomain.com/page-url
🧰 Bonus Tips
- Update Old Content: Refresh and republish older pages that aren’t indexed
- Avoid Mass Publishing: Posting dozens of similar pages at once can lead to indexing delays
- Use Schema Markup: Helps Google understand your content better
📊 Final Thoughts
“Crawled – Currently Not Indexed” isn’t a penalty — it’s a signal. Google is selective about what it includes in search results. By focusing on content quality, internal linking, and SEO hygiene, you can increase the odds of getting your pages indexed.
Remember: indexing is earned, not guaranteed.
Got pages stuck in this status? Share your experience or URL in the comments — let’s debug it together!