Indexing is when a search engine stores your page in its database so it can show up in results.
After a crawler finds a page, Google decides whether to keep it in its index. Indexing comes before ranking. A page that is not indexed has no chance to rank at all.
In everyday terms: Getting your page added to Google's library. If it is not on the shelf, nobody can find it.
Why it counts
- No index, no traffic. An unindexed page is invisible in search.
- Not automatic. Google chooses what to index, and it skips some pages.
- Quality gate. Thin or duplicate pages often get left out.
How to help it
- Submit a sitemap. Hand Google a list of the URLs you want found.
- Stay crawlable. Do not block important pages in robots.txt.
- Be worth indexing. Useful, unique pages get kept; filler gets dropped.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my page indexed?
Make sure it is crawlable, submit it in your sitemap, and request indexing in Search Console. Most of all, give it real value, since Google skips thin pages.
Why is my page not indexed?
Common causes are a noindex tag, a robots.txt block, duplicate content, or low quality. The Pages report in Search Console names the exact reason.
How long does indexing take?
Anywhere from hours to a few weeks. New or low-authority sites usually wait longer; requesting indexing can speed it up.