To get Google to index your site faster, submit an XML sitemap in Google Search Console, use the URL Inspection tool's "Request indexing" for key pages, link to new pages from pages Google already crawls, and remove anything blocking crawling, such as noindex or robots.txt rules. Fast, error-free pages with useful content get crawled more readily.
This guide covers each step in order, the shortcuts that do not work, and what to do if pages still will not index.
Key takeaways
- Submit an XML sitemap in Search Console and use Request indexing for your most important new or updated pages.
- Clear blockers first, such as noindex tags, robots.txt rules or a canonical pointing to another URL.
- Link new pages from pages Google already crawls, since Google mainly finds pages through links.
- Repeat indexing requests, sitemap pings and paid instant indexing services do not speed up indexing.
How long does Google take to index a new page?
There is no fixed time. Google's documentation says crawling "can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks," and that requesting a recrawl does not guarantee a page will appear in results "quickly or even at all." Established, frequently updated sites with good internal linking tend to be crawled more often than new or rarely changed ones.
Step 1: Make sure nothing is blocking Google
There is no point asking Google to index a page it is not allowed to index. Google's technical requirements are that Googlebot is not blocked, the page returns HTTP 200, and it has indexable content. Check:
- No
<meta name="robots" content="noindex">in the page source and noX-Robots-Tag: noindexheader. - robots.txt does not disallow the page or the CSS and JavaScript it needs. See our robots.txt guide.
- The canonical tag points to the page itself, not to another URL.
- The page is not behind a login or a "coming soon" plugin.
MakeItFlow checks noindex, robots.txt, canonical tags and your sitemap in one scan when you run a free website audit, which is a quick way to clear these before you start requesting indexing.
Step 2: Submit an XML sitemap
A sitemap lists the URLs you want indexed. In Search Console, go to Indexing > Sitemaps, enter the sitemap URL (often /sitemap.xml or /sitemap_index.xml on WordPress) and submit. Also reference it in robots.txt so other crawlers find it:
Sitemap: https://www.example.com/sitemap.xml
Key rules from Google:
- A single sitemap is limited to 50MB uncompressed or 50,000 URLs; split larger sites with a sitemap index.
- Google ignores
<priority>and<changefreq>. - It does use
<lastmod>, but only if it is "consistently and verifiably accurate". Update it when the main content changes, not on every page load.
Google retired its old sitemap "ping" URL in 2023, so plugins that still ping it do nothing. Submitting through Search Console or robots.txt is the supported route. More detail is in our XML sitemap guide.
Step 3: Request indexing for your most important pages
For a handful of new or updated pages:
- Open Search Console and paste the full URL into the inspection bar at the top.
- Wait for the result. If it says "URL is not on Google", click Test live URL to confirm Google can fetch it.
- Click Request indexing.
There is a daily quota for these requests, and Google says requesting the same URL several times "won't get it crawled any faster." Use it for pages that matter, such as a new service page or a corrected price, and rely on the sitemap for everything else.
Step 4: Link to new pages from pages Google already visits
Google says it "primarily finds pages through links from other pages it already crawled." Links from your homepage, main navigation or popular articles tell Google a new page exists and is important.
- Add the new page to a relevant category or hub page.
- Link to it from two or three related existing articles, using descriptive anchor text.
- Avoid orphan pages that only appear in the sitemap.
Our internal linking strategy guide explains how to structure this across a site.
Step 5: Earn a few external links and mentions
A link from a site Google already crawls often is another discovery route. For a small business that might be your Google Business Profile, a supplier's stockist page, a local business association, or a trade directory relevant to your industry. You do not need many; you need real ones.
Step 6: Keep your server fast and error-free
Google adjusts how much it crawls based on how your server responds. If pages are slow or return 5xx errors, Googlebot backs off. Check the Crawl stats report in Search Console (under Settings) for response times and errors, and talk to your host or developer if the average response time is high.
Step 7: Make pages worth indexing
Google does not index every URL it finds. Pages that are thin, near-duplicates of other pages or add nothing new are often left as "Crawled – currently not indexed". Give each page a clear purpose, original content and a reason to exist that is different from its neighbours. If you already have pages stuck in that status, our guide to crawled and discovered but not indexed pages walks through the fixes.
What does not speed up indexing?
| Tactic | Why it does not help |
|---|---|
| Requesting indexing again and again | Google says repeat requests do not speed up crawling, and you will hit the quota |
| Pinging Google's sitemap URL | The endpoint was deprecated in 2023 and now returns a 404 |
| Google's Indexing API for normal pages | Google says it can only be used for pages with JobPosting or BroadcastEvent in a VideoObject |
| Paid "instant indexing" services | Nothing can force Google to index a page; many rely on spammy links |
Changing <priority> or <changefreq> |
Google ignores both |
| Republishing the same post with a new date | Changing dates without real changes undermines trust in your lastmod |
How do I know if it worked?
Re-inspect the URL in Search Console after a few days. "URL is on Google" means it is indexed and eligible to appear. For a site-wide view, the Page indexing report shows indexed and non-indexed counts with the reasons. Our sister guide on checking whether a specific page is indexed goes deeper, but for most site owners URL Inspection plus the Page indexing report is enough.
What about Bing and AI search tools?
Bing supports IndexNow, a protocol that lets you notify participating search engines when URLs change, and many SEO plugins and CDNs can send these pings automatically. Google does not use IndexNow, so keep using Search Console for Google. If you also care about appearing in AI assistants, MakeItFlow's AI crawler checker shows whether your robots.txt is blocking the main AI crawlers.
What to do next
Clear any blockers, submit your sitemap, request indexing for your five most important pages and link to them properly from the rest of your site. Then give it a couple of weeks before judging. If pages remain unindexed after that, the issue is almost always quality, duplication or a technical block rather than speed.
Frequently asked questions
How many URLs can I submit with Request indexing?
Google applies a daily quota per Search Console property but does not publish the exact number. For more than a handful of URLs, Google recommends submitting a sitemap instead.
Should I resubmit my sitemap every time I publish?
Not usually. Once Google knows your sitemap, it fetches it periodically. Make sure your CMS updates it automatically and keeps lastmod accurate. Resubmitting does no harm after a big batch of changes.
Does social media sharing get pages indexed faster?
It can help discovery if the post is public and crawlable, but it is unreliable. Internal links and a sitemap are much more dependable signals.
Why is Google indexing my old page instead of the new one?
Google shows the most recently indexed version until it recrawls. Request indexing for the updated URL. If you changed the URL, add a 301 redirect from the old address so signals pass to the new one.
Do I need to verify my site in Search Console to get indexed?
No. Google can find and index sites without Search Console. Verification simply gives you the tools to submit sitemaps, request indexing and see problems, which makes it far easier to speed things up.
Sources
Written by the MakeItFlow team
We build the website audit these guides are based on. Every fact is checked against the primary sources listed above and this guide was last reviewed on 25 October 2026 . How we research and check
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