Google has confirmed that there is a technical issue affecting the indexing of new content in its search engine. The bug was reported by Search Engine Journal on October 6, 2023, and is still not resolved as of this writing. This means that any new content published on websites may not show up in Google search results right away, which could impact the visibility and traffic of publishers and webmasters.
What is the Indexing Bug?
Indexing is the process of adding web pages to Google’s database, which allows them to appear in search results when users query for relevant keywords. Normally, Google crawls and indexes new content within minutes or hours of being published, depending on various factors such as site authority, crawl budget, and sitemap updates.
However, due to the current bug, Google is experiencing delays in indexing new content, which means that it may take longer than usual for new pages to show up in search results. This bug is especially evident when using the ‘Past hour’ or ‘Past 24 hours’ search filters, which show the most recent results for a given query.
Google’s Search Liaison team announced the issue on X on October 6, 2023, at 10:50 a.m Eastern time, and said that they are working on identifying the root cause. They also promised to provide an update within the next 12 hours. However, as of October 7, 2023, at 10:57 a.m Eastern time, there is no official confirmation from Google that the issue has been fixed.
How Does This Affect Publishers and Webmasters?
The indexing bug affects publishers and webmasters who rely on Google search for traffic and exposure. New content that is not indexed by Google may not get the chance to rank for relevant keywords and attract organic visitors. This could impact news publishers in particular, as breaking news stories and other timely content may not get indexed properly.
The bug also affects the performance of tools and features that depend on Google’s index, such as Google News, Google Discover, and Google Analytics. For example, Google News may not show the latest stories from certain sources, Google Discover may not recommend fresh content to users, and Google Analytics may not report accurate data on traffic and conversions.
The bug does not affect the ranking of existing content that is already indexed by Google. However, it may create a temporary gap in the search results for certain queries, which could be filled by older or less relevant pages. This could create an opportunity for competitors to gain an edge over affected sites.
What Can Publishers and Webmasters Do?
Publishers and webmasters who are affected by the indexing bug can do the following:
- Check the status of the issue on the Google Search Status Dashboard, which will indicate when Google has successfully fixed the problem.
- Monitor the indexing status of their new pages using tools such as Google Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools, or [SEMrush]. These tools can show if a page has been crawled and indexed by Google or other search engines.
- Use alternative methods to promote their new content, such as social media, email marketing, or paid advertising. These methods can help drive traffic and awareness to their pages while waiting for Google to index them.
- Be patient and avoid resubmitting their pages to Google repeatedly. Resubmitting pages that are already in the queue may not speed up the indexing process and may even cause more delays.
Conclusion
Google’s indexing bug is a rare but serious technical issue that affects the visibility and traffic of new content in search results. Publishers and webmasters who are affected by the bug should check the status of the issue on the Google Search Status Dashboard, monitor their indexing status using various tools, use alternative methods to promote their new content, and be patient until Google fixes the problem.
