Why is Google not indexing my Webflow website despite submitting the sitemap through Search Console?
TL;DR
- Check Google Search Console for indexing errors and review any excluded or not indexed pages.
- Ensure no index settings are disabled in Webflow's SEO settings and robots.txt isn’t blocking important pages.
- Verify your sitemap is submitted and accessible in Google Search Console.
- Use URL Inspection Tool to test if Google can fetch and index your page, then request indexing if needed.
- Improve content quality and internal linking to enhance discoverability.
- Build backlinks and increase external mentions to encourage Google to crawl your site.
- Check for technical SEO issues like slow loading or mobile-unfriendliness using audit tools.
If Google is not indexing your Webflow website despite submitting the sitemap in Google Search Console, there are several possible reasons. Follow these steps to diagnose and fix the issue.
1. Check for Indexing Errors in Search Console
- In Google Search Console, go to Pages under the Indexing tab.
- Look for "Excluded" or "Not Indexed" pages and check reasons like Crawled - currently not indexed, Discovered - currently not indexed, or Blocked by robots.txt.
- Click on individual URLs to see specific details.
2. Ensure Your Site Is Not Set to “No Index”
- In Webflow, go to Pages Panel (left sidebar).
- Click on each page, scroll down to SEO settings, and check if "Exclude this page from search engines" is enabled. If enabled, disable it and re-publish the site.
- Go to Project Settings > SEO, and ensure your robots.txt is not blocking important pages (e.g., avoid
Disallow: /).
3. Verify Sitemap Submission & Accessibility
- In Search Console, go to the Sitemaps section and confirm that /sitemap.xml has been submitted without errors. Example:
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml. - Copy the sitemap URL and open it in a browser to ensure it's accessible.
4. Use the URL Inspection Tool
- In Google Search Console, go to URL Inspection and enter your homepage URL (e.g.,
https://yourdomain.com). - Click Test Live URL to see if Google can fetch it.
- If the status is "URL is not on Google," click "Request Indexing" to force Google to crawl it.
5. Improve Content & Internal Linking
- Pages with little or duplicate content may not get indexed. Ensure high-quality, unique text on each page.
- Add internal links to important pages from your homepage and other indexed pages.
6. Increase Backlinks & External Mentions
- If your site is new, Google may take longer to index it.
- Build backlinks from social media, forums, and authoritative websites to encourage crawling.
7. Resolve Technical SEO Issues
- Run a site audit using Google PageSpeed Insights or Ahrefs/Semrush to identify loading issues.
- Make sure your site is mobile-friendly using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
Summary
To get your Webflow website indexed, check for Search Console errors, ensure no index settings aren’t enabled, verify your sitemap, use the URL inspection tool, and improve internal linking, backlinks, and content quality. If the issue persists, wait a few days, as indexing can take time for new websites.