"I purchased a domain through Namecheap/EasyWP and linked it to Search Console in early June, submitting a sitemap at that time. On June 22, I encountered an issue where 63 pages were labeled as 'discovered - not indexed' and received an error message about overloading my Wordpress account from Google. I clicked 'validate fix,' and on June 25, validation passed, but only because the 63 pages were no longer discovered. As of August 1, only my homepage is indexed. I have already submitted a sitemap, manually requested indexing for new blog posts, and checked for any penalties. I am willing to wait for Google to index properly, but the fact that blog posts are not even being discovered seems unusual, considering I have submitted a sitemap and the maximum page depth is 3. Any insights on what could be causing this issue or what I might have done wrong would be appreciated."
The lack of page discovery despite submitting a sitemap and having a shallow page depth could be attributed to several factors.
- Technical Issues: Though you’ve validated a fix for the server overload, there might be lingering technical issues preventing Google from crawling your site. Ensure your site is properly configured with robots.txt and that there are no other technical roadblocks hindering crawling.
- New Site Penalty: As a new website, Google might be cautious about indexing your content. It’s possible your website is subject to a temporary “sandbox effect,” where Google holds back indexing until it gains more confidence in the website’s quality and content.
- Sitemap Issues: Even though you submitted a sitemap, it’s possible there are errors in the sitemap itself preventing Google from understanding your site structure. Double-check your sitemap’s accuracy and format.
- Slow Website Speed: A slow website can impact crawling and indexing. Ensure your website is optimized for speed.
- Insufficient Content: Google prioritizes websites with high-quality, relevant content. Ensure your blog posts are well-written, engaging, and provide value to readers.
While waiting for Google to index your pages, continue monitoring your Search Console for any error messages or indexing issues. Implementing the above suggestions can significantly improve your chances of getting your pages indexed. Remember, indexing can take time, and patience is key.