Checklist for Google Indexing of New Websites

Help! Google Won’t Index my Website or Content

Launching a new website is an exciting milestone, but ensuring it gets indexed quickly by Google can be challenging. While Bing may index new domains within days, Google may take weeks or even months to fully index a brand-new site. To accelerate this process, follow this detailed checklist that covers essential steps, best practices, and advanced strategies for optimizing indexing.

Free and Essential Quick Checks

The following items we always do for clients for free, with any new website launch.

#1. Verify Noindex Settings

During development, many websites are correctly set to noindex to prevent search engines from crawling unfinished pages. Forgetting to remove this setting after launch is a common oversight that blocks indexing entirely.

Action: Check the <head> section of your website’s HTML for <meta name=”robots” content=”noindex”>. Ensure this tag is removed or changed to <meta name=”robots” content=”index, follow”> before going live.
Tool: Use Google Search Console’s URL Inspection tool to confirm the page is not blocked by noindex.
Tip: Double-check staging environments to ensure noindex isn’t accidentally carried over to the live site.

#2. Verify Your Site in Google Search Console (GSC)

Google Search Console is a critical tool for monitoring and managing your site’s indexing status.

Action: Verify your website in GSC using one of the available methods (e.g., DNS verification, HTML tag, or Google Analytics integration).
Why It Matters: Verification allows you to submit sitemaps, request indexing, and monitor crawl errors.
Best Practice: Verify both the www and non-www versions, as well as http and https, to ensure all variations are covered.

#3. Leverage a Free Blog Post (upon request)

A high-quality blog post can signal to Google that your site is active and relevant, boosting indexing chances.

Action: If available, request a free blog post from a partner service (e.g., PaperStreet) to publish on your site. Ensure the post is relevant to your niche, well-written, and optimized with target keywords.
Why It Matters: Fresh, high-quality content attracts crawlers and establishes topical authority.
Tip: Include internal links to key pages (e.g., homepage, services) within the blog post to guide crawlers.

#4. Submit a Clean XML Sitemap

An XML sitemap acts as a roadmap for search engines, helping them discover and prioritize your pages. You should submit one to Google.

Action: Generate an XML sitemap using tools like Yoast SEO, Rank Math, or an online sitemap generator. Submit it via Google Search Console under the “Sitemaps” section.
Best Practice: Ensure the sitemap includes only indexable pages (e.g., exclude 404 pages, redirects, or duplicate content). Update it regularly as new pages are added.
Tip: Use a dynamic sitemap for larger sites to automatically include new pages.

#5. Optimize Robots.txt

The robots.txt file controls which parts of your site search engines can crawl. Misconfigurations can inadvertently block important content.

Action: Review your robots.txt file to ensure it doesn’t block key pages or resources (e.g., CSS, JavaScript, or images). A basic robots.txt might look like:

User-agent: *
Disallow: /wp-admin/
Allow: /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php
Sitemap: https://www.example.com/sitemap.xml

Tool: Use GSC’s Robots.txt Tester to validate your file.
Tip: Avoid blanket disallow rules (e.g., Disallow: /) that block the entire site.

#6. Craft Unique Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

Unique and descriptive title tags and meta descriptions help Google understand and differentiate your pages. Every page should have a unique title and meta description.

Action: Ensure every page has a unique title (under 60 characters) and meta description (under 160 characters) that include relevant keywords.
Example:

<title>[City] [Practice Area] | [Law Firm Name]</title>
<meta name=”description” content=”Your trusted [City] law firm offering expert legal services in [Practice Area]. Contact us for a free consultation.”>

Why It Matters: Well-optimized tags improve click-through rates and signal relevance to crawlers.
Tip: Avoid keyword stuffing; focus on clarity and user intent.

#7. Use URL Inspection for Immediate Indexing

While we do not submit every new page directly to Google, you can do this after site launch. Google usually caps your manual submission to 5 to 10 submissions per day, depending on your account and domain. Google’s URL Inspection tool (formerly “Fetch as Google”) allows you to request indexing for specific pages.

Action: In GSC, navigate to the URL Inspection tool, enter the URL of your homepage and key pages (e.g., service pages, contact page), and click “Request Indexing.”
Why It Matters: This prompts Google to prioritize crawling and indexing the submitted URLs.
Tip: Use this sparingly, as Google limits the number of indexing requests per day. Focus on high-priority pages.

Additional Considerations for Faster Indexing

The following are additional considerations and things that really need a separate budget / time to setup.

#8. Claim Your Google Business Profile

A verified Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) enhances local visibility and indexing.

Action: Claim and optimize your listing with accurate business details, photos, and services. Include a link to your website.
Cost: Budget for setup if using a third-party service.
Why It Matters: Google prioritizes local businesses with verified profiles, especially for location-based searches.

#9. Avoid Parked or Previously Parked Domains

Parked domains (or domains previously parked) are often deprioritized by Google, as they may lack meaningful content or activity. If you have already chosen a domain, there is not much you can do about this. But before you choose a domain, you might want to see if it was ever parked before.

Action: Ensure your domain is active with a fully functional website. If the domain was previously parked, build a robust site with substantial content to signal activity.
Why It Matters: Google may take months to recognize a previously parked domain as “live” without significant updates.
Tip: Check the domain’s history using tools like the Wayback Machine to confirm it wasn’t parked or penalized.

#10. Write More SEO-Optimized Content and Share on Social

Content is the backbone of indexing. Pages must align with your target keywords and user intent.

Action: Create additional high-quality, unique content for each target keyword or service. For example, if targeting “personal injury lawyer in [City],” ensure a dedicated page with detailed, relevant content.
Why It Matters: Thin or duplicate content can delay indexing or result in poor rankings.
Best Practice: Aim for at least 1,500+ words per page, incorporating target keywords naturally and addressing user needs.

#11. Interlink Your Pages

Internal links help Google discover and prioritize new content faster. Linking fresh pages from your homepage, practice areas pages, and other high-authority sections signals that these pages are important.

Action: Add links to new service pages from the homepage, main practice areas page, and related blog posts.
Why It Matters: Even if a page is in your sitemap, it may not be crawled quickly without internal links pointing to it. Strong interlinking accelerates indexing.
Tip: Use descriptive anchor text (e.g., “DUI Defense Lawyer in Miami” instead of “click here”) to reinforce relevance.

#12. Build Domain Authority with Backlinks

New domains often lack the authority to rank or index quickly. Backlinks from reputable sources can significantly boost visibility. You can see a full list here – https://www.paperstreet.com/internet-marketing/directory-listings/. Each can take 10 to 30 minutes to register and submit your information, so you have 10 to 30 hours of work ahead of you.

Action: Claim listings in the top 50 legal directories (e.g., Avvo, Justia) and general web directories (e.g., Yelp, Yellow Pages). Ensure consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across all listings. Also you can invest in a press release to announce your site’s launch, as these often generate quick backlinks from high-authority news sites. Additionally, pursue guest blogging opportunities, niche directories, or partnerships for natural link-building.
Why It Matters: Backlinks signal to Google that your site is credible and worth crawling.
Tip: Prioritize quality over quantity; a few high-authority links are more valuable than many low-quality ones.

#13. Implement Schema Markup

Structured data (schema markup) helps Google understand your site’s content and context, improving indexing and visibility.

Action: Add relevant schema types, such as LocalBusiness and Attorney, using JSON-LD format. Example:

{

“@context”: “https://schema.org”,

“@type”: “LocalBusiness”,

“name”: “[Law Firm Name]”,

“address”: {

“@type”: “PostalAddress”,

“streetAddress”: “123 Main St”,

“addressLocality”: “[City]”,

“addressRegion”: “[State]”,

“postalCode”: “12345”

“telephone”: “(123) 456-7890”

}

</script>

Tool: Test your schema with Google’s Rich Results Test.
Why It Matters: Schema enhances crawlability and may trigger rich snippets, increasing click-through rates.

#14. Establish a Social Media Presence

Social media profiles can drive traffic and signal activity to Google, indirectly aiding indexing.

Action: Create and optimize profiles on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Include links to your website and post regularly about your services.
Cost: Budget for setup and initial content creation if outsourcing to a professional.
Tip: Share your blog post (from step 3) on social platforms to drive traffic and crawler attention.

Final Notes

By following this comprehensive checklist, you may significantly reduce the time it takes for Google to index your new website. Regularly monitor your site’s performance in Google Search Console, address crawl errors promptly, and continue building high-quality content and backlinks to maintain visibility. For ongoing success, consider investing in professional SEO services to stay competitive in search rankings.