Google Discourages Force Indexing Pages to Search

Google has once again clarified its stance on force indexing — and the message is clear: it’s not a sustainable SEO strategy.

Recently, John Mueller from Google advised website owners not to rely on trying to “force” indexing their pages into Google Search. His comment reinforces what Google has been saying for years — quality and proper technical setup matter more than manual indexing requests.

What Did Google Say?

In response to a discussion about manual indexing workarounds, Mueller stated:

“I strongly recommend not relying on trying to force indexing — it doesn’t make sense for any reasonably large site. Use the existing mechanisms, use Merchant Center if you’re selling products.”

This advice is particularly relevant for growing businesses and eCommerce websites that attempt to manually push URLs into the index using tools like Google Search Console.

Why Force Indexing Is Not Recommended

While requesting indexing may seem like a quick fix, it’s not a long-term solution. Here’s why:

1. It Doesn’t Scale

For small sites with a handful of pages, occasional indexing requests may work. But for large websites with hundreds or thousands of URLs, it becomes impractical.

2. It May Signal Quality Issues

Back in 2020, Google indicated that websites frequently needing manual indexing could be experiencing quality or crawlability problems.

If Google isn’t naturally discovering and indexing your content, the issue may lie in:

• Poor internal linking
• Weak content quality
• Technical crawl barriers
• Slow site performance

3. Reindexing Isn’t Always Necessary

Google has also clarified that you don’t need to reindex pages repeatedly unless there are substantial changes. Constantly requesting indexing doesn’t accelerate rankings.

What You Should Do Instead

Rather than trying to “force” indexing, Google recommends using established systems and best practices:

• Submit accurate XML sitemaps
• Strengthen internal linking
• Improve page quality and user experience
• Fix crawl errors
• Use structured data where relevant
• For eCommerce sites, leverage Google Merchant Center

For product-based businesses, Merchant Center helps Google better understand inventory, pricing, and availability — improving discoverability organically.

The Bigger SEO Takeaway

Indexing is not a ranking strategy it’s a technical foundation. If your pages aren’t getting indexed naturally, the solution is rarely “submit again.” Instead, focus on building authority, relevance, and technical excellence.

Force indexing might feel like a shortcut, but Google continues to discourage it — especially for larger sites. Sustainable SEO comes from fixing root causes, not repeatedly submitting URLs.

If your website is struggling with indexing issues or relying too heavily on manual submissions, it may be time for a deeper technical SEO review. Earn SEO is a team of experienced SEO consultants in New York who help businesses resolve crawlability challenges, improve site architecture, and build sustainable organic visibility. Instead of chasing short-term indexing fixes, we focus on long-term search performance that aligns with Google’s best practices. Visit us to schedule a consultation and ensure your website is built to rank — the right way.