How to fix "URL is unknown to Google" error in Google Search Console

When a URL is labeled as unknown by Google, it generally indicates that Google's search engine has not indexed or identified that specific URL yet. Essentially, this means that Google's crawlers, which methodically explore the web to find new pages and content, have not visited or processed the URL in question.

If you have submitted the page through Indexly, Google will acknowledge the request, and crawling will occur according to Google's schedule. This is usually the scenario for new URLs and sometimes for new websites. Typically, it will be addressed within a day or two, which is significantly quicker than the Google bot crawling your site every 2 to 3 weeks.

Causes of the error

Here are a few common reasons why a URL might be unknown to Google:

1. Newly Created Content: If the URL hosts a new webpage or content that was recently published, Google may not have had the chance to crawl and index it yet.
2. No Inbound Links: Google's crawlers often discover new URLs by following links from other indexed pages. If the URL is not linked to any other pages, Google may not find it easily.
3. Noindex Tag or Robots.txt Exclusion: Webmasters can use the noindex meta tag or specify exclusion in the robots.txt file to prevent search engines from indexing certain pages. If this is the case, Google intentionally avoids indexing the URL.
4. Temporary Crawl Issues: Sometimes, technical issues or temporary server problems can prevent Google's crawlers from accessing and indexing a URL.

How to check the error - URL is unknown to Google

You can check for errors in the Google Search Console. Once you log in to GSC, you can go to pages and check for "Pages Not Indexed" and sort the pages with errors.

Alternatively, you can log in to Indexly.ai, go to "Instant Indexing" and scroll through the pages and visually you can check what pages have this error.

How to fix the URL is unknown to Google error status on your webpage.

To make a URL known to Google and potentially have it indexed in search results, you can take the following actions:

1. Ensure the Page is Crawlable

Check:

• The page is not blocked in robots.txt.
• The page has a valid meta robots tag (should not have noindex).
• The server returns HTTP status 200 (OK), not 404/403.

2. Manually Inspect the URL

Use the URL Inspection Tool in Google Search Console:

• Paste the URL into the tool.
• Click "Request Indexing" if it’s not indexed.

If Google hasn't seen the page, this tells the crawler to visit it sooner.

3. Submit a Sitemap

Make sure the page is listed in your sitemap:

• Submit the sitemap in Google Search Console under Sitemaps.
• Use a clean and up-to-date XML sitemap.

4. Add Internal Links

Link to the page from other important, crawlable pages on your site.

• Google relies on links to discover pages.
• Avoid orphan pages (i.e., pages with no internal links pointing to them).

5. Share the Page Externally

Promote the URL:

• Share on social media or forums.
• Add backlinks from other websites (if possible).
• These help Google discover the page through external crawls.

6. Use Instant Indexing

If indexing is time-sensitive:

• Use Google’s Indexing API
• Or use tools like Indexly.ai to trigger instant indexing via API (typically for Job Postings or Live Events)

7. Fix Technical SEO Issues

Audit your website using tools like:

• Screaming Frog/Indexly (to check crawlability).
• Ahrefs / SEMrush (to check backlinks and indexing).
• PageSpeed Insights (slow-loading pages might get deprioritised, ).

When Not to Worry

If your page is brand new and you just published it, it may take some time before Google crawls it, especially for lower-traffic sites. In that case:

• Wait a few days.
• Monitor indexing in Search Console.

How to Setup Instant Indexing on Google

Setup Instant Indexing on Google with Indexly. Submit pages for indexing when your content is updated, and get your website noticed by search engines and potential customers.

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