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Fix “Discovered – Currently Not Indexed” Error in GSC

How to Fix “Discovered – Currently Not Indexed” Error in Google Search Console (Step-by-Step Guide)

Fix “Discovered – Currently Not Indexed” Error in GSC


If you’ve recently logged into Google Search Console (GSC) and seen the frustrating “Discovered – Currently Not Indexed” error, you’re not alone. Thousands of website owners—especially those using platforms like Blogger—encounter this issue daily. The worst part? Your content is found by Google… but never makes it into the search index.

📚 Table of Contents

    This means zero organic traffic, no rankings, and wasted effort—even if your content is high-quality.

    But don’t panic. In this comprehensive, SEO-optimized guide, we’ll walk you through 5 proven steps to resolve the “Discovered – Currently Not Indexed” error once and for all. These aren’t just quick fixes—they’re long-term, Google-compliant strategies that align with how Google actually indexes content.

    By the end, your pages will move from “discovered” to fully indexed, driving real traffic to your site.

    What Does “Discovered – Currently Not Indexed” Mean?

    Before diving into solutions, let’s understand what this error actually means.

    Google indexes web pages in three critical stages:

    1. Discovery – Googlebot finds your new URL (via sitemap, internal links, or external links).
    2. Crawling – Googlebot visits the page to analyze its content.
    3. Indexing – Google adds the page to its search index so it can appear in results.

    The “Discovered – Currently Not Indexed” status means:
    ✅ Google knows your page exists (discovery succeeded).
    ❌ But it hasn’t crawled or indexed it yet—often due to technical or content issues.

    Until this is fixed, your page won’t rank—no matter how great it is.

    Pro Tip: This error is especially common on Blogger (Blogspot) sites, but it affects WordPress, custom CMS, and other platforms too.

    Step 1: Submit & Update Your Sitemap Daily

    Your sitemap.xml is Google’s roadmap to your site. If it’s outdated or missing, Google may discover your page but never prioritize crawling it.

    How to Fix:

    1. Go to Google Search Console > Sitemaps (under “Index”).
    2. Enter your sitemap URL (usually https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml).
    3. Click Submit.

    Don’t just submit once! Update your sitemap every time you publish new content. On Blogger, your sitemap auto-updates—but you still need to resubmit it in GSC after major updates.

    Many site owners submit once and forget. This is a critical mistake. Google treats fresh sitemap submissions as a signal: “Hey, there’s new content—come crawl it!”

    For Blogger Users:

    Your sitemap URLs are typically:

    • https://yourblog.blogspot.com/sitemap.xml
    • https://yourblog.blogspot.com/postsitemap.xml

    Submit both in GSC for full coverage.

    Step 2: Increase Google’s Crawl Rate (Critical for Blogger)

    Google assigns a crawl budget to every site—how often and how deeply it crawls your pages. Low-traffic or new sites often get a low crawl rate, causing delays in indexing.

    How to Boost Crawl Speed:

    1. Visit: Google Search Console Crawl Settings
    2. Select your website property.
    3. Go to Settings > Crawl Stats > Crawl Rate.
    4. Change from “Let Google optimize” (default) to “Set custom crawl rate”.
    5. Slide to “Faster” and Save.

    Note: This setting lasts 90 days. Mark your calendar to revisit it quarterly.

    Why does this work? A higher crawl rate tells Google: “My site updates frequently—prioritize it.” This is especially vital for Blogger, which shares infrastructure with Google and is closely monitored.

    Step 3: Publish 100% Unique, High-Quality Content

    Google’s algorithms (like Helpful Content Update) now penalize AI-spun, copied, or low-value content—even if it’s “rewritten.”

    On Blogger, this is extra risky: Google owns the platform and can auto-hide duplicate posts before they even publish.

    What Google Wants:

    • Original insights, not regurgitated summaries.
    • Real expertise, not keyword-stuffed fluff.
    • User-first writing that answers questions thoroughly.

    Don’t: Copy from other sites, use AI to “rewrite,” or spin content with tools like WordAI.
    Do: Research top-ranking pages, then create better, deeper, more useful content.

    Example: If top results cover “10 weight loss tips,” write “The Science-Backed 30-Day Weight Loss Plan (With Meal Plan & Workout)”—adding unique value.

    Google indexes helpful content faster. Period.

    Step 4: Configure Custom robots.txt Correctly (Blogger Fix)

    A misconfigured robots.txt file can silently block Google from indexing your pages—even if they’re discovered.

    For Blogger Users:

    1. Go to Blogger Dashboard > Settings > Search Preferences.
    2. Scroll to Crawling and indexing > Custom robots.txt.
    3. Enable it.
    4. Delete any existing code.
    5. Paste this optimized template (replace yourblog.blogspot.com with your URL):
    User-agent: *
    Allow: /sitemap.xml
    Allow: /postsitemap.xml
    Allow: /sitemap-index.xml
    Disallow: /search
    Disallow: /?m=1
    Disallow: /p/
    Disallow: /feeds/
    Disallow: /comments/
    Disallow: /*?*
    Disallow: /*=*
    
    1. Save.

    What This Does:

    • Allows sitemaps (critical for indexing).
    • Blocks duplicate URLs (like mobile views ?m=1, tags, search pages) that waste crawl budget.

    Never leave robots.txt blank or use generic templates. This code is tested for Blogger.

    Step 5: Generate Pings + Build External Links (The Secret Weapon)

    Even after fixing technical issues, some pages linger in “discovered” limbo. Why? Google needs a stronger signal that your page matters.

    Two-Part Strategy:

    A. Ping Your URL

    Use free ping services to notify search engines of new content:

    1. Go to Pingler or similar ping service.
    2. Enter your post title and full URL.
    3. Click Send Ping.

    This triggers an instant crawl request.

    B. Create External Backlinks

    Google prioritizes pages that other sites link to. For pages stuck in “discovered” status:

    1. Copy the problematic URL from GSC.
    2. Share it on:
      • Social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest)
      • Niche forums (Reddit, Quora—add value first!)
      • Web 2.0 sites (Medium, Tumblr—repurpose snippets)
    3. Then, go back to GSC > URL Inspection > Request Indexing.

    Pro Move: Link to your “not indexed” page from an already-indexed page on your site (internal linking), then request re-indexing.

    This combo—ping + external signal + indexing request—forces Google to re-evaluate your page within hours or days, not weeks.

    Why Does This Error Happen? (Root Causes)

    Understanding the “why” helps prevent future issues:

    Cause Explanation
    Poor Hosting Slow or unreliable servers (even on Blogger) delay crawling.
    Duplicate Content Copied or AI-spun text triggers Google’s quality filters.
    Low Crawl Budget New/small sites get crawled less frequently.
    robots.txt Errors Accidentally blocking important pages.
    No External Signals Pages with zero backlinks or shares are deprioritized.

    Hosting Note: While Blogger is free, self-hosted sites (WordPress) on quality hosts (SiteGround, Cloudways) get crawled faster. If serious about SEO, consider migrating.

    What If It Still Doesn’t Work?

    If your page remains “discovered but not indexed” after 7 days:

    1. Check for manual penalties in GSC > Security & Manual Actions.
    2. Audit page quality: Is it thin, affiliate-heavy, or lacking E-E-A-T?
    3. Improve internal linking: Link to the page from your homepage or pillar content.
    4. Wait longer: Some pages take 2–4 weeks, especially on new sites.

    Final Checklist: Fix “Discovered – Currently Not Indexed”

    • ☐ Sitemap submitted & updated in GSC
    • ☐ Crawl rate set to “Faster”
    • ☐ Content is 100% original and valuable
    • ☐ Custom robots.txt properly configured
    • ☐ URL pinged + shared externally
    • ☐ Indexing requested via GSC URL Inspection

    Conclusion: Turn “Discovered” into “Indexed” Today

    The “Discovered – Currently Not Indexed” error isn’t a death sentence—it’s a fixable SEO gap. By following these 5 steps, you align your site with Google’s indexing priorities: technical health, content quality, and external validation.

    Remember: Indexing is the gateway to traffic. No index = no visibility. But with consistent optimization, even Blogger sites can rank competitively.

    Stay Updated: Google’s algorithms evolve. Bookmark this guide and revisit quarterly to audit your indexing health.

    Got questions? Drop them in the comments—we’ll help you troubleshoot!

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