How to fix in the sitemap but not indexed

When URLs are in your sitemap but not indexed, it means Google knows about the pages but has consciously decided not to include them in its search index.

What is wrong

This is identified by comparing your sitemap URLs against Google Search Console's 'Indexed' status. The pages are technically accessible (200 OK), but they do not appear in search results.

Why it matters

This is often a signal of thin content, duplication, or poor internal linking. Google prioritises 'high-value' content. If a page is in your sitemap but ignored, it suggests the page doesn't provide enough unique value to justify the resources required to index and serve it.

How to fix it

1. Check for 'noindex' tags

Ensure the pages don't accidentally contain a 'noindex' meta tag or X-Robots header, which would prevent Google from honouring your sitemap request.

2. Evaluate content quality

Review the page for 'thin' content. If the page only has a few sentences or is very similar to another page on your site, Google may skip it. Add unique, helpful content to improve its value.

3. Increase internal linking

Pages that are deep in the site architecture and have few internal links are often deprioritised. Link to these pages from higher-authority sections of your site to signal their importance.

4. Inspect in Search Console

Use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to see the specific reason (e.g., 'Crawled - currently not indexed'). This will tell you if Google found a canonical issue or a quality problem.

Platform notes

Check your 'Robots.txt' and CMS 'Discourage search engines' settings to ensure you aren't sending conflicting signals to crawlers.