Googlebot is always on the move, constantly scanning the web to discover and update information. But just because it’s automated doesn’t mean it operates on your schedule.
If you’ve made critical updates—whether fixing outdated content, optimizing for SEO, or recovering from technical issues—you don’t want to wait around for Google to notice.
The good news? You don’t have to. Instead of hoping Googlebot stops by your site soon, you can take proactive steps to request a recrawl and speed up the indexing process.
Why Google Recrawling Matters for SEO
There are several reasons why you might want to request a Google recrawl. Studies show that fresh content can increase organic traffic by up to 111%, making timely indexing crucial for SEO success. Whether you are publishing new content, updating old pages, or fixing errors, ensuring that Google indexes these changes quickly is essential.
Scenarios Where You Need a Google Recrawl:
- You just created a new post and want Google to index it faster.
- You updated key SEO elements like meta descriptions and internal links.
- A colleague made a critical site change that negatively impacted rankings, and you need to revert it ASAP.
- You fixed a broken page or resolved an indexing issue.
If you don’t act fast, you could lose significant traffic and rankings. In fact, a study by Ahrefs found that 90.63% of all pages on the web get zero organic search traffic, often due to poor indexing.
How to Request a Recrawl from Google
There are two primary methods to get Google to recrawl your site:
- Using Google Search Console’s URL Inspection Tool
- Submitting a Sitemap to Search Console
#1. URL Inspection Tool
Google Search Console’s URL Inspection tool lets you request reindexing for individual pages. This is ideal for quick updates but not scalable for large websites.
Steps:
- Inspect the Page URL
- Enter your URL in the “URL Prefix” section of the tool.
- Request Reindexing
- Google will test for errors and then queue it for reindexing.
While this method is useful for urgent fixes, it does not guarantee immediate indexing. According to Google, pages can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to be reindexed.
#2. Submit a Sitemap to Google Search Console
For larger sites, submitting a sitemap is the best approach to request bulk recrawling. Most CMS platforms, including WordPress, automatically generate sitemaps. If needed, use a crawler like Screaming Frog to create one.
Steps:
- Upload your sitemap to your root directory (e.g., https://example.com/sitemap.xml).
- Submit the sitemap via Google Search Console under the Sitemaps section.
A well-structured sitemap helps Google discover and prioritize new or updated pages more efficiently.
How Long Does It Take for Google to Recrawl a Page?
Google’s recrawling frequency varies based on site authority, update frequency, and content quality. High-authority sites like news websites may be crawled multiple times a day, whereas smaller blogs may take weeks.
- High-authority sites (e.g., CNN, NYT): Within hours
- Regularly updated blogs: 1-3 days
- Infrequently updated sites: Up to 4 weeks
Google prioritizes high-quality, useful content. Research by Moz found that pages with high engagement and relevant backlinks tend to be crawled more frequently.
How to Know When Googlebot Hits Your Site
Tracking Googlebot visits can help you measure your indexing efforts. Here are three ways to do it:
- URL Inspection Tool: Check the last crawl date of a specific URL.
- Index Status Report: View which pages Google has indexed.
- Server Log Analysis: Tools like seoClarity’s Bot Clarity can analyze crawl frequency and detect indexing issues before rankings are impacted.
Conclusion
Ensuring Google recrawls your site promptly is crucial for SEO success. Whether you use the URL Inspection tool for quick fixes or submit a sitemap for broader updates, staying proactive can prevent ranking drops and maximize traffic potential.
Ready to optimize your indexing strategy? Get started with 42Works experienced SEO team and take control of your search engine crawl today!
FAQs
Q: Why is it important to request a Google recrawl?
A: It ensures that updates, fixes, or optimizations on your site are recognized by Google faster, preventing SEO issues.
Q: How can I request Google to recrawl my site?
A: Use Google Search Console’s URL Inspection tool for single pages or submit an updated sitemap for bulk requests.
Q: How long does Google take to recrawl a page?
A: It varies depending on site authority, update frequency, and content quality—ranging from hours to weeks.
Q: Does requesting a recrawl guarantee faster indexing?
A: No, Google prioritizes high-quality content and may not immediately reindex a page despite a request.
Q: How can I check if Google has recrawled my page?
A: Use the URL Inspection tool, Index Status report, or server log analysis tools like seoClarity’s Bot Clarity.
Q: How can I improve my chances of faster recrawling?
A: Regularly update high-quality content, maintain a well-structured sitemap, and ensure technical SEO best practices are followed.
