Google Search Console URL Inspection Tool
If you've ever had moments when a certain webpage on your website doesn't appear on the Google Search Results pages, or if you want to know the last time Google crawled a specific webpage, the Google Search Console URL Inspection Tool is your solution. The tool is one of the lesser-known, yet most useful, tools owners of websites, SEO professionals, and anyone interested in how Google crawls and indexes web pages.
In this blog, we will provide information about the Google Search Console URL Inspection Tool, how it works, what it does, and how to utilize the Google Search Console URL Inspection Tool to enhance the performance of a website on Google Search.
What is the Google Search Console URL Inspection Tool?
The URL Inspection Tool is a feature within GSC that allows you to view the indexing status of every URL on your site. The tool provides information on how Google discovered, crawled, and indexed a webpage on your site.
With this tool, you can perform an inspection of links on your site, see the last time Google crawled that webpage, see if there are any issues preventing that page from being indexed, and request that Google recrawl a webpage once it has been updated. This tool is a valuable tool for identifying and correcting SEO issues as well as monitoring the health of your website.
How to Access the Google URL Inspector
Accessing the Google URL Inspection tool is straightforward. Here's how:
Log in to your Google Search Console account at search.google.com/search-console.
Select the property (website) you want to inspect.
Click on "URL Inspection" from the left-hand sidebar menu.
Enter the specific URL you want to inspect in the search bar at the top of the page and press Enter.
The Google Inspect URL Tool generates an exhaustive set of reports once you enter a specific URL. This is available in the GSC page, where you can find a plethora of data to help you solve any indexing issues.
What Information Does the URL Inspection Tool Provide?
The Google Inspect URL Tool provides the overall status of a page; for each report from the Google Inspect Tool, you will find detailed information as outlined below.
URL Exists on Google or Not
The first piece of information provided to you by the Inspect Tool is whether or not the URL is being indexed on Google. You'll see either "URL is on Google," meaning it has been indexed and can be displayed in search results, or you’ll be told that the URL is not being indexed and will be given the reason why.
Coverage Details
In addition to indexing status, the Inspection Tool provides additional information about the URL, including methods of indexing, crawl status, last time crawled by Google, and if there are any canonical issues related to the indexing of the URL.
Enhancements
If the page contains any structured data markup (e.g., schema markup for Articles, Products, Events), the Inspection Tool displays whether Google detected the markup and whether it is a valid detection. The tool offers data related to Core Web Vitals and Mobile Usability issues for the specific URL.
Test Live URL
The most beneficial aspect of using the Google Inspect URL Tool is that it allows for the real-time testing of a URLto see how Googlebot interprets the page as compared to the cached version.
How to Use the URL Inspection Tool for SEO
The Google URL Inspection Tool is not only a fantastic tool for fixing problems, but also it is a great way to learn how to proactively improve your website’s SEO. Here’s how to use the tool to your advantage.
Check Why a Page Isn’t Indexed
If a specific webpage does not show up in Google Search Results, the URL Inspection Tool will indicate why the page was not included. Common reasons for this are if the page is blocked due to a robots.txt file, a noindex tag has been applied to the page, the page has returned a 404-error or server error or if there are issues such as redirect loops, which will stop Googlebot from crawling your webpage(s). By identifying the issue with the URL Inspection Tool, you can quickly fix those problems.
Request Indexing After Updates
When you publish a new webpage or make significant changes to an existing webpage, you should use the Google Search Console URL Inspection Tool to make a request to have Google recrawl the URL.
While this does not guarantee your webpage will be indexed immediately, it does notify Google that the webpage has updated content and will be ready to index. This is especially important for any content that is time sensitive such as news articles or product launches.
Perform a Link Inspection and Canonical Check
The URL Inspection Tool can also be utilized as a means of checking links and giving you a better sense of whether Google has correctly selected the canonical version of your webpage. In instances where similar content can be found on multiple URLs, the Google URL Inspector Tool will show you which version of your content has been indexed by Google.
If the page you’ve indexed is not what you wanted to index, you'll need to review your canonical tags and internal linking structure accordingly.
Validate Structured Data
If structured data has been properly implemented, Google will better understand your content and be able to generate rich results within the SERPs. The URL Inspection Tool in GSC will also let you know if there are any errors or warnings to structured data so that you can correct those issues before they negatively impact your search visibility.
Analyze Mobile Usability
With the growth of Google's mobile-first indexing, it is even more imperative that your webpages are mobile-friendly. With the Google URL Inspection Tool, you can check for mobile usability issues with your URL(s), allowing you to quickly fix any issues that may exist (e.g., small text size or clickable elements too close together).
Common Issues Identified by the Google Inspection Tool
Here are some of the most common problems the Google URL Inspector can help you identify and resolve:
Crawl Blocked by Robots.txt: Your robots.txt file is preventing Googlebot from accessing the page. Review and update your robots.txt if the page should be crawlable.
Noindex Tag Present: A noindex meta tag or HTTP header is telling Google not to index the page. Remove it if the page should appear in search results.
Page Not Found (404): The page returns a 404 error, meaning it does not exist. Either recreate the page or set up a 301 redirect to a relevant existing page.
Redirect Error: There is a redirect issue, such as a redirect loop or chain. Fix the redirect so it points directly to the intended destination.
Incorrect Canonical URL: Google has selected a different canonical URL than intended. Review your canonical tags to ensure they point to the correct version of the page.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Google Search Console URL Inspection
Here are suggestions for maximizing your Google Search Console URL inspection session:
Inspect pages right after publishing: Check indexing status through Google URL inspector right after publication to request crawling.
Inspect high-priority pages regularly: On a regular basis, conduct URL inspections for your most important pages to detect issues early.
Troubleshoot rendering with live test: Use the live test tool to troubleshoot JavaScript rendering issues if you suspect they exist.
Combine with other GSC reports for best results: Use the URL inspection tool together with other reports provided by GSC (Coverage, Performance, and Core Web Vitals) to get the entire picture of your website’s health.
Conclusion
Every SEO professional should consider the Google Search Console URL Inspection Tool as an essential component in achieving success in search engine optimization. This tool provides direct insight into how Google crawls, renders, and indexes each individual page on your website.
When performing link inspection, canonical checks, structured data validation, or requesting fresh crawls following an update, Google Inspection Tool should be used on a frequent basis and will position you appropriately to create a well-indexed, healthy website that has a high search engine ranking.
Begin using the Google Search Console URL Inspection Tool today so that you do not need to guess how Google perceives your website!
