Page with Redirect - Google Search Console Index Coverage Excluded Reports

Understanding Google Search Console's Index Coverage Report: Excluded Page with Redirect

Summary

This blog post provides an in-depth look at the 'Excluded Page with Redirect' status in Google Search Console's Index Coverage Report. The post explains what this status means, how to troubleshoot it, and best practices to avoid it. The information is based on a video tutorial that offers practical insights and step-by-step guidance on handling this common issue.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding the 'Excluded Page with Redirect' status in Google Search Console
• How to troubleshoot this issue
• Best practices to avoid this status
• Importance of consistent URL structure
• How to use .htaccess rules to serve only one version of your website to Google

Table of Contents

• Understanding 'Excluded Page with Redirect'
• Troubleshooting the Issue
• Best Practices to Avoid 'Excluded Page with Redirect'
• Importance of Consistent URL Structure
• Using .htaccess Rules
• Conclusion

Understanding 'Excluded Page with Redirect'

The 'Excluded Page with Redirect' status in Google Search Console's Index Coverage Report indicates that Google's search engine has excluded certain URLs from its index. This happens when Google requests a URL and the server response code is redirected, such as a 301 or 302 redirect. The content within these URLs is not included in Google's index.

Troubleshooting the Issue

To troubleshoot this issue, it's recommended to check the current sitemaps submitted to Search Console. If there are any URLs within the sitemaps that have been redirected, they should be removed. This is because Google may exclude these URLs from its index due to the redirection.

Best Practices to Avoid 'Excluded Page with Redirect'

One of the best practices to avoid the 'Excluded Page with Redirect' status is to ensure that the sitemaps do not contain any redirected URLs. This is because redirected URLs can confuse Google and lead to exclusion from the index. It's also important to note that this status does not necessarily harm the website, but it's best to avoid it for optimal indexing.

Importance of Consistent URL Structure

Consistent URL structure is crucial for avoiding the 'Excluded Page with Redirect' status. Google views different versions of a site's URL as different URLs. Therefore, it's important to use a consistent URL structure for internal linking. This ensures that Google indexes the correct version of the site.

Using .htaccess Rules

.htaccess rules can be used to serve only one version of a website to Google. This can be accomplished by forcing all requests to a single URL pattern. This practice ensures that all versions of a site's URL are redirected to one single URL, which is then indexed by Google.

Conclusion

Understanding and addressing the 'Excluded Page with Redirect' status in Google Search Console's Index Coverage Report is crucial for optimal indexing and ranking. By following the best practices outlined in this post, website owners can ensure that their site is properly indexed by Google, leading to improved visibility and search engine rankings.