answers before you hire anyone
Guides.
The long versions of the questions clients ask me every week, written from real Search Console work across 740+ client sites. Read them, fix it yourself if you can, and message me if you would rather not.
Every Search Console indexing status, explainedEvery status the Page indexing report and URL Inspection can show you, what each one actually means, whether it needs fixing, and the page that fixes it.
Backlink indexers: what they do, what they cost, and when to skip themBacklink indexers push links on sites you do not own toward Google. The tools, the cost per indexed link, how to test one, and when you need none.
AI search visibility: what it is and how to measure itWhether AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini mention and cite you. What it is, why no dashboard reports it, how to baseline it, and what moves it.
Why is my site not showing up on Google? 4 reasonsWhy is your website not showing up on Google? The four reasons Google ignores pages that exist, how to tell which one is yours, and what fixes each of them.
Crawled, currently not indexed: what it means and the fixCrawled - currently not indexed means Google fetched your page and chose not to store it. How to fix it: find which of four causes you have, then fix that one.
How long does Google take to index a page or site?Honest indexing timelines from more than 8,500 tracked URLs: what is normal, what controls the speed, and when a long wait means something is wrong.
Does Request Indexing actually work?When Request Indexing works in hours, when it does nothing, and how to use the daily limit properly. From someone who has pressed the button thousands of times.
Location pages that actually get indexedGoogle declines templated city pages in bulk. What makes location pages index, from someone who built and indexed 90+ of them for one local trade brand.
Why Google dropped your pages from the indexIndexed pages do not leave loudly, so here is why they get dropped, the update-day regressions behind it, and how one store's losses became seven repeat orders.
Google indexing tools compared (2026)What SpeedyIndex, IndexMeNow, Omega Indexer, IndexPlease and the rest actually do, what they cost, where each is the right choice, and the one thing none of them can fix.
IndexMeNow alternatives and review: the three timersIndexMeNow lists 24/48h in its title, 80% in 72h in its copy, and a 10-day refund in its terms. What the gap means, and the cheaper alternatives.
Rapid Index Checker alternatives: free and paid, testedRapid Index Checker alternatives, free and paid: the free official route for your own site, IndexCheckr and IndexBolt for backlinks, and one claim to test.
Ahrefs vs Semrush vs Moz: which suite to standardise onThree suites that overlap more than they differ. Which to commit to, DR vs DA, where SpyFu and Ubersuggest fit, and what none of them can tell you.
Indexification alternatives: what still works from 2013Indexification sells unlimited submissions using methods Google spent a decade learning to discount. What unlimited buys you, and where to go instead.
On-page SEO vs technical SEO: where the line isTechnical SEO decides what Google can reach. On-page SEO decides what Google concludes. One test that sorts any task into the right pile, and which to fix first.
Technical SEO vs content SEO: which one you needTechnical SEO has a ceiling. Content SEO has a floor. One question tells you which of the two your site is actually short on, and how to split a budget between them.
Technical SEO audit checklist, ordered by what it costsA technical SEO audit checklist in fix-first order, from blocking faults to cosmetics. What to check, how to check it, what a fail looks like, and when to stop.
SEO audit cost: what drives the number you get quotedWhat an SEO audit costs depends on five things, and page count is barely one of them. The real drivers, the pricing models, and how to check a quote is fair.
SEO audit report sample, and the template behind itWhat a real SEO audit report contains, section by section, with a worked finding written out in full and a template you can copy. Not a sales PDF with the findings removed.
How to track brand mentions in AI search, step by stepA repeatable way to find out whether ChatGPT, Gemini, AI Overviews and Perplexity name your brand: the prompt sheet, the run, what to record, and the tools.
What generative engine optimization services actually doWhat a GEO or AEO engagement should deliver, what it cannot deliver, how to read a proposal, and the questions worth asking before anyone takes your money.
"URL is not on Google": find the real reason"URL is not on Google" is a verdict, not a diagnosis. Where Search Console hides the real reason, and which one of them is not a problem at all.
Shopify products not showing on Google?Why Shopify catalogues pile up unindexed, the store settings that quietly block Google, and how tracked client stores went from ignored to 91% indexed.
Search Console platform properties: Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTubeHow to add Instagram, TikTok, X or YouTube to Google Search Console as a platform property, what the three reports show, what is missing, and how to read the numbers.
How to add Instagram to Google Search ConsoleStep by step, with screenshots from a real account: adding an Instagram account to Google Search Console as a platform property, what the two consent screens ask for, and what the reports show once data arrives.
How to add TikTok to Google Search ConsoleStep by step, with screenshots from a real account: adding a TikTok account to Google Search Console as a platform property, what Google for Creators asks permission for, and what the reports show afterwards.
How to add YouTube to Google Search ConsoleAdd a YouTube channel to Google Search Console as a platform property, step by step with screenshots from a real account, and the trap with several channels.
Is the site: operator accurate?Google says the site: operator does not necessarily return every indexed URL. What it really shows, why the number keeps moving, and what to check instead.
Google Indexing API: how to use it, limits, and risksGoogle's Indexing API covers job postings and live videos only. What changed in 2025 and 2026, why off-label submissions stopped landing, and what to do now.
Discovered, currently not indexed, explainedGoogle knows your page exists and has not crawled it yet. What the status means, why it is usually not crawl budget, and what moves pages out of it.
URL is unknown to Google: meaning and fixSearch Console says URL is unknown to Google but your page is live. The five real causes, a test that tells them apart, and which fix actually applies to each.
SpeedyIndex alternatives, with real pricesHonest SpeedyIndex alternatives for backlinks, your own pages, and job posts, with real prices, and the one case where no indexer is the answer.
URL is not available to Google: causes and fixesThis message comes from the live test, not the index, which is why an indexed page can show it. What each cause means, and the order worth checking them in.
5 IndexBolt alternatives, and the crawl-versus-index catchIndexBolt alternatives with real per-URL costs, what IndexBolt gets right, and the catch its pricing depends on: crawling is not indexing. Free options too.
SpeedyIndex review: what a token actually buysAn honest SpeedyIndex review: the token system decoded into cost per link, the Yandex side nobody mentions, and who should not buy it.Nothing in that category yet.
More guides are on the way. The short versions live in the services FAQ, and the proof behind all of it is in the case studies.