If you are investing time and money into SEO but still wondering why your website pages are not appearing on Google, the answer often lies in crawling and indexing.
Many people use these terms interchangeably, but in reality, they are two very different steps in how search engines work. Understanding the difference between crawling and indexing in SEO is essential if you want your website to rank, get traffic, and convert visitors into customers.
In this blog, we will break everything down in simple language – no jargon, no confusion.
What Is Crawling in SEO?
Crawling is the first step of how search engines discover content on the internet.
In simple terms, search engine crawling is the process where search engines send bots (also known as spiders or crawlers) to explore web pages. These bots move from one page to another by following links.
What is crawling in search engine terms?
When you publish a new page or update an existing one, search engines like Google do not automatically know about it. Their crawlers visit your website to:
- Discover new pages
- Read page content
- Follow internal and external links
- Understand site structure
This process is known as what is crawling in SEO.
If a page is not crawled, it has zero chance of ranking—because Google doesn’t even know it exists.
How Search Engine Crawling Works
Here is a simplified flow of how crawling happens:
- Google already knows some URLs from previous crawls
- The crawler visits those URLs again
- It follows the links found on those pages
- New URLs are discovered
- Data is collected and sent for processing
Crawling does not mean your page will rank. It only means your page has been seen by the search engine.
What Is Indexing in SEO?
Once a page is crawled, the next step is indexing.
Indexing is the process by which search engines analyse, understand, and store your page in their massive database (called the index).
So when someone asks what is crawling and indexing, the simplest answer is:
- Crawling = discovering pages
- Indexing = storing and understanding pages
If your page is indexed, it becomes eligible to appear in search results.
Crawling and Indexing in SEO: How They Work Together
Think of crawling and indexing like this:
- Crawling is like finding a book
- Indexing is like adding that book to a library catalogue
Search engines crawl first, then decide whether the content is worth indexing.
This is why SEO crawling and indexing go hand in hand. One cannot work effectively without the other.
Difference Between Crawling and Indexing in SEO
| Aspect | Crawling | Indexing |
| Meaning | Discovering web pages | Storing and understanding pages |
| Happens first? | Yes | No |
| Purpose | To find content | To rank content |
| Guarantees ranking? | No | Makes ranking possible |
| Controlled by | Robots.txt, links | Meta tags, content quality |
This table clearly explains the difference between crawling and indexing in practical terms.
Why Crawling Is Important for SEO
If search engines cannot crawl your website properly:
- New pages won’t appear on Google
- Updated content won’t reflect in rankings
- SEO efforts become ineffective
Common crawling issues include:
- Broken internal links
- Incorrect robots.txt rules
- Server errors
- Poor site structure
Ensuring proper search engine crawling is the foundation of technical SEO.
Why Indexing Is Important for SEO
Even if your page is crawled, it might not get indexed.
Pages may not be indexed due to:
- Thin or duplicate content
- No index meta tags
- Poor content quality
- Low authority or trust
- Technical errors
Without indexing, your page cannot rank, no matter how good your keywords or backlinks are.
Common Crawling and Indexing Issues in SEO
Here are real-world problems businesses face with crawling and indexing in SEO:
- Pages crawled but not indexed
- Important pages are blocked accidentally
- Duplicate URLs are causing index confusion
- JavaScript-heavy pages are not properly crawled
- Slow websites are reducing crawl budget
These issues directly impact visibility and rankings.
How to Check Crawling and Indexing Status
You can verify SEO crawling and indexing using:
- Google Search Console
- URL Inspection Tool
- Pages → Indexed / Not Indexed
- Site:yourdomain.com search on Google
- SEO tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or SEMrush
Regular monitoring helps catch problems early.
Best Practices to Improve Crawling and Indexing
To improve search engine crawling and indexing, follow these best practices:
- Create a clean internal linking structure
- Submit XML sitemaps
- Avoid duplicate content
- Optimize page load speed
- Use proper canonical tags
- Write valuable, original content
- Avoid unnecessary no index tags
These steps make it easier for search engines to trust and rank your website.
Final Thoughts: Crawling vs Indexing in SEO
To summarize:
- Crawling helps search engines find your content
- Indexing helps search engines rank your content
- Both are equally important for SEO success
If either one fails, your website’s visibility suffers.
Understanding the difference between crawling and indexing in SEO allows businesses to fix foundational issues before focusing on rankings, backlinks, or ads.
Need Expert Help With SEO Crawling & Indexing?
If your website pages are not showing up on Google or rankings are stuck, you may be facing crawling or indexing issues.
Partner with the best SEO agency in India to ensure your website is technically strong, search engine-friendly, and built for long-term growth. From technical SEO audits to complete optimization strategies, expert guidance can make all the difference.
Let your website be found, indexed, and ranked – the right way.