Struggling to Get Your Articles Recrawled? Here Are 5 Proven Fixes!

One of the most frustrating challenges for SEOs, especially during big events or news moments, is when their articles don’t get recrawled by Google. If Google isn’t revisiting your pages, you could be missing out on updated rankings, traffic, and timely exposure. But don’t panic! There are clear steps you can take to solve this issue and get your articles back on track.

Here’s a detailed guide on why articles don’t get recrawled and five effective ways to fix the problem:

1. Manually Fetch URLs in Google Search Console

A fast and effective way to encourage Google to recrawl your content is by using the Manual Fetch and Index option in Google Search Console. This process tells Google that there is something new or important about your page that needs to be revisited.

• How to do it:
  1. Open Google Search Console.
  2. Enter the exact URL of the page you want to recrawl.
  3. Click “Request Indexing.”

This is one of the most direct ways to get Google’s attention on your article, especially if it hasn’t been crawled in a while.

2. Link the Article from Your Homepage

Your homepage is often the most frequently crawled page on your site because it’s seen as a key entry point. By placing a link to your article on your homepage, you’re boosting the chances that Google will follow this link and recrawl your article.

• Why this works:
  • Google tends to prioritize crawling high-traffic and high-importance pages, and your homepage fits this description. When the homepage gets crawled, any new or updated links there are likely to be followed by the bots.
  Tip: Add a prominent “Latest Articles” or “Trending Now” section on your homepage where you can feature links to articles that need recrawling.

3. Use Internal Linking to Boost Crawling

Internal linking is a powerful SEO technique that also helps with crawling. By linking your article from other relevant pages on your website, you give Google more opportunities to discover the page and recrawl it.

• How to do it effectively:
  • Find related articles or blog posts on your site and add contextual links to the article you want Google to recrawl.
  • Ensure the anchor text you use is relevant and descriptive of the content you’re linking to.
  Why it works: When one of the pages that link to your article is crawled, Google will follow the internal link and likely recrawl the page you’re pointing to. This increases your chances of getting the article re-indexed faster.

4. Make Substantial Updates to Your Article

Google prioritizes pages that have undergone significant updates. If your article hasn’t been updated in a while, and only minor changes (like grammar fixes) are made, Google might not prioritize it for recrawling.

• What counts as a substantial update?
  • Adding new information or a new section.
  • Rewriting parts of the article to reflect updated facts or data.
  • Improving the structure, making the article easier to read or more engaging.
  Example: If you have an event-related article, update it with new developments or add expert insights to increase its value. Google will see this as a reason to revisit and re-index your content.

5. Submit a News Sitemap in Search Console

If your website regularly publishes news or time-sensitive content, a news sitemap can help Google find and index your articles more efficiently.

• How it works:
  • A news sitemap is a specific file that lists your most important news articles, along with details like the publication date.
  • By submitting it in Google Search Console, you give Google direct access to your latest and updated content, improving the chances of quick crawling.
  Pro Tip: Make sure your sitemap is properly formatted and kept up-to-date. A well-maintained news sitemap acts as a map for Google, guiding it to your new and updated articles.

Quick Recap: How to Get Your Articles Recrawled

• Manually fetch the URLs in Google Search Console for immediate attention.
• Link your article on the homepage to take advantage of frequent crawls.
• Use internal links from related pages to spread crawling opportunities.
• Substantially update the content with meaningful changes, like adding new sections or rewriting outdated information.
• Submit a news sitemap to Search Console to guide Google to your freshest content.

Why Does Recrawling Matter?

Getting your article recrawled is crucial for ensuring that Google has the latest version of your content. This is especially important during events, news cycles, or updates when fresh information can change your ranking or visibility.

By following the steps above, you can increase the chances that Google will recrawl your articles, helping your content stay relevant and perform better in search results.