The latest update, posted on Saturday, February 3, notes that Google is still working on a fix, the results of which should be available on Monday.
“The issue with indexing has been mitigated and our systems are becoming stable, but we’re still working on a fix. Next update will be within 48 hours.”
Google has acknowledged an ongoing problem with its search engine indexing that is slowing down the indexing process for “some” websites.
FYI there are indexing delays on Google for “a small number of sites,” heh. I just spot checked the NYT and looks like it’s affecting them too. pic.twitter.com/BLmF41VDrQ
— Lily Ray (@lilyraynyc) February 1, 2024
Early Thursday morning, Google said it was “investigating an issue with indexing in Google Search that’s affecting a small number of sites.” The company said affected websites “may experience slower than usual indexing times.”
The indexing problems started around 11:30 pm ET on Monday night, January 31. Since then, many website publishers, content creators, and news organizations have reported issues getting their newly published content indexed and surfaced in Google search results.
“We’re working on identifying the root cause,” Google said in its update. “Next update will be within 12 hours.”
Screenshot from Google, February 2024This confirmation from Google comes after numerous SEO professionals and web admins complained overnight about having their latest content go unindexed.
One common issue was content not getting indexed despite receiving initial signals like impressions and clicks in the Google Search Console.
With this issue confirmed, publishers experiencing delays in getting content indexed and appearing in Google Search should rest assured that they’re not the only ones affected.
While Google indicated only a small subset of sites are affected, the indexing delays have caused frustration for publishers relying on timely indexing to drive traffic and revenue through search.
Google hasn’t yet provided details on what may be causing the problem. The company said its engineering teams are investigating the root cause in hopes of resolving the issue quickly.
Featured Image: monte_a/Shutterstock
