Crawl Google
Crawling is when Google's automated crawler discovers and requests web pages so they can be analyzed for search.
- Also called
- Googlebot crawling
- Applies to
- All web pages
- Commonly confused with
- Indexing
Key points
- Crawling is the first stage of Google Search, distinct from indexing.
- If Google cannot crawl important pages, they may never appear in search results.
- Use crawlable links, sitemaps, and robots.txt to guide Google's crawlers.
- Large sites should manage crawl budget to prioritise important content.
- Infinite scroll without fallback navigation can prevent crawling.
Where it changes your decision
- When deciding which pages to block with robots.txt: blocking a page prevents crawling, which also prevents indexing. Only block resources that are not needed in search results.
- When managing crawl budget on large or frequently updated sites: Google allocates limited resources per site, so prioritise important pages through internal linking and sitemaps. Understanding crawl budget helps you focus Google's attention on content that matters.
- When designing navigation: use standard HTML links rather than JavaScript-only interactions. If you rely on infinite scroll, provide a paginated fallback so Google can discover all content. You can also submit website to search engines via a sitemap to ensure new pages are found.
What it is not
- Crawling is not indexing: a page can be crawled but still not added to Google's index if it is considered low quality, duplicate, or blocked by noindex.
- Crawling is not ranking: even if a page is crawled and indexed, it may not appear in top search results.
- Crawling is not the same as submitting a URL: submitting a URL via Search Console or a sitemap only notifies Google; crawling still depends on Google's algorithms and resources.
- Crawling is not guaranteed to happen immediately: Google's crawlers prioritise pages based on signals like site authority, update frequency, and link popularity.
Questions people ask
How to get Google to crawl your site?
Ensure your site has crawlable links, a clear site structure, and an up-to-date sitemap submitted via Google Search Console. Avoid blocking important pages in robots.txt and use internal links to guide crawlers. For new content, you can request indexing through the URL Inspection tool.
How do i get Google to crawl my website?
Start by making sure your website is accessible to Googlebot: check that robots.txt does not block key pages and that your server responds correctly. Submit your sitemap in Google Search Console and use the URL Inspection tool to request crawling for individual pages. Building external links from other crawled sites also helps Google discover your site.
How to get Google crawl my website?
The most reliable method is to submit your sitemap to Google Search Console and ensure your site has a logical internal linking structure. Avoid using uncrawlable technologies like JavaScript-only navigation without fallback. You can also use the 'Request Indexing' feature in Search Console for specific URLs.
Sources
- Google Search Central - How Search Works Primary explanation of crawling, indexing, and serving in Google Search.
- Google Search Central - Crawling and indexing overview Official guidance on sitemaps, robots.txt, crawl management, canonicalization, and related technical SEO topics.
- Google Search Console Help - Crawling Clear definition of crawling and its relationship to indexing from Google Search Console help.
- Google Search Central - Technical SEO techniques and strategies Best-practice guidance on crawlable links, crawl budget, infinite scroll, robots.txt, and page discovery.
Written and maintained by Nora Lindholm. Last updated 27 July 2026.
Spotted an error? Email me — corrections are logged and credited on the entry. Outbound links are unpaid; most are nofollow.