Google’s John Mueller dispels the “Index Bloat” theory, affirming there’s no cap on indexed pages per site.
In the recent Search Off The Record podcast, Google refutes the “Index Bloat” theory.
The emphasis isn’t on fretting about excessive indexing; instead, prioritize creating valuable pages for indexing.
Recognizing and handling indexed pages is routine website management, not indicative of an “index bloat” issue.
Google Search Advocate John Mueller dismisses the concept of index bloat, suggesting that the excessive indexing of irrelevant pages could harm search engine rankings.
This piece delves into the index bloat theory, Google’s stance, and the broader implications for SEO strategies.
Unpacking the Concept of Index Bloat
Index bloat refers to instances where search crawlers index pages less suitable for appearing in search results.
This encompasses various pages like filtered product pages, internal search results, and printer-friendly versions.
Supporters of the index bloat theory contend that these pages impede search engines’ comprehension of websites, potentially leading to adverse effects on search rankings.
The theory ties into the concept of a crawl budget, representing the number of URLs a search bot examines during each visit.
According to this theory, index bloat could inefficiently utilize this crawl budget, with search bots allocating time and resources toward gathering redundant information.
Google’s Response to the Index Bloat Theory
Mueller discredits the index bloat theory, stating:
“I’m not aware of any concept of index bloat at Google. Our systems don’t artificially limit the number of pages indexed per site. I’d make sure that the pages you’re providing for indexing are useful, but that’s independent of the number of pages your site has.” This challenges the core premise of index bloat.
According to Mueller, Google doesn’t enforce an artificial cap on indexed pages per site.
Instead of fixating on excluding pages from Google’s index, Mueller advocates focusing efforts on publishing valuable content.
The Alleged Causes Behind Index Bloat
Advocates of the index bloat theory often attribute it to factors like inadvertent page duplication, errors in robots.txt files, and subpar or thin content.
However, Google refutes these as causes of a non-existent “index bloat,” considering them standard SEO practices that demand attention from webmasters and SEO professionals.
“Identifying” Index Bloat
Supporters of the index bloat theory propose employing tools like Google Search Console to spot index bloat by contrasting the actual number of indexed pages with expected figures.
Yet, Google’s stance implies that such comparisons don’t necessarily signify a problem; instead, they constitute routine website management and monitoring aspects.
Closing Thoughts
Amid discussions on index bloat, Google’s official stance remains definitive: the concept is debunked.
The priority should be to ensure that the pages intended for indexing are valuable and pertinent to users’ needs.
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