If you've recently made updates to your website or submitted a sitemap to Bing, but your site still isn't appearing in Bing's search results, it can be frustrating. Sometimes, Bing may refuse to reindex a website due to various technical issues, penalties, or other factors. Understanding why this happens and knowing the right steps to resolve it can help you regain visibility and ensure your content is properly indexed. In this article, we'll explore what to do if Bing refuses to reindex your website and how to effectively troubleshoot and resolve common issues.
What to Do If Bing Refuses to Reindex Your Website
When Bing doesn't reindex your website after submitting a sitemap or requesting a crawl, it can be caused by several underlying issues. Addressing these issues systematically is key to getting your site back in Bing's search results. Here are some essential steps to take:
1. Check Your Website’s Crawl Status in Bing Webmaster Tools
- Login to Bing Webmaster Tools: Start by signing into your Bing Webmaster Tools account.
- Inspect Crawl Reports: Review the crawl status reports to see if Bing has encountered errors when attempting to crawl your site.
- Identify Errors: Look for specific issues such as server errors, blocked URLs, or crawl frequency problems.
Understanding whether Bing has successfully reached your site or encountered errors helps pinpoint the problem. If there are crawl errors, fixing those issues should be your priority.
2. Verify Your Website’s Robots.txt and Meta Tags
Sometimes, incorrect robots.txt directives or meta tags can prevent Bing from crawling or indexing your site.
- Check robots.txt: Use Bing’s Robots Testing Tool to ensure your robots.txt file isn't blocking Bingbot from accessing your pages.
-
Review Meta Tags: Look for
noindextags in your page headers that might be unintentionally preventing indexing.
If you find any issues, update your robots.txt file or meta tags accordingly and resubmit your sitemap.
3. Ensure Your Website is Accessible and Fast
Bing prioritizes crawl efficiency and website health. A slow, inaccessible, or server error-prone website can discourage Bing from reindexing.
- Test Site Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to evaluate your website’s loading times.
- Check Accessibility: Ensure your site is accessible on all devices and browsers without errors.
- Fix Server Errors: Resolve issues like 500 errors, DNS problems, or downtime that could prevent Bing from crawling your site.
4. Submit a Reconsideration Request if Penalized
If your site has been penalized or deindexed due to spam or policy violations, you may need to submit a reconsideration request.
- Review Bing’s Webmaster Guidelines: Ensure your site complies with Bing’s policies.
- Fix Policy Violations: Remove any spammy or prohibited content.
- Request Reconsideration: Use Bing Webmaster Tools to submit a reconsideration request, explaining the steps you've taken to address the issues.
5. Improve Your Site’s Content and Structure
Content quality and site structure influence Bing’s crawling and indexing decisions. Ensure your site is well-structured and provides valuable content.
- Update Content Regularly: Fresh, relevant content encourages Bing to crawl more frequently.
- Optimize Internal Linking: Use clear navigation and internal links to help Bing discover all your pages.
- Use Sitemaps Effectively: Submit an XML sitemap with all important pages included. Resubmit it after making major updates.
6. Use Bing’s URL Inspection Tool
The URL Inspection tool within Bing Webmaster Tools allows you to see how Bing views individual pages.
- Test Specific URLs: Check if Bing can access your pages without errors.
- Request Indexing: If the page is eligible, you can request Bing to reindex the specific URL.
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7. Monitor Your Progress and Stay Updated
After taking corrective actions, regularly monitor your site's crawl status and indexing in Bing Webmaster Tools. Keep an eye on crawl errors, index coverage, and traffic patterns to ensure your site remains healthy and properly indexed. Staying updated with Bing’s webmaster guidelines and algorithm changes can also help prevent future indexing issues.
Key Takeaways for Resolving Bing Reindexing Issues
- Always check the crawl status and error reports in Bing Webmaster Tools.
- Verify that your robots.txt and meta tags are not inadvertently blocking Bingbot.
- Ensure your website is fast, accessible, and free of errors.
- If penalized, follow Bing’s guidelines and consider submitting a reconsideration request.
- Optimize your website content, structure, and internal linking for better crawlability.
- Use Bing’s URL Inspection Tool to diagnose specific page issues and request reindexing.
- Stay vigilant and keep monitoring your site's performance in Bing search results.
Remember, patience is key. Indexing issues can sometimes take time to resolve, but systematic troubleshooting and diligent site maintenance will improve your chances of reindexing successfully. If you find yourself stuck or need expert assistance, don’t hesitate to seek professional help.
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Has your website been deindexed by Bing? Don’t worry—we’ve got you. We offer Bing Website Recovery services with a 90% recovery rate. Send us an email now and your website will be back in Bing SERPs in no time.
