Fetch as Google and URL Inspection Tool in Google Search Console

Many webmasters use Fetch as Google to index or re-index their pages. As of March 2019 this feature won’t be working anymore. You should switch to Google Search Console’s new feature and use URL inspection tool which is more user friendly than Fetch As Google.

Here are features you will find:

  • Inspect an Indexed URL: Google shows indexed version of your page
  • Inspect live URL: Checks to see if your page is indexable or not
  • Request indexing for a URL: You can add URL for indexing or re-indexing
  • View a rendered version of the page: See how Google sees your page
  • View loaded resources list, JavaScript output and other information

When you add a URL for indexing or reindexing it takes between one or two minutes to show the results.

You can inspect any URLs under your domain whether it is Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) or non-AMP. In case of multilingual websites which has hreflang function and point to alternate language versions, the URL Inspection tool will provide canonical version. There is a daily limit of inspection though.

The indexed-URL is the version that Google has already indexed. So if you have already made some modifications on your page, you have to add the URL for re-indexing just like what we did when Fetch as Google was working. Mine is not working so I have already started using Inspection URL in Google search Console’s new version.

Remember! If your page is indexed, it doesn’t mean that your page is showing in search results. Your page and its structured data must conform with Google search engine’s quality guideline. If your site is temporarily blocked, the URL inspection will show the last time Google crawled the page.

If you want to remove a page under your domain, login to your search console, select a property on the left, then choose a verification method, select HTML, html meta tag and then write noindex meta tag code: ( meta name = “robots” content= noindex”) and request URL removal after confirming your site ownership. You have to add noindex meta tag on the page which you wish to be removed from Google. A successful request lasts 3 months. If you don’t own that page, then add the domain on” Disavow tools“, read my article about how to disavow links in Google search console

If your page is penalized by Google, the URL inspection tool doesn’t show your page.

To verify your page or missing page write: site: www.yourwebsite.com

If your page is missing write: info: www.yourwebsite/name-of-missing-page

I have already announced on my social media channels that link buying won’t work in 2019. Although Google prohibits link buying for many years, but many media agencies around the world have been buying links for their websites and clients’ sites. Today Google is equipped with artificial intelligence and machine learning and will find out about it if you buy links or use any campaigns that Google prohibits. Your competitor has always an eye on your website’s activities too.

It will be very difficult to hide blackhat SEO pattern due to Google A.I Search engine’s machine learning and deep learning algorithms. If you buy links for your client, you have to use lucrative patterns to fool the algorithms. I am not saying it is not doable but very difficult and time consuming. If you don’t understand search engine A.I programming, you won’t be able to hide it.

I have always been saying content without an on page and off page SEO will not show in search results for your keywords and phrases. If you write a competitive title for your article , you have to build back links for it in order to make it shown in Google search results. Here is an example:

“Why watermelon is expensive in winter” if your competitors have written articles using the same subject, the ones with quality back links, higher domain authority, better CTR and better organic search will rank higher for this term than your article.

Content writing is important but without doing on page and off page search engine optimization (SEO), that content of yours won’t show in Google search results. Content is king in one condition that it is SEO-ed otherwise forget about it.

 

If your website is penalized by Google contact me.

Google Penalty Recovery Service

 

10 comments

  • Raquel A. Cross

    Thanks for writing up this article, my Fetch as Google also stopped working. I changed browser, cleared cookies and even computers and still had problem. Now I know what to do.

  • Steven Duncan

    Many thanks Maria Johnsen. You rock!

  • Eugene V. Farrell

    Wow! Maria I tried to find some tips about this topic and couldn’t find information. Now I have all in one place. Thanks for the advice on Google Disavow

  • Mary M. Smith

    I bookmarked your page. Very informative and useful information.

  • Ernest Bray

    I am not used to the new Google Search Console. I keep using the old version. Thanks for this.

  • Dennis E. Ferrell

    All these times I have been thinking indexing a site was meant the site would be showing up in Google search results too.

  • Linda M. Garcia

    It was easier to remove links in old version than the new one. I hate writing codes.

  • Raymond D. Durant

    Link indexing is easier in new version. It’s just with one click. Love it!

  • Paul Benoit

    I am more comfortable with using Google Search console’s old version.

  • Grant Salas

    You covered everything in your article. I agree with your thoughts on content and SEO. There is a correlation between the two, Maria.