Marketing Dictionary

Index

What is indexing and how does it work within Google?

Indexing is the process by which search engines such as Google store the content of your Web site in their database so that it can be displayed in search results. When you create a Web site or Web page, search engines want to know what is on that page and how relevant it is to people searching for something. By indexing your pages, search engines can quickly and efficiently deliver information to users when they enter a search query.

The process of indexing begins with crawling, in which a search engine bot visits your website and searches the content. The bot looks at the text, images, videos, and structure of your page to understand what it is about. Then this information is stored in the search engine's index, which you can think of as a giant database of all the Web pages the search engine has visited and understood. Then, when someone enters a query, the search engine searches this index to show the most relevant results.

Getting your website indexed correctly is crucial for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), because your pages will only appear in search results if they are indexed. You can make sure your pages are indexed properly by, for example, sending an XML sitemap to search engines so they know exactly which pages on your website are important. Optimizing content and using internal links also helps search engines better understand and index your site. By having your Web site properly indexed, you increase the chances that people will find your pages when they search for information, products or services you offer.

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