Begin with an important-page list
Write down the URLs customers need: main services, locations, contact details and any information required before purchasing. Open each address directly and follow the final URL after redirects. Then try reaching it from your homepage. A page that works only when someone knows its exact address can have a discovery problem. A successful response, however, does not establish that Google has fetched or indexed it.
Inspect useful internal links
Standard links with meaningful destinations help users and crawlers move through your website. A service page linked from navigation is easier to discover than one accessible only through a search box or a button with custom behavior. Use descriptive link text, such as the actual service name. Check both the source link and the destination: a crawlable link pointing to an error still fails the visitor's task.
- Link important pages from relevant navigation or content.
- Avoid hiding the only route behind an interaction.
- Check the final destination of old navigation links.
Review robots rules with care
Robots.txt tells participating crawlers which paths they may fetch. A broad restriction added during development can accidentally remain after launch. Read the rule that applies to the affected path before making changes. Robots.txt is not an access-control system and does not reliably remove a known URL from search results. If you want a public page excluded from indexing, that is a separate directive question that requires the crawler to see the instruction.
Use sitemaps as another discovery signal
A sitemap lists URLs you want search engines to discover. It should reflect current, intended pages rather than retired addresses or unrelated variants. For example, after changing a service URL, update its internal links and sitemap entry as part of the same work. A sitemap does not guarantee crawling or indexing. An important page still benefits from useful internal links and a successful, accessible response.
Interpret a public crawl as a sample
ColbySEO's free report discovers and checks a bounded selection of public pages, up to 60 URLs. Review attempted URLs, complete-source pages and limitations before drawing site-wide conclusions. A timeout may reflect temporary access or infrastructure trouble; a JavaScript-dependent route may require separate browser inspection. Use the saved report to identify repeatable problems, then verify your actual fixes. Google-specific crawl and indexing questions require separate evidence from a verified search property.
Common questions
If the free checker reaches my page, can Google reach it?
That is encouraging public evidence, but different crawlers can encounter different rules, access conditions and timing. The report does not impersonate Googlebot or verify Google's actual crawl history.
Should I remove every robots.txt restriction?
No. Some restrictions are intentional. Review the path, purpose and crawler involved, and keep private information behind real access controls rather than relying on robots rules.
Does adding a sitemap solve orphaned pages?
It provides another discovery route, but it does not replace a useful site structure. Link important pages from relevant visible content and confirm that their destinations respond successfully.