During a Google Office Hours Q & A session, John Mueller from Google addressed a query regarding a site facing indexing issues. This discussion unveiled a noteworthy technical SEO aspect related to domains and subdomains, which might not be common knowledge. The revelation explained how this technicality could contribute to the perception that a site is encountering challenges with indexing.
The individual seeking clarification had developed a website using the Core MVC framework and subsequently launched it with the secure HTTPS protocol. However, they soon encountered difficulties in getting their content indexed. In detailing the situation, the person highlighted the use of the Core MVC framework and the adoption of the HTTPS protocol as the known variables in their question.
They questioned whether the choice of the web application framework could be causing interference with the indexing process. Additionally, they pondered whether there might be any aspects of the HTTPS configuration obstructing the indexing of their content.
The question asked:
“I built a new site on Core MVC and moved it to HTTPS and I have problems with indexing the new pages.”
Upon inspecting the site, Google’s John Mueller determined that the perceived indexing issues were unrelated to the MVC framework and HTTPS.
Mueller answered:
“…I took a look at your site and how it’s indexed.
It looks like your site is indexed without the www subdomain, so if you explicitly look for the www version of your site, you won’t find much.
If you look for the domain alone, such as site:domain.com, then you’ll find it indexed.”
There’s Always More To See
At times, the solution to a problem can be obscured by the most apparent causes, making it challenging to pinpoint the true resolution. To effectively address an SEO issue, it’s crucial to persist in the search for answers beyond the obvious issues.
John Mueller might have reframed the problem from the site not being indexed to specifically the non-WWW version not being indexed. Therefore, exploring the indexing status of the non-WWW version is the next step in resolving the issue.
WWW Is A Subdomain
The discovery of the solution serves as a reinforcement of a significant technical detail concerning the www and non-www versions of a website—specifically, that the WWW version is considered a subdomain of the non-WWW version.
Refer to the Google Office Hours recording at the 2:51 minute mark for insights into the question, “Why Is A Site Not Indexing?”
English Google SEO office-hours from December 2023 – YouTube
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