Google’s Indexing Bug Spreads Like A Virus To Coverage Report
The Google de-indexing bug, which took about 6 days to resolve and is supposedly resolved as of last Thursday is now causing issues within Google Search Console. The coverage and enhancement reports, as well as the URL Inspection tool are all impacted according to Google.
It is like this single bug is spreading like a virus to other parts of Google.
Google posted on Twitter confirming a lot of the issues that began surfacing after the indexing issue was resolved. Such as Google Search Console coverage reports showing huge dips in indexing after the bug was resolved (yes, showing drops after the issue was resolved, not during). Also, many were having issues using the URL inspection tool, where it was not showing the live status of the report – again, because of the indexing issue Google said.
Here are the tweets from Google:
Search Console is still recovering from the indexing issue we reported on last week. As a result, index coverage and enhancement reports were not updated recently & URL Inspector might not reflect live status, at the moment.
— Google Webmasters (@googlewmc) April 15, 2019
In the case of a site-specific issue, you can report into our forum. You can also use the URL Inspector tool to resubmit, but be aware the status report might not be correct until that issue is resolved https://t.co/2d36OARdZ5
— Google Webmasters (@googlewmc) April 15, 2019
Google is saying that it is taking longer for Google Search Console to recover from the indexing bug than it took Google search. This means that the “index coverage and enhancement reports were not updated recently & URL Inspector might not reflect live status.” Google said they will send us an update when it is resolved but for now, if you need to check the status of a URL in the Google index, use the site: command. If it is not included, Google said it is not related to the indexing bug but more likely a site specific issue and your problem to fix.
Over the weekend, I as well as many SEOs were seeing huge drops in their indexed valid pages in the coverage report. Here is a screen shot from Dylan Howell on Twitter:
Is everyone else seeing massive decreases in indexed pages on the coverage report? Looks like Monday data. Related to deindexing bug? @googlewmc @JohnMu @Kevin_Indig @dan_shure @Jammer_Volts @rustybrick pic.twitter.com/hSvNjlqRn7
— Dylan Howell (@dylanhowell) April 13, 2019
I saw it myself but now, this morning, Google dropped the dates with the bug and probably won’t include those dates until it is resolved.
There are also other issues being reported with Search Console, although Google didn’t say this one is related:
@rustybrick has anybody else seen this – one thing is not like the other? 0 clicks last 90 days? pic.twitter.com/Ucp0U2q88O
— Eleanor Thorne (@isellmoney) April 11, 2019
So sorry you all have to deal with this bug, which is now lingering into day 10.
Again, Google said it is resolved in the main search results, but now the Search Console reports and tools are having issues.
Forum discussion at Twitter and WebmasterWorld.
Update: I am now seeing the drop in indexed pages again in the Coverage Report:
