GSC re-indexing: when (not) to hit the button

tiktokguru

I've noticed something with smaller sites trying to index on big topics - re-requesting indexing reliably drops your position for at least the first 24 hours or so. For a site still building authority, that's rough because click-through is everything for jumping up. If your position drops a page or two, nobody's clicking.

I used to request indexing whenever I had quota spare. Then I tightened up and only did it for significant page changes. Now I'm considering not requesting at all unless the page hasn't been crawled or has rich result issues. End of the day, crawlers pick up changes regardless of whether you ping them again.

A colleague pointed out that the 24-hour dip is probably more about Google reprocessing the doc and query fit rather than CTR. On small sites without much crawl history, it feels dramatic because there's no authority smoothing it out.

Another take I heard: only hit re-request when you add or remove a page. Otherwise, focus on building quality content. If the page has been crawled recently and has no rich result problems, another request is just noise.

Curious what everyone else does - do you still use re-request as a routine refresh, or have you backed off like me?

communityfirst

Only request reindexing when you add or remove a page - otherwise, don't stress about it. pour that energy into crafting exceptional content that genuinely serves your audience. That's where the real, lasting results come from.

budgetburner

I wouldn't use request indexing as some kind of refresh button. For me, it's only for new URLs, moved URLs, pages stuck on "discovered but not indexed", or when the HTML changed in a way Google couldn't pick up naturally-canonical shifts, noindex tags, schema updates, major content rewrites.

That 24-hour dip you're seeing? Probably less about CTR and more about Google temporarily reprocessing the document and query fit. On small sites it feels dramatic because there's bugger all crawl history or authority to smooth it out.

If you've just tweaked a headline or a paragraph, let normal crawling handle it-unless that page hasn't been touched in weeks. When GSC shows the crawl date updated and there's no rich result issue, requesting again is mostly just noise.

digitalnomad

Oh, I've been there too - it's brutal. 😩 Re‑requesting indexing when a page is already cruising in the top 10 is one of those 'the cure is worse than the disease' moves. Google does not handle that well.

Here's my simple rule of thumb:

🆕 New page? Yes, request indexing - you want it crawled ASAP.

🔄 Page outside the top 20 with significant content changes? Absolutely re‑index.

⚠️ Page inside the top 10? Do. Not. Touch. That button.

I added one helpful paragraph for a secondary keyword on a page that was sitting at #1, and GSC pulled the rug out from under it - straight to position 100+ overnight. It took nearly two years to crawl back. Not worth the gamble.

Sometimes the best optimisation is leaving well enough alone.

pixelpusher

Honestly, I think this is too cautious. Mate, Google's crawl budget isn't some scarce resource you have to hoard. If you've made a meaningful change-even a title tweak that could shift click-through rate-I'd still re-request indexing. Especially in e‑commerce where speed is everything. Waiting for Google to "pick it up naturally" can cost you days or weeks of traffic. the "don't poke Google" advice sounds like something from 2015. Unless you're on a massive site with millions of URLs, requesting indexing for small updates isn't going to hurt anything. worst case, Google ignores it. Best case-you get indexed faster. Not sure why we're so scared of the button.

growthgeek

Only time I bother hitting that "request indexing" button is when I've built a page from scratch or completely gutted and rebuilt an existing URL.

Otherwise? Absolute waste of time. Tried it dozens of times on minor updates - Google couldn't care less. You're just feeding the illusion of control.

marketingmule

Honestly, I'd save the re-indexing request for when you've made a genuinely important update to an existing page. Overusing it every time a new page goes live can train Googlebot to rely on those notifications instead of crawling on its own schedule. Seen that pattern backfire for a few people managing larger sites - not something you want to encourage.

tiktokguru

Smart move.

I've always taken Google's "Page changed? Request indexing" prompt at face value too-hard not to when it's literally telling you to do it.

💡 Makes you wonder how much unnecessary reindexing we're all doing.