Google on Diagnosing a Deindexed WordPress Site  🔗 **Source:** [Google on Diagnosing a Deindexed WordPress Site](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-on-diagnosing-a-deindexed-wordpress-site/514356/) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: > - WordPressMigration > - SiteDeindexing > - GoogleSearch > - SEOIssues > Author: [Author's Name] > Source: [Google Office Hours Podcast] > Reference: [N/A] > date created: 2024-09-10 18:30 > > # Title: Diagnosing Site Deindexing After WordPress Migration > <!-- deep-read:sections start --> ## Table of Contents: - [Summary](#summary) - [Main Content](#main-content) - [Dropped From Index After Site Migration](#dropped-from-index-after-site-migration) - [John Mueller's Advice](#john-muellers-advice) - [Analyzing WordPress SEO Settings](#analyzing-wordpress-seo-settings) - [Other Possible Issues](#other-possible-issues) - [Notes](#notes) - [References](#references) - [Paraphrase](#paraphrase) - [Newsletter](#newsletter) - [Action Items](#action-items) - [Hypotheses](#hypotheses) - [Methodology](#methodology) - [Questions](#questions) - [Future Research](#future-research) - [Implications](#implications) - [Logical Validity](#logical-validity) - [Conclusion](#conclusion) ### References: - Google Office Hours Podcast, John Mueller ## 📝 Summary: This article discusses why a WordPress site may get deindexed after migrating to a different hosting platform. Google's John Mueller advises beginning with Google Search Console to check if the new website is blocking search engines, possibly due to a robots.txt issue or incorrect site settings in WordPress. He outlines where to start troubleshooting, with the first step being a detailed analysis of Google Search Console and WordPress settings. ## 📖 Main Content: ### Dropped From Index After Site Migration A user reported that their WordPress site got deindexed after moving it to a new hosting provider, a situation that can happen when migrating a site. Common issues include incorrect settings, such as a blocked robots.txt file or SEO settings preventing indexing. ### John Mueller's Advice John Mueller from Google advised starting with Google Search Console to investigate if the site is being blocked from search engines. His recommendation includes checking the page indexing report and looking for signs that Google is being blocked from crawling the website. ### Analyzing WordPress SEO Settings In WordPress, the issue often arises from the "Search Engine Visibility" setting, where a site may be set to discourage indexing. This can be found in the WordPress dashboard under **Settings > Reading**. Mueller suggests checking if this box is checked, which can prevent Google from indexing the site. Alternatively, a plugin or an incorrect robots.txt entry might be the cause. ### Other Possible Issues Other technical issues that can lead to deindexing include DNS problems or incorrect configurations on the hosting provider’s side. DNS settings not pointing to the new server or other errors during the migration process could block Google from properly accessing the site. ## 🗒️ Notes - **Google Search Console**: First place to check for errors related to deindexing. - **robots.txt**: A common issue when migrating a site is that the robots.txt file may block search engines. - **WordPress Settings**: The “Search Engine Visibility” setting in WordPress can discourage indexing. - **DNS Issues**: Failure to update DNS settings correctly after migration can prevent Google from accessing the new site. ## 📖 References: - Google Office Hours Podcast, John Mueller ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: 1. **Original**: "If your website dropped out of the search results and is no longer being indexed at all, right about the time when you did a migration, then my guess is that your new website is somehow blocking search engines, or at least, blocking Google." **Paraphrased**: "If your site vanished from search results following a migration, it's likely that something on the new site is preventing search engines, especially Google, from accessing it." 2. **Original**: "If that’s the case then untick that box and you’re done." **Paraphrased**: "In that case, simply uncheck the box, and the issue should be resolved." ## 📰 Newsletter: 🛠️ **Troubleshooting Site Deindexing After Migration** 🛠️ Moving your WordPress site to a new host? If you've noticed a sudden drop in search engine rankings or complete deindexing, don't panic. Google's John Mueller suggests starting with Search Console to check if your site is accidentally blocking search engines. From WordPress settings like **Search Engine Visibility** to your robots.txt file, learn how to quickly troubleshoot and get your site back on track. [Read more tips](#). ## ✅ Action Items: - Check Google Search Console for errors related to deindexing. - Review the **robots.txt** file to ensure it's not blocking search engines. - Confirm that WordPress **Search Engine Visibility** settings are correct. - Verify DNS settings to ensure proper connection to the new web host. ## 🧪 Hypotheses: - **Hypothesis 1**: WordPress sites that are deindexed after migration commonly face issues with blocked robots.txt or incorrect WordPress SEO settings. - **Hypothesis 2**: Proper configuration of DNS and migration settings will prevent deindexing after a website migration. ### 📊 Methodology: - **Data Source**: Analysis of websites that were deindexed following a migration. - **Design**: Identify and compare common causes of deindexing after WordPress site migrations. - **Analysis**: Assess how often deindexing is related to incorrect SEO settings, DNS issues, or robots.txt misconfigurations. ### ❓ Questions: - What are the most common reasons for WordPress sites getting deindexed after migration? - How can site owners ensure a smooth transition when changing web hosts? - Are there automated tools that can check for SEO issues post-migration? ### 🔮 Future Research: - Investigate the success rate of various migration tools for WordPress in preventing deindexing. - Explore the impact of DNS settings on site visibility post-migration. ### 💡 Implications: - Addressing common deindexing issues will improve the overall success rate of WordPress site migrations. - Streamlining migration processes can minimize downtime and loss of site visibility, ensuring better user retention and SEO outcomes. ### ✅ Logical Validity: **Positive Reasoning**: - **Causal Reasoning**: The connection between migration issues and search engine deindexing is logically explained through detailed steps like SEO settings and robots.txt file configurations. - **Appeal to Facts**: The article uses practical advice and real-world troubleshooting steps to support the argument. **Potential Fallacies**: - **Hasty Generalization**: Assuming that all migration-related deindexing issues stem from robots.txt or SEO settings may overlook other technical reasons. ## 🎯 Conclusion: When a WordPress site is deindexed following a migration, the first steps are to check Google Search Console for errors, review WordPress SEO settings, and ensure that the robots.txt file is not blocking search engines. By addressing these common issues, site owners can restore visibility and ensure a smoother transition during the migration process. <!-- deep-read:sections end --> 📄 **Full text:** ![[Full Document Contents/Articles/Google on Diagnosing a Deindexed WordPress Site|Google on Diagnosing a Deindexed WordPress Site, Roger Montti]] ## Highlights - WordPress to “self-publishing” and that the site was subsequently deindexed. The question may mean that they were hosting the site on the WordPress.com managed WordPress platform and then migrated their site away to another web host, typically referred to as self-hosting ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j7fd2njd66vs2ry8bt9e603f)) - Search console may show the exact date that pages started dropping out of Google’s index and the reason why they’re dropping out. Typical reasons may be the pages are not found (404) or that Google was blocked from crawling by a robots.txt. Those are the starting points for identifying what’s happening on Google’s side. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j7fd22pvtrvashzmvzmx5ce8))