World’s biggest search engine Google disables Request Indexing feature for URLs in URL Inspection tool of Google Search Console. Alphabet Inc. subsidiary Google LLC announced to temporarily suspend the request indexing feature on October 15, 2020. This restriction on manual appeal of URL indexation is likely to remain in place for few weeks.

Nowadays, all websites depend on URL crawl and indexing process.

Because an indexed URL becomes eligible for inclusion in search results.

In 2024 and going forward, user friendly websites with search visibility are bound to perform better in organic results.

Google disables Request Indexing feature for URLs in Search Console
Google disables Request Indexing feature for URLs in Search Console

Announcement disclosing Google disables Request Indexing feature

Google announced this action in a twitter post through the Google Search Central account on October 15, 2020.

It said that Google is suspending this feature owing to requirement of infrastructure upgradation.

Moreover, Google assures that the feature will comeback after some weeks in any case.

Finally, Google iterates that it will remain discovering content and indexing it by normal methods as before.

Why Google disables Request Indexing feature?

Google says the reason for this action is to fulfill the need of ever-growing infrastructure modifications.

In the search console help answer, Google claims the reason as increasing necessity technical updates.

Search Console reasons Technical Updates as Google disables Request Indexing feature
Search Console reasons Technical Updates as Google disables Request Indexing feature

A recent thread in search console help also cites infrastructure alteration as the reason.

Regular URL Indexing Not Affected

This is not a sign of all panic, as Google says that its usual crawling and indexation procedure is working.

Google’s Webmaster Trends analyst John Mueller explains on Twitter that the change does not alter usual crawling and indexing process.

Additionally, John Mueller says that [most] websites don’t require this feature [in the first place].

Lastly, John Mueller adds that majority of websites don’t utilize this feature [for this reason].

Consequences for Websites

This move has left website owners, SEOs and webmasters irate.

It comes on the heels of websites dropping off Google index problem in September 2020.

Google confirmed the problem owing to canonical URLs errors and mobile-indexing bugs, coming to light on 20 September 2020.

Big G says that websites owners do not require to do anything.

But, the websites in the time sensitive niche are already feeling the repercussions of it.

Now, as Google disables request indexing feature, so the problem is becoming severe.

Google Search Console suspends Request Indexing feature under URL Inspection
Google Search Console suspends Request Indexing feature under URL Inspection

See in above picture that Google has grayed out the request indexing feature to disable it.

Websites and blogs for news, current affairs, sports and other time specific verticals are seeing adverse effect.

Firsthand experience shows that our coverage of this event (published on 16 October 2020) is not indexed after 3 days.

Build user friendly & search optimized Websites to do well in SERPs
Build user friendly & search optimized Websites to do well in SERPs

Conclusion

At the present time, it is necessary for websites to ensure organic search presence, especially in Google search.

As an evolving art, SEO helps websites in answering user intent, and qualifying for better search rankings.

Website owners, digital marketers, and webmasters need to keep up-to-date with changing search dynamics.

There is chance that recently re-branded Microsoft Bing will see increased use by website owners and digital marketers also.