Fix Indexing Issues in Blogspot or Blogger
This is a question often asked by Blogspot users. On different platforms, this question is presented in various forms, such as:
How to Fix Crawling and Indexing Issues in Blogger?
- Google Search Cansole Not Indexing New Posts?
- How to Fix the Indexing Issue? - Google Search Cansole?
- My Blogspot Blog is Still Not Indexed?
The redirect error problem is very common, especially in Blogger. Before diving deeper into this issue, let me present some additional questions that many users frequently ask but often struggle to find a solution for online:
Common Questions:
- Why is my blog post not indexed?
- How do I index Blogspot in Google?
- Why is Blogspot not indexing articles?
- How to fix crawling and indexing problems in Blogger?
- Why is Google not indexing blog posts, and how can I fix it?
These are just a few selected questions that users often face when searching for a solution. However, there are millions of questions, with an equally large number of answers that fail to provide lasting solutions.
Whenever a blogger creates a website on Blogspot, he often faces this problem. Bloggers usually turn to YouTube, 'Google Search', or 'ChatGPT' for solutions. Still, the problem persists, and no definitive answer has been found. Even in Google forums, there are often no permanent solutions.
Is the Issue Really Serious?
This problem is not as serious as it seems. However, unless you understand it from the beginning, you will not find a permanent solution to it. Let's discuss this problem today.
What is Blogspot?
Blogspot is an old blogging platform that was acquired by Google. It was considered a very important and dominant platform in its time. However, as of 2025, Blogspot is outdated and lacks modern updates. Unlike platforms like WordPress, which receive regular updates, Blogspot has not kept pace with modern developments.
Why Does the Indexing Redirect Issue Occur?
The main problem lies in the outdated indexing methods used by Blogspot. Modern platforms, using modern technology, index URLs the same way for both desktop and mobile devices. In contrast, Blogspot's old indexing system indexed URLs differently, such as "?m=1" for mobile and "?m=0" for desktop. In this system, the desktop version acts as a canonical tag for the mobile version, which guides the algorithm to treat the desktop version as the original content.
Modern vs. Old Indexing Technology
Modern “indexing” technology uses canonical tags, simplifying the process and allowing algorithms or bots to easily identify the original URL. For example, Google Search Console uses advanced indexing techniques to handle URLs seamlessly with both smartphone bots and desktop bots. On the other hand, Blogspot’s outdated platform is struggling to keep up with these modern practices.
An Analogy to Understand the Problem
Imagine using a modern television remote control on an old television (would that work?) The answer is no, because the old television cannot recognize the advanced remote. Similarly, Blogspot's old indexing system relies on separate URLs for desktop and mobile devices, which is incompatible with modern technology.
The Risk of Using Modern Canonical Tags on Blogspot
If you use modern canonical tags on Blogspot, especially with a free subdomain, there is a 99% chance that your articles will not be indexed. This is because Blogspot's old system is not designed to handle modern indexing methods, resulting in inefficiencies and frequent indexing issues.
Where Does the Problem of Not Indexing Start?
The problem with indexing starts when you use the modern canonical tag on an older platform like Blogspot. Blogspot filters your URLs using "?m=1" and "?m=0" for mobile and desktop users respectively. In this case, it makes "?m=0" the canonical tag for the mobile version. When a bot or crawler visits your web page, it also finds the modern canonical tag in your theme. This is where the algorithm gets confused, resulting in your URL being labeled as a canonical tag or redirect error.
Permanent Solution to How to Index Blogspot URLs
To solve the indexing issue, follow these steps:
- Remove the canonical tag from your theme.
- Disallow mobile version indexing in your robots.txt file.
- Index your articles properly.
By following these steps, you can effectively resolve the indexing problem for Blogspot URLs.
Share the Solution
If this post helped you solve your problem, share it with others who might be facing the same issue.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why does Search Console show a redirect error for Blogspot?
The issue occurs when a modern canonical tag is used on an older theme like Blogspot.com, which adds parameters like `?m=1` for mobile and `?m=0` for desktop. This can confuse search bots, causing redirect issues.
2. How can I fix the indexing issue on Blogspot?
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To fix the issue, follow these steps:
- Remove the canonical tag from your Blogspot theme.
- Disallow mobile version indexing in the robots.txt file.
- Index your articles properly using Google Search Console.
3. Can I use modern indexing techniques on Blogspot?
While you can attempt to use modern indexing methods, Blogspot's outdated system may not fully support them. This often leads to errors in indexing unless adjustments like removing canonical tags are made.
4. What should I do if my Blogspot articles are still not indexed?
Ensure your robots.txt file is correctly configured and that your sitemap is submitted to Google Search Console. Avoid using duplicate or conflicting tags in your theme, such as modern canonical tags.
5. Why is it important to share this solution?
Sharing this solution helps other bloggers facing similar issues understand and resolve the indexing problems, improving their site’s visibility and performance.