Forced indexing: should you use it for your backlinks?

Should you force the indexing of your backlinks? Benefits, limitations and SEO risks

The indexing of a backlink is never guaranteed. Even with a well-placed link in quality content, it’s common for the source page not to be indexed by Google — or worse, to appear briefly in the search results before disappearing. For SEO consultants or acquisition managers, it’s a major frustration: a non-indexed backlink is an ineffective link.

In this article, we’ll analyze how to force the indexing of pages that contain your backlinks, the signals to monitor via Search Console, and the indexing issues that should alert you to the quality of the source site. In many cases, asking for a refund is a better option than trying to index a page doomed to be forgotten by Google’s index.

Why do some backlinks not get indexed naturally?

Google doesn’t index every page

Google doesn’t index all crawled URLs. Its crawl budget is allocated based on the site’s perceived relevance, its structure, the quality of the content, and whether a robots.txt file blocks crawling.

Some pages are crawled but not retained in Google’s index, as they are considered low-value or duplicate content. An indexed Google page must meet quality criteria, have clean HTML structure, and be well integrated into the site’s internal linking.

The direct impact on your SEO strategy

A non-indexed link means no SEO signal. Worse: if it’s on a site with many non-indexed pages, that’s a sign of poor overall SEO health. In such cases, manual indexing is pointless — the issue is structural. It’s better to audit the site and, if needed, challenge the link purchase.

What is forced indexing?

Definition

Forced indexing involves using one or more techniques to actively suggest that Google index a specific URL. This can be done via:

• The Google Search Console using the URL Inspection tool
• The Indexing API (limited to verified sites in Google Search Console)
• Third-party services (e.g. IndexMeNow, OneHourIndexing)
• Indirect tactics: backlinks to the target page, traffic injection, social shares

Tools used

The URL Inspection tool shows if a page is indexed, if it’s been crawled, and allows you to request indexing. It’s useful for sites you own, but not for pages where you’ve simply placed a link.

The supposed benefits of fast indexing

Reduce SEO activation time

A quickly indexed link may accelerate its SEO impact. Some professionals track signals in the Search Console or rank trackers within days of publication.

Optimize focused campaigns

When running small-scale link building campaigns, every indexed Google page matters. Fast indexing helps measure link ROI and react quickly if it gets ignored.

The limitations of artificial indexing

Indexing ≠ being taken into account

An indexed Google URL doesn’t mean the link will be considered by the algorithm. If the content is weak, poorly integrated, or placed in low-visibility areas (footer, sidebar), it may be ignored by search engines.

Fast indexing is only useful if the link remains live over time. Learn more in our guide on backlink lifespan and how it affects your SEO.

When it’s pointless

If a link page fails to index after days or weeks, that’s often a sign of poor internal linking, an outdated or penalized site, or robots.txt issues.

In that case, it’s better to ask for a refund than to keep pushing for indexing. Even if it does appear in Google’s search results, it’s likely to disappear again.

The risks of artificial indexing

A risky SEO footprint

Using indexing services or mass-forcing URLs creates footprints that Google Search can detect. This harms the naturalness of your link profile and increases the risk of algorithmic filtering or manual penalties. In some cases, the indexer may even replicate your links on low-quality foreign sites — this has happened before.

The illusion of results

Some services promise hundreds of indexed pages. But how many will still be indexed 30 days later? Appearing in search results is not enough — the page must stay indexed and be crawled regularly. Best practices vary — it’s one of the findings in our link building best practices study.

What’s the right strategy?

Favor natural indexing

A good backlink should:

• Be placed in contextual content
• Have good, long-term internal linking
• Be on a site regularly crawled by search engine bots

Encourage indexing via external signals

• Send traffic to the source page via social media or newsletters
• Build links to the link (aka tier 2 SEO)
• Earn contextual mentions (co-citations)

Revive old links

During SEO audits or link building reviews, it’s helpful to resubmit old URLs with non-indexed backlinks to try to reactivate their SEO potential.

Audit before buying a link

Before any acquisition:

• Check if pages are indexed by Google
• Use the URL inspection tool on several articles
• Review the robots.txt file (to ensure the link isn’t disallowed)
• Audit the internal linking

A site with many non-indexed pages, or where new articles don’t appear in Search Console, sends a negative SEO signal.

Forced indexing should not be used as a crutch. A well-placed backlink on a healthy site indexes naturally and remains in Google’s results. If not, take that as a red flag. Instead, focus on:

• Auditing the site beforehand
• Checking indexing in Search Console
• Above all, building an SEO strategy based on quality, not quantity