How Google discovers pages (crawling) in SEO Fundamentals - Try It Yourself

How Google Discovers Pages (Crawling)

📖 Scenario: You are learning how Google finds new web pages on the internet. This process is called crawling. Understanding crawling helps website owners make their pages easy to find.

🎯 Goal: Build a simple step-by-step outline that shows how Google discovers pages by starting from known URLs and following links.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a list called seed_urls with three example starting web addresses

Create a variable called max_pages to limit how many pages Google will try to find

Write a loop using for url in seed_urls to simulate visiting each starting page

Add a final step that shows adding a new URL to the list to simulate discovering a new page

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Understanding crawling helps website owners make sure their pages are found by Google and appear in search results.

💼 Career

SEO specialists and web developers use knowledge of crawling to improve website visibility and optimize site structure.

1

Create the starting URLs list

Create a list called seed_urls with these exact URLs: 'https://example.com', 'https://example.org', and 'https://example.net'.

SEO Fundamentals

# Create the list of starting URLs
# Your code here

Hint

Use square brackets [] to create a list and separate URLs with commas.

2

Set the maximum pages limit

Create a variable called max_pages and set it to the number 10 to limit how many pages Google will crawl.

SEO Fundamentals

seed_urls = ['https://example.com', 'https://example.org', 'https://example.net']
# Set the max_pages limit
# Your code here

Hint

Just assign the number 10 to the variable max_pages.

3

Simulate visiting each starting URL

Write a for loop using for url in seed_urls to simulate Google visiting each URL in the list.

SEO Fundamentals

seed_urls = ['https://example.com', 'https://example.org', 'https://example.net']
max_pages = 10

# Loop through each URL in seed_urls
# Your code here

Hint

Use a for loop with the variable name url to go through seed_urls.

4

Add a new discovered URL

Inside the loop, add a new URL 'https://example.com/about' to the seed_urls list to simulate Google discovering a new page.

SEO Fundamentals

seed_urls = ['https://example.com', 'https://example.org', 'https://example.net']
max_pages = 10

for url in seed_urls:
    # Add a new discovered URL
    # Your code here

Hint

Use the append() method on seed_urls to add the new URL.

Practice

1. What is the main method Google uses to discover new web pages?

easy

A. Guessing URLs based on popular keywords

B. Manually adding pages submitted by users

C. Waiting for website owners to email URLs

D. Using automated crawlers that follow links from known pages

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Google's discovery process

   Google uses automated programs called crawlers or spiders to find new pages by following links from pages it already knows.

2. Step 2: Compare options

   Only Using automated crawlers that follow links from known pages describes this automated crawling method. Other options describe manual or guessing methods which Google does not rely on.

3. Final Answer:

   Using automated crawlers that follow links from known pages -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Google uses crawlers = A [OK]

Hint: Remember: Google bots crawl links automatically [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking Google manually adds pages
• Believing Google guesses URLs randomly
• Assuming email submissions are main method

2. Which of the following is the correct term for Google's automated program that finds new pages?

easy

A. Crawler

B. Indexer

C. Ranker

D. Optimizer

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify Google's discovery tool name

   The program Google uses to find new pages by following links is called a crawler or spider.

2. Step 2: Eliminate other terms

   Indexer organizes pages after crawling, Ranker orders results, Optimizer improves site SEO. Only Crawler finds pages.

3. Final Answer:

   Crawler -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Google's discovery tool = Crawler [OK]

Hint: Crawler = program that finds pages [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing crawler with indexer
• Thinking ranker finds pages
• Mixing optimizer with crawler

3. If a website has no links from other sites and no sitemap, what will likely happen when Google tries to discover its pages?

medium

A. Google will find the pages quickly by guessing URLs

B. Google will automatically add the pages to its index

C. Google will not find the pages easily because there are no links or sitemap

D. Google will send a manual request to the website owner

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand how Google discovers pages

   Google relies on links and sitemaps to find new pages. Without these, discovery is difficult.

2. Step 2: Analyze options

   Google will not find the pages easily because there are no links or sitemap correctly states Google won't find pages easily without links or sitemap. Other options describe guessing, automatic adding, or manual requests which do not happen.

3. Final Answer:

   Google will not find the pages easily because there are no links or sitemap -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   No links or sitemap = hard to find pages [OK]

Hint: No links or sitemap means hard for Google to find pages [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming Google guesses URLs
• Thinking Google adds pages automatically
• Believing Google contacts owners manually

4. A website owner notices Google is not discovering some new pages. Which of these is a likely cause?

medium

A. The new pages are not linked from any other page on the site

B. The website has a sitemap listing all pages

C. The pages have clear, descriptive titles

D. The website uses HTTPS protocol

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify why Google misses pages

   Google finds pages by following links. If new pages are not linked anywhere, crawlers cannot find them.

2. Step 2: Evaluate other options

   Sitemap helps discovery (B), titles help ranking (C), HTTPS helps security (A). Only lack of links (D) blocks discovery.

3. Final Answer:

   The new pages are not linked from any other page on the site -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   No links = no discovery [OK]

Hint: Pages must be linked or in sitemap to be found [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking HTTPS affects discovery
• Confusing titles with discovery
• Ignoring importance of internal links

5. You want Google to discover a new section of your website quickly. Which combination of actions will help the most?

hard

A. Change the website's color scheme and add meta descriptions

B. Add internal links to the new pages and submit an updated sitemap

C. Remove old pages and increase page load speed

D. Use HTTPS and add social media share buttons

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify key factors for fast discovery

   Google discovers pages by crawling links and reading sitemaps. Adding internal links and updating sitemap helps crawlers find new pages quickly.

2. Step 2: Analyze other options

   Changing colors or meta descriptions (B) does not affect discovery speed. Removing old pages or speed (C) helps ranking but not discovery. HTTPS and social buttons (D) improve security and sharing but not crawling.

3. Final Answer:

   Add internal links to the new pages and submit an updated sitemap -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Links + sitemap = faster discovery [OK]

Hint: Links plus sitemap speed up Google discovery [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Focusing on design changes instead of links
• Ignoring sitemap importance
• Confusing ranking factors with discovery