Limitations of the “Site:” Operator
The “site:” operator, which allows users to search for pages on a specific website, does not offer a comprehensive list of all indexed pages. Gary Illyes from the Google Search Relations team addressed this issue directly, stating, “No, the site thing shows me some of the pages that are indexed.” Illyes explained that it is not feasible for Google to provide users with an exhaustive list of every indexed page.
Use Cases for the “Site:” Operator
Despite its limitations as a comprehensive indexing check, the “site:” operator has several useful applications. It can be employed to monitor unwanted keywords or content, such as “buy Viagra in Timbuktu casino without a prescription,” as Illyes vividly illustrated. The operator is also valuable for finding duplicate versions of pages or checking the indexing of images, which can be particularly useful for sites hosting user-generated content. “On our search documentation site, developers.google.com/search, I sometimes use it to find some of the discovered versions of individual pages,” said Illyes. “Checking for images… like in image search or the Images tab, you can use it to see what kind of images we have indexed, as sometimes this can also become quite unpleasant.” While the discussion had moments of levity, the team conveyed a critical message: Google Search Console is far superior to the “site:” operator for accurately diagnosing and resolving indexing issues.
Got a new project or need our services? Send us your details here or call us at 2130414635.
