1. Settle on the URL you will share with patients
If your site opens at multiple addresses, choose the address you will share with visitors. If the same website opens with and without www, check that visits reach the preferred address and use it consistently in navigation and the sitemap.
Checking only the home page can miss essential information. Open individual entry pages such as first visits, hours and directions, and key services. If you moved a test site to a new address, check that old URLs redirect to the corresponding new ones.
2. Check public and private pages separately
Check whether search restrictions from development remain on any pages that should be public. The robots.txt file controls crawler access, while noindex instructs search engines to exclude a page from results. A crawler that cannot access the page also cannot read the noindex directive on it.
Protect admin screens, application materials, and private previews with access controls. Search exclusion settings do not stop someone who knows the URL from opening it in a browser.
3. Record requests and actual indexing
Verify site ownership in search tools and submit a sitemap that contains the preferred URLs. Use URL inspection to check important public addresses and request indexing where appropriate. Verify the request outcome and the search engine’s current indexing status separately.
On launch day, record the URLs, response status, search restrictions, and inspection results. Check again a few days later. Passing a live access check, being indexed, and appearing in search results are distinct states.
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- List the home page, first-visit page, and clinic hours URLs. Open each in a mobile browser while signed out.
- Keep inspection results for the same URLs on launch day and on your follow-up date.
Sources and verification date
Verified. This guide is for practical preparation and does not guarantee visibility.