🧭 Overview
If you see zero URLs processing in the URL Indexer — even after submitting URLs and waiting past the 96-hour window — the most common cause is a missing Google Cloud Project (GCP) connection. The URL Indexer requires an active GCP project with the Indexing API enabled and a valid service account key before any URLs can be submitted for indexation. Without this setup, submissions will not process regardless of how much time has passed.
🔍 How to Check Your Current Setup
Before troubleshooting submission status or crawl delays, confirm that your GCP project is properly connected:
- In the left sidebar, click Authority, then select Indexer (URL Indexer).
- Look for a GCP connection indicator or a prompt to connect a Google Cloud Project.
- If no GCP project is shown as connected, follow the steps below to set one up.
⚙️ Step 1 — Create or Select a Google Cloud Project
- Go to the Google Cloud Console and sign in with your Google account.
- Click the project selector at the top of the page and choose an existing project, or click New Project to create one.
- Give your project a recognisable name (for example, SearchAtlas Indexing) and click Create.
⚙️ Step 2 — Enable the Indexing API
- Inside your GCP project, open the left menu and go to APIs & Services → Library.
- Search for Web Search Indexing API.
- Click on the result and then click Enable.
- Wait for the API to finish enabling before proceeding.
⚙️ Step 3 — Create a Service Account and Download the Key
- Go to APIs & Services → Credentials.
- Click Create Credentials and select Service Account.
- Enter a name for the service account and click Create and Continue.
- Skip the optional role and user access steps by clicking Done.
- On the Credentials page, click your new service account, then open the Keys tab.
- Click Add Key → Create new key, choose JSON, and click Create. The key file will download automatically — keep it safe.
⚙️ Step 4 — Grant the Service Account Access to Google Search Console
- Open Google Search Console.
- Select the property that matches the URLs you want to index.
- Go to Settings → Users and permissions → Add user.
- Enter the service account's email address (visible on the Credentials page in GCP) and set the permission to Owner.
- Click Add.
🔗 Step 5 — Connect the GCP Project in Search Atlas
- In the left sidebar, click Authority, then select Indexer (URL Indexer).
- Follow the on-screen prompt to connect a Google Cloud Project.
- Upload the JSON key file you downloaded in Step 3.
- Once connected, you should see your GCP project listed as active.
✅ Step 6 — Resubmit Your URLs
- Still in Authority → Indexer (URL Indexer), add the URLs you want to submit.
- Click Index URLs and confirm the submission.
- Processing status will update as Google's Indexing API receives and handles the requests. Allow up to 96 hours for status changes to reflect in the dashboard.
⚠️ Why Zero URLs Were Processing Before
URLs submitted before a GCP project is connected are not queued — they are not held for later processing. If you submitted URLs on June 5 and no GCP project was connected at the time, those submissions did not go through. You will need to resubmit them after completing the setup steps above.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use any GCP account? Yes, any Google account with access to Google Cloud Console can create a project. A free GCP account is sufficient.
- Do I need a separate GCP project for each website? No. One GCP project with the Indexing API enabled can cover multiple websites, provided each site is added to Google Search Console and the service account is granted Owner access for each property.
- What if the API is enabled but submissions still show zero? Double-check that the service account email has Owner-level access in Search Console, and that the correct JSON key file was uploaded in Search Atlas.
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.