Google Search Console recently had a bug with the number of reported URLs being shown for XML Sitemap numbers. And Google confirms that it there is a new bug in indexed URL numbers now.
It is unclear exactly what causes the bug, but if you spot a drop in the number of indexed pages showing up in for your XML sitemap, it could be due to this bug rather than a problem with the site.
Gary Illyes from Google tweeted about the reporting numbers issue today.
1/ We have a good news and a bad news.
— Gary Illyes (@methode) August 20, 2015
2/ Bad news: we might have a problem with reporting the number of indexed URLs in the SC Sitemaps feature. Good news: we're looking into it
— Gary Illyes (@methode) August 20, 2015
In July, many webmasters noticed a dramatic drop in the number of indexed pages showing for XML sitemaps in search console, although this was fixed a few weeks ago. The current issue is a new bug and not the same as an the July one, but Illyes reports it came back in another form.
@webrankinfo It was. It came back in another form :-/
— Gary Illyes (@methode) August 20, 2015
Hopefully this bug won’t take very long to fix, as the last one was fixed in a week or so. But do take the numbers reported with a grain of salt until the bug has been confirmed as fixed.
Jennifer Slegg
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MamboMan says
Does anyone really believe a word Gary says?
I don’t think he’s really up-to speed, in terms of what’s actually going on.