In short. Open Share > Publish on a published Notion Site, then use Search engine indexing and Discoverable on the web.
Definition: Search engine indexing is the Notion Site setting that makes a published Site searchable on the web. It is enabled from the published page's Share > Publish menu by opening Search engine indexing and turning on Discoverable on the web.
Key facts
- Notion's public-pages documentation places the control in the published page's Share > Publish menu.
- The control is named Search engine indexing, and its switch is Discoverable on the web.
- Notion's Site customization documentation says the feature is available only on paid plans.
- Paid plans provide editable Site page title and description fields used in share previews and for search engine optimization.
- Notion states that Sites can take up to four weeks to be indexed and appear in search results.
Where is the indexing toggle?
The setting belongs to a published Notion Site. Notion's public-pages documentation gives this starting point: open the published page in Notion, select Share at the top, and then select Publish. The menu contains the indexing control.
Share > Publish > Search engine indexing > Discoverable on the web
Open Search engine indexing, then turn on Discoverable on the web. Notion describes this switch as making the Site searchable on the web. The same menu also includes controls for Site customization, duplication as a template, embedding, and the list of all published Sites.
What do paid plans add to the link metadata?
Notion's public-pages documentation says a paid plan allows editing the Site's link title and description for search engine optimization. The linked customization documentation describes the same paid-only area as the Site's page title and description, and says those values are used in share previews and for search engine optimization.
The customization workflow is separate from the indexing switch:
Share > Publish > Site customization > Share preview
The Share preview area shows a preview using the Site's current cover image and title. The documentation also names Upload image for replacing that image and Publish changes for saving the customization. The title and description controls therefore belong to the Site's preview and metadata customization, while Discoverable on the web controls whether the Site is searchable.
How long can indexing take?
Turning on the switch does not provide a documented appearance time for a particular search engine. Notion's public-pages documentation states that Notion Sites can take up to four weeks to be indexed and appear in search results. That is the only timing figure given on the page.
The setting concerns the published Site as a whole. Notion's documentation says that subpages are published by default with a published Site, along with their subpages, unless subpage permissions are restricted. This makes the publishing and indexing setting distinct from a title or description edit in the Site customization area.
Related terms
FAQ
Is the setting in the regular page Share menu?
Yes. Open the published page, select Share, then Publish. The Search engine indexing item and Discoverable on the web switch are in that publishing menu.
What can you edit on a paid plan?
The public-pages documentation names the editable link title and description. The customization documentation calls them the Site's page title and description, and says they are used in share previews and for search engine optimization.
How soon will a Notion Site appear in search results?
Notion says a Site can take up to four weeks to be indexed and appear in search results. The documentation gives no more precise timing for an individual Site.
Sources
- Notion Help, "Publish a website with Notion Sites | Notion Help", undated
- Notion Help, "Edit & customize your Notion Sites", undated
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