Google has recently made available to all webmasters using Search Console a new version of its tool for temporarily removing indexed URLs from its search engine. When to use it? What is it used for concretely? How to use it ? What new features?
Summary
HOW TO TEMPORARILY AND QUICKLY DELETE A URL FROM GOOGLE?
To be distinguished with all the practices to be implemented to effectively de-index pages and files from Google over the long term, the temporary URL removal tool is an approach allowing webmasters to quickly remove Google search results from any URL. indexed by the search engine .
In cases that require significant responsiveness (right to be forgotten, personal data made public, sensitive page that should not have been indexed, etc.), the usual de-indexing techniques do not make it possible to quickly make inaccessible from Google regardless which page of his choice.
Thus, Google has developed the temporary URL removal tool from its search results:
google url removal tool
Overview of the new temporary URL removal tool from Search Console
To make a removal request of this type for your website, you just need to:
Have a Search Console account
Select the property concerned then go to this report: https://search.google.com/search-console/removals
Then just click on "New request" and choose the type of deletion you want: temporarily delete the url or delete the cached url.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TEMPORARY DELETION AND DELETION OF THE CACHED URL?
google url removal tool
Overview of Google URL Removal Tool
Requesting the temporary deletion from Google will delete the page from the search results for approximately 6 months , delete the extract from the page as well as its cached version. The result is very fast.
google cache url removal tool
Overview of the Google cache removal tool for a page
The " Clear cached url " option will allow any webmaster to delete only the extract and the version currently cached for a page or a group of pages. These two elements will then be re-generated the next time Google crawls. Unlike the first option, in this case, the URLs remain indexed on Google.
Both options offer the functionality " Delete all URLs with this prefix ". Checking this box allows a request to process hundreds of URLs as long as they all use the same prefix / url path (ex: monsite.com/dossier/pagesasupprimer/).
HOW TO REMOVE CONTENT HOSTED ON A GOOGLE SERVICE AND CONTRARY TO APPLICABLE LAWS?
If your deletion request concerns content contrary to applicable laws and hosted on one of Google's services, whether or not associated with your website but over which you have no control, you must then use this online form to request removal: https://support.google.com/legal/troubleshooter/1114905
SEARCH CONSOLE URL REMOVAL TOOL: WHAT'S NEW?
If you have known the old version, you will quickly realize that apart from a graphic overhaul, the new version is very close.
However, some new features have been integrated with the migration of the tool in the new Search Console:
The "Obsolete Content" section: this section presents the list of removal requests made through the public tool to request removal of obsolete content during the last 6 months. Of course, only those associated with the domain analyzed in Search Console will be listed here.
The "SafeSearch Filtering" section : this report lists all requests to include URLs from your site in the SafeSearch filtering formulated through this tool . These requests concretely indicate that URLs on your site containing explicit content have been reported by third parties as always appearing visible when the SafeSearch filter is activated.
