How to See How Many Pages Are on a Website

Page count might seem like some arcane stat, but it’s actually extremely useful.

A high page count can tell you a lot about a website’s depth and content diversity, and it also gives clues on how well it's organized.

Whether you’re an SEO wizard, a marketing strategist, or just a data nerd, knowing page count can give you the upper hand.

Checking an XML Sitemap

An XML sitemap serves as a structured map of all URLs on a website, designed primarily for search engines to understand site structure.

An XML sitemap is typically available at yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml, and it’s chock-full of URLs that search engines need to index your content. It’s usually accurate, but not always up-to-the-minute.

This is one of the simplest ways to find all pages on a website and get a solid count of its public URLs.

But just keep in mind, that one you have that “no index” radio button checked marked, your page will not appear on the sitemap…at least it shouldn’t.

Here’s how to get the count:

1. Find the Sitemap: Type the URL with /sitemap.xml. For example, “yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml.”
2. Analyze URLs: You’ll see a list of every page that matters for SEO purposes.
3. Using Tools: Tools like Screaming Frog SEO Spider simplify the process by importing the sitemap and counting URLs, which is handy for large websites with intricate structures.

Pros: Sitemap accuracy is usually high since it’s crafted for search engines, but this relies on it being complete and up-to-date.

Cons: It doesn’t cover unlisted or blocked pages, so the final number might be slightly off for sites that purposefully exclude content.

Using the Google “Site:” Operator

For a quick, no-frills page count, the Google “site:” operator is a convenient way to see how many pages are on a website.

Think of it like a sneaky backdoor to check out your page count without jumping through hoops or signing up for anything.

This method is especially convenient for a fast check, though it’s limited to pages Google has crawled and indexed.

Follow these steps:

1. Search Query: Type site:yourdomain.com into Google.
2. View Results: Google shows a page count in the search results, representing only indexed pages.

It’s a nice, fast way to get an idea of your indexed pages, but don’t expect it to be spot-on.

Google’s always tweaking its index, so sites with fresh or constantly updated content might see the numbers bounce around a bit.

We personally do not use this approach if we are trying to find all pages within a website. However, it is quite useful when trying to find if a page is already ranking for a specific keyword.

Follow the steps above and just add the keyword next to it site:yourdomain.com keyword.

Learn about Keyword Cannibalization

Google Search Console

For website owners, Google Search Console (GSC) offers an accurate view of how Google indexes your pages.

It doesn’t just tell you which pages are indexed; it also shows any errors that might be blocking Google from crawling certain pages.

This is the real deal for accurate, up-to-the-minute data on your site.

Here’s how to use GSC:

1. Site Ownership Verification: Only site owners can access GSC, so verify your domain before starting.
2. Navigating to Index Status: Once in GSC, go to “Index Status” or “Coverage” to view indexed pages.
3. Check Sitemaps: Got multiple sitemaps? GSC breaks down page counts for each one, giving you a detailed map of what’s live on Google.

The best part? It’s reliable and secure, giving you the most accurate view of how Google sees your site.

The catch? You need admin access and a bit of setup time to get rolling.

Keep in mind that Google Search Console is the source of truth about the data your website is found for. So leverage as much as possible along with other SEO Tools like SEMrush.

Using Analytics Tools

Paid SEO tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz excel at crawling and auditing websites, providing comprehensive page counts and much more.

These are the heavy hitters in the SEO game, built for pros who want to dig deep into their site’s data.

We’re talking page counts, URL structures, crawl issues—the whole works. These tools don’t mess around.

These tools are our go-to options if you’re looking to get all pages of a website along with data on backlinks, rankings, and site health.

These tools are packed with extra features like backlink analysis and keyword tracking, so if you’re serious about SEO, they’re worth every penny.

But, yeah, they do come with a subscription price tag, which might be a bit much if you’re just testing the waters.

Pros: Highly accurate, loaded with SEO insights, and customizable.

Cons: Subscription-based, which can be costly for casual users.

Screaming Frog SEO Spider

This thing is like the Swiss Army knife of SEO tools, built for folks who want to go deep and map out every corner of their site.

It’s a powerful desktop tool that helps you find all pages on a website by performing a full crawl and identifying indexed and unindexed URLs, 404 errors, redirects, and more.

1. Setup and Crawl: Download and install Screaming Frog, then initiate a crawl by entering the website URL.
2. Internal Tab: Once the crawl is complete, the “Internal” tab displays all URLs discovered by the crawl.

Screaming Frog doesn’t stop there—it gives you the lowdown on indexed and unindexed pages, 404 errors, redirects, metadata, the whole nine yards.

The free version’s solid for smaller sites, but if you’re dealing with a beast of a website, the premium version’s where you unlock the real power.

Pros: Detailed and thorough for serious SEO and content audits.
Cons: Might feel a bit complex if you’re new to it, and the free version has a limit on results.

Why Knowing Page Count Matters

A website’s page count is more than just a number—it represents the scope of your online presence and signals how well your site is managed.

Your total page count is like the pulse of your online presence, giving you insight into how well your site’s running or if it’s a chaotic mess.

Here’s what you get out of knowing it:

SEO and Content Quality

A high page count can mean you’ve got a lot of content variety, which is great.

But not every page is a winner, so keeping tabs on page performance helps you cut the dead weight and keep only the stuff that’s working.

If you are interested in learning more about why content is important in SEO, we’ve written an entire blog about it, you can find it here: Why Content Is King.

Crawlability and Indexing

Knowing the full scope of your pages makes sure everything’s getting crawled and indexed. It helps you spot any orphaned pages or crawl issues that could be holding your site back.

Google does not like orphan pages so make sure there are internal links to other pages on your website.

Competitive Analysis

If you’re keeping an eye on your competitors, knowing their page count gives you a peek into their content strategy and lets you see just how wide their site goes.

Content Organization

Managing your page count means you’re ready to plan updates, dive into topic-specific content, and handle seasonal stuff without things getting messy.

Keeping your content organized is crucial, as cluttered content can confuse users and lower engagement by monitoring page count regularly, you’re in control of your site’s growth and able to ensure quality, not just quantity.

Here Are Our Final Thoughts

Alright, let’s wrap this up.

Knowing how to see how many pages are on a website or get all pages of a website is crucial for managing content, optimizing SEO, and avoiding a chaotic site structure.

Whether you’re using Google Search Console for the nitty-gritty details or cranking it up with advanced SEO tools, each approach gives you a different piece of the puzzle.

Now, if you’re serious about optimizing that page count and keeping your site at peak performance, Alterior Digital has your back.

We’re pros at handling everything from in-depth SEO audits to tailored content strategies, so you can focus on quality over quantity and avoid the pitfalls of an overloaded site.

So, if you are ready to Rank Higher On Google, contact us and let’s get started.