Why Google might still show keywords from deleted or outdated pages, and what you can do about it.
Don’t worry, you’re not alone
You might notice a keyword in your "My Keywords" section, click the “Link” to check out the page, and get a 404 error or a page that doesn’t seem to exist anymore. That can be confusing, but it doesn’t always mean something’s wrong.
Google can keep showing a keyword and URL combination even after the content has been removed or changed. This happens because Google doesn’t update its index (its giant library of web pages) right away. It takes time for search engines to recrawl your site and realize that a page is gone or different. Until then, some old URLs and keywords might still show up in your rankings.
Should I be concerned?
Usually, no. If you removed or updated the content on purpose, Google will catch up soon. But if you’re seeing a lot of broken pages in your rankings—or the wrong content is showing up—it’s a good idea to double-check your setup.
Why it happens in My Keywords
When you click a “Link” next to a keyword in your "My Keywords" list, it takes you to the exact URL Google is ranking for that term. If that link goes to a broken or missing page, it means Google hasn’t updated its records yet—or that the page was removed without a redirect.
What you can do
-
Make sure the page is really gone. Click the link from "My Keywords" to confirm that the page doesn’t exist or is outdated.
-
Set up a 301 redirect. This tells Google (and your visitors) where the content has moved and helps preserve your rankings.
-
Ask Google to reindex. If you use Google Search Console, you can request a new crawl of the page.
-
Give it a little time. Changes to search results can take days or even weeks to show up.
Your keyword rankings in diib refresh regularly, so you’ll see old keywords drop off and new ones take their place over time.