You know that Google analyzes web pages and scans the content with crawler bots. But did you realize that Google analyzes more than just websites? All scanned sites are recorded and stored in a database on the servers of the IT behemoth. This database is known as Google Cache. Google’s cache allows users to view stored versions of web pages that Google has previously indexed. However, in response to Google’s removal of the ‘cached’ button from search results, users are now seeking alternatives to view historical snapshots of web pages.
Let’s explore the perplexing world of Google Cache page removal and unveil the best alternatives for viewing cached content.
Understanding Google Cached Pages
Google cached pages are temporary copies of web pages stored by Google’s search engine. When Google crawls a website, it takes a snapshot of the page’s content, including the HTML, images, and other media. This snapshot, known as a cached page, is stored on Google’s servers. Users can access these cached pages through Google’s search results or by using the “cache:” search operator in a Google search.
These cached pages are crucial because they act as backups of a website’s content. If the original page is unavailable or has been removed, users can still access the information they need through the cached version. This feature is particularly useful for accessing content on websites that are temporarily down or have been deleted.
Additionally, web cache and cached pages help webmasters diagnose issues with their website’s indexing and crawling, providing insights into how Google views and stores their content.
Why Google Cached Pages Matter
Google cached pages matter for several reasons:
- Improved User Experience: Cached pages provide a way for users to access information on a website even if the original page is unavailable. This can significantly enhance the user experience by reducing frustration and ensuring that valuable content remains accessible.
- Website Indexing and Crawling: For webmasters, Google cached pages are a diagnostic tool. By viewing the cached page, webmasters can see how Google has indexed their content and identify any issues that may be affecting their website’s visibility in search results.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO professionals can gain valuable insights from Google cached pages. Analyzing the cached version of a web page allows them to see how Google has indexed the content and identify opportunities for improvement, such as optimizing keywords or fixing indexing issues.
- Internet Archive: Google cached pages serve as a form of internet archive, providing a historical record of a website’s content over time. This can be invaluable for research, legal purposes, or simply understanding the evolution of a website.
How to Check Google Cached Pages
There are several ways to check Google cached pages:
- Google Search: Simply type the website or page URL into Google’s search box. In the search results, click the “Cached” link next to the URL to view the cached page.
- Cache Operator: Use the “cache:” operator in Google’s search box. Type “cache:” followed by the web page’s URL (e.g., cache.com). This will directly take you to the cached version of the page.
- Google Search Console: Utilize the URL Inspection Tool in Google Search Console to view the cached page. This tool provides detailed information about how Google has indexed your page, including the cached version.
- Internet Archive: The Wayback Machine is another excellent resource for viewing archived versions of a website. Visit the Wayback Machine and enter the URL of the page you want to view. This tool provides a historical archive of web pages, allowing you to see how a site has changed over time.
By checking Google cached pages, users can access information on a website even if the original page is unavailable. Webmasters can also diagnose issues with their website’s indexing and crawling, ensuring their content remains visible and accessible in search results.
View Google Cache: Best Alternatives
You might be surprised to learn that Google isn’t the only search engine archiving web pages on the internet. Various online archiving tools and other search engines, like Bing and Yahoo!, are currently doing the same thing worldwide. They may not be as consistent with updates and crawls as Google, but they can still be helpful when you need to obtain material that has been removed or geo-blocked.
In Google’s cache, static assets (like images, CSS files, JavaScript files, and videos) are also stored alongside the page content. These assets remain unchanged unless manually updated, allowing Google to provide a consistent, fast-loading version of the page when you view the cached page.
Since static assets don’t change with every page load, they help ensure that cached pages remain stable across different users, offering them the same layout and functionality each time. Google optimizes how it serves these cached pages by storing them in a way that minimizes load time and ensures an accurate, consistent display for users.
If you’re looking to improve your website’s performance, Speed Optimization Plugins can be a great help. Plugins like W3 Total Cache, and Autoptimize can optimize static assets by minifying and caching scripts, compressing images, and improving load times. These optimizations contribute to faster site speed, which is beneficial not only for user experience but also for SEO.
Additionally, Google Page Insights can be used to analyze how well these static assets are performing in terms of load times and user experience. You can also show activity in terms of page interactions, ensuring that any changes or updates on your website are accurately reflected in the cached version for users to access.
For a more direct way to access the cached version of a page, you can use the address bar. By typing “cache:” followed by the full URL of the page (e.g., cache:example.com) into the address bar of your browser, you can quickly view Google’s cached copy of the page.
Let’s look at some alternatives to view Google cache.
URL Inspection Tool
One of the top alternatives to viewing Google Cached Pages is the URL Inspection Tool available in Google Search Console (GSC). This nifty tool provides website owners with a deeper understanding of how Google has indexed their pages, offering insights that often surpass the capabilities of Google’s cached pages.
Unlike Google’s cached pages, which may struggle with processing JavaScript code or displaying dynamically generated content accurately, the URL Inspection Tool excels in providing precise and up-to-date information.
Google Page Insights can also help analyze the performance of your pages, showing you how well your site performs on both mobile and desktop and tells you to improve the PSI score. It measures aspects like page load time, which can provide additional insights into user experience when viewing cached versions of pages.
With the URL Inspection Tool, website owners can access detailed indexing information about their pages, including essential data such as the date and time when Google last crawled the page, the status of indexing, any indexing issues detected, and the canonical URL associated with the page.
Rich Results Test Tool
Another valuable alternative to viewing Google Cached Pages is the Rich Results Test Tool, developed by Google to enable website owners to live-test their pages for rich results. Rich results are enhanced search results that include additional information, such as images, reviews, and FAQs, making them more visually appealing and informative to users.
Unlike the URL Inspection Tool, which retrieves existing page data from Google’s index, the Rich Results Test Tool crawls pages’ live URLs in real time. This means that website owners can see how Google interacts with their pages at the moment of testing, providing more accurate and timely insights into their search performance.
You can use the Rich Results Test tool by navigating to search.google.com/test/rich-results. Type the URL you want to test and click on “Test URL.” There you go, with all the real-time information of the page.
Google Cache
Google Cache has been a valuable resource for users wanting to access past versions of pages. It is available for users for a little longer; here’s the temporary Google Cache URL: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache.com.
Here, instead of example.com, add the site URL you want to see the cache for.
Update: Google has permanently removed the cache link and cache functionality. This means that users can no longer access the “cached” link directly from Google’s search results. While this change may be frustrating, there are still several alternatives available for accessing cached content.
Wayback Machine – Internet Archive
The Wayback Machine is a digital archive of the World Wide Web provided by the Internet Archive. It allows users to browse and access snapshots of web pages captured over time. Users can enter a URL and view historical versions of websites, providing a valuable resource for researching the evolution of web content.
The tool also serves as an extensive repository, preserving the internet’s history and enabling users to explore how websites looked and functioned in the past.
Extensions for Cache View
Web Cache Viewer is one of numerous Google Chrome extensions that allow you to browse cached versions of web pages on the move.
How Google Cache Affects Website Security and Data Recovery
Google Cache isn’t just about troubleshooting SEO or viewing old content; it can also play an important role in website security and data recovery. Websites are vulnerable to a variety of issues like hacking, server crashes, or accidental data loss, all of which can result in downtime or the removal of crucial pages. When these events occur, the cached version of your page can serve as an emergency backup.
If your website goes offline or is compromised, the Google Cache version allows you to temporarily access the most recent version of your content. This is particularly useful for preserving access to vital business information, customer data, or articles while the website undergoes repairs or restoration.
Moreover, in the event of a security breach where content is altered or deleted, Google Cache provides a snapshot of the page before the attack occurred. This cached copy can be used to compare the original content with the compromised version, assisting in identifying the source of the breach and ensuring that nothing vital has been lost.
In terms of data recovery, cached pages can be an essential tool. If your website loses critical data—whether it’s a product listing, a portfolio project, or a blog post—Google Cache provides a historical backup that can be restored while you work on resolving the issues. While it’s not a permanent solution, Google Cache offers a quick fix in times of need.
How Cached Pages Influence SEO Strategies
Understanding how cached pages work can provide valuable insights into your SEO strategies. Cached web pages are essential for searchers as they help ensure that relevant content is accessible during a web search, even if the original pages are temporarily down. Even though direct access to Google’s cached pages may be limited, the concept of caching and how Google stores versions of your pages can significantly impact your site’s search engine optimization.
Monitoring Page Changes
Cached pages serve as a historical record of your website. By regularly checking cached versions, you can track changes made to your site over time. This can help you identify any unintended modifications or issues, such as missing images or altered content, ensuring that your website remains consistent and reliable for users.
Recovery from Errors
When making updates to your website, WordPress errors can occur—ranging from broken links to formatting issues. Utilizing cached pages allows you to revert to a previous version if something goes awry.
By ensuring that the previous cached versions are accessible, you can quickly restore lost content or fix any errors that might affect user experience.
Understanding Competitor Strategies
Analyzing cached pages of competitors can provide insights into their SEO strategies and content evolution.
By observing how their pages have changed over time, you can identify successful tactics they’ve employed and adapt them to your own strategy. This can include keyword usage, content structure, and engagement techniques.
Creating Better Content
Knowing what information was previously available on your pages can guide your content creation process. If certain pages have lost relevance or traffic, revisiting their cached versions can highlight opportunities for improvement. This helps in refining your content strategy and ensures that your site remains aligned with user needs and search intent.
SEO Audits
Regularly reviewing cached versions of your website is an essential part of conducting SEO audits. This practice helps you identify any discrepancies between what Google sees and what users see.
Ensuring that your site’s metadata, headings, and internal linking structure remain intact across versions can enhance your site’s overall SEO performance.
Conclusion
Google Cache was a valuable tool to have on your side. It could aid in the recovery of lost material, the circumvention of geo-restrictions, the usage of indexed pages as a backup for your website, and the management of your marketing, content, and SEO activities. However, with the removal of Google Cache, using alternatives may be your only option to view Google cache.
If you find this information relevant, we have various other ways to help you gain more traffic and increase your search result ranking — this is simply a back pocket tactic for a rainy day. However, using archiving tools is an excellent way to see what changes your competitors make and whether your content is relevant to Google, but don’t rely on it massively.
