What is a No-Index Tag? - RightBlogger

Last Updated March 19, 2024

In the world of blogging and website optimization, the term “noindex-tag” plays a crucial role in determining how search engines index and display your content.

Let’s dive into what exactly a noindex-tag is and why it’s essential for your SEO strategy.

Understanding the Noindex-Tag

A “noindex-tag” is a specific command placed within the HTML of a webpage that signals search engines not to include that particular page in their index. In simpler terms, it tells search engine bots not to show your page in search results. This directive is a powerful tool for controlling which pages of your website appear in search engine results and which ones remain hidden.

How Does a Noindex-Tag Impact SEO?

By utilizing a noindex-tag, you are essentially telling search engines to ignore a specific page on your website. This can be beneficial for various reasons, such as preventing duplicate content from being indexed, hiding private or sensitive information, or keeping temporary pages out of search results.

Implementing Noindex-Tags on Your Website

To add a noindex-tag to a webpage, you need to insert a simple line of code in the HTML header of that page. This code instructs search engine crawlers not to index the content, ensuring that it remains hidden from public search results. If you are debugging a URL you can use Google Search Console to submit a URL to Google or just test live links.

If you are using WordPress many SEO plugins will give you the option to set the page to no-index. In Yoast SEO the option is under “Advanced” with the title “Allow search engines to show this content in search results?”.

Best Practices for Using Noindex-Tags

When utilizing noindex-tags, it’s essential to use them strategically. Avoid using them on critical pages that you want to rank on search engines. Reserve the noindex directive for pages that serve a specific purpose but are not meant for public consumption.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a noindex-tag is a valuable tool in the SEO toolkit for bloggers and website owners. By understanding how to use this directive effectively, you can have better control over which pages appear in search results and ultimately improve the visibility of your most important content.

Remember, the key is to use the noindex-tag wisely and strategically to achieve the desired SEO outcomes.

What does a noindex-tag do, in plain English?

A noindex-tag tells search engines not to show a page in search results.

It is placed in the page’s HTML (usually in the header). When Google or another search engine crawls that page, the tag signals, “Do not add this page to your index.”

This is useful when you want people to access a page by direct link, but you do not want it to appear when someone searches on Google.

When should I use a noindex-tag on my website?

Use a noindex-tag for pages you do not want showing up in search, but that still need to exist.

Common examples include thank-you pages, login pages, internal test pages, and thin pages that do not add much value on their own.

It can also help with SEO cleanup by keeping duplicate or near-duplicate pages out of Google’s index. If duplicates are the main issue, you may also want to learn how a canonical tag works so search engines know which version is the “main” page.

Will a noindex-tag hurt my SEO rankings?

A noindex-tag can help or hurt SEO depending on where you use it.

It helps when you noindex low-value pages, duplicates, or private pages, because search engines spend more attention on your best content.

It hurts if you accidentally noindex important pages you want to rank, like your main blog posts, category pages you rely on, or money pages. Always double-check before and after you make changes, especially on high-traffic URLs.

How do I add a noindex-tag in WordPress (like with Yoast SEO)?

In WordPress, the easiest way is to use an SEO plugin that lets you set a page to noindex.

For Yoast SEO, you can find this under the Advanced settings, where it asks if you want search engines to show that content in results.

After you change it, give Google time to recrawl the page. If you need to speed things up or troubleshoot, follow this guide on how to submit a URL to Google for indexing checks.

What is the difference between noindex and robots.txt blocking?

Noindex controls indexing, while robots.txt controls crawling.

If you use noindex, search engines can still crawl the page and see the instruction not to index it. If you block the page in robots.txt, search engines might not crawl it at all, which can make it harder for them to see updates or directives on that page.

To choose the right option, it helps to understand the basics of how robots.txt works. Many sites use both, but for different reasons.

How can RightBlogger help me improve SEO once I fix my noindex issues?

After you fix noindex problems, the next step is making sure your indexable pages are strong and fully optimized.

RightBlogger can help you tighten on-page SEO and content quality so the pages you want indexed have a better chance to rank. A good place to start is running SEO Reports to spot issues and opportunities.

You can also use Auto Optimize to refresh older posts with AI so your best pages stay updated, clear, and search-friendly over time.