Meta robots tags control how search engines interact with individual pages (index/noindex, follow/nofollow). Place them in the HTML head to manage crawling and indexing behavior page by page.
Why a Meta Robots Tag Matters
A meta robots tag is crucial because it gives a website owner direct control over which pages are included in a search engine’s index. Without this control, a website could have thousands of low-quality or duplicate pages that are being indexed, which can dilute a site’s authority and waste its crawl budget. By using a meta robots tag, you can:
- Control Indexation: You can prevent a search engine from indexing a page that is not a high-quality resource, such as a “thank you” page or a password-protected page.
- Manage Crawl Budget: You can tell a search engine’s crawler which pages to ignore, which can help it focus its resources on your most important content.
- Prevent Keyword Cannibalization: You can prevent two similar pages from competing for the same keyword by telling a search engine not to index one of them.
Across Different CMS Platforms
The management of a meta robots tag is a technical SEO strategy that can be applied to any CMS.
WordPress
WordPress users can easily manage their meta robots tag by using a good SEO plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math. These plugins provide a simple toggle for you to set a page to “noindex” or “nofollow.”
Shopify
On Shopify, you can manage your meta robots tag by editing the robots.txt file through the theme editor. This is a great way to manage a large number of pages at once.
Wix
Wix has a streamlined, user-friendly system, but you can still optimize for a meta robots tag. The platform’s built-in SEO tools make it easy to manage your titles, meta descriptions, and on-page content.
Webflow
Webflow gives you granular control over your website’s design and code, which is perfect for a sophisticated meta tag strategy. You can use it to create a perfectly structured page that is optimized for a specific keyword or set of keywords.
Custom CMS
With a custom CMS, you have the most control but also the most responsibility. You can build a system that automatically tracks and analyzes your meta robots tag’s performance and provides your content creators with data-driven insights.
Across Different Industries
The way you use a meta robots tag will depend on your industry and your goals.
E-commerce
E-commerce sites often use a meta robots tag to prevent a search engine from indexing a large number of filter pages or duplicate content. This can help them to manage their crawl budget and to prevent keyword cannibalization.
Local Businesses
Local businesses can use a meta robots tag to prevent a search engine from indexing a low-quality page or a page with duplicate content. This can help them to maintain their local search rankings.
SaaS Companies
SaaS companies often use a meta robots tag to prevent a search engine from indexing their user dashboards or other private pages. This is a great way to ensure that your private pages are not visible in search results.
Blogs
Blogs can use a meta robots tag to prevent a search engine from indexing a low-quality article or a page with duplicate content. This can help them to maintain their topical authority.
Do’s and Don’ts of a Meta Robots Tag
Do’s
- Do use a meta robots tag to control your indexation. This is the most important step.
- Do use a noindex tag for a page that is not a high-quality resource. This can help you to manage your crawl budget.
- Do use a nofollow tag for a link to a low-quality website. This can help you to maintain a healthy backlink profile.
Don’ts
- Don’t use a meta robots tag to deceive search engines. This is a clear violation of a search engine’s guidelines.
- Don’t use a noindex tag on a page you want to rank. This is a common and often devastating mistake.
- Don’t use a nofollow tag for an internal link. This is an outdated tactic that no longer works.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Failing to use a meta robots tag: This is a basic but critical step. You cannot improve what you do not measure.
- Ignoring a user’s intent: A keyword should be used with a user’s intent in mind.
- Focusing on short-tail keywords alone: Long-tail keywords are often easier to rank for and can be a great source of organic traffic.
FAQs
Is a meta robots tag a ranking factor?
No, a meta robots tag is not a ranking factor. It is a set of instructions that tells a search engine’s crawler how to crawl and index a page.
What is the difference between a noindex and a nofollow tag?
A noindex tag tells a search engine not to add a page to its index. A nofollow tag tells a search engine not to follow any of the links on the page.
What is the difference between a robots meta tag and a robots.txt file?
A robots meta tag is a tag that is placed in the <head> section of an HTML document. A robots.txt file is a text file that is placed in the root directory of a website. The meta tag is a stronger signal.
Can a website with a low domain authority still rank?
Yes, a website with a low domain authority can still rank. The key is to create high-quality, in-depth content that is relevant to a user’s search intent.
What is the best way to use a meta robots tag?
The best way is to use it to control your indexation. You should use a noindex tag for pages that are not a high-quality resource and a nofollow tag for links to low-quality websites.
