noindex tells search engines not to include a page in their index. Use it for admin pages, staging copies, or low-value pages you do not want showing in search.
Why a Noindex Tag Matters
A noindex 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 noindex 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 noindex tag is a technical SEO strategy that can be applied to any CMS.
WordPress
WordPress users can easily manage their noindex 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 noindex 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 noindex 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 noindex tag’s performance and provides your content creators with data-driven insights.
Across Different Industries
The way you use a noindex tag will depend on your industry and your goals.
E-commerce
E-commerce sites often use a noindex 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 noindex 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 noindex 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 noindex 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.
Dos and Don’ts
- Use for pages that are not a high-quality resource: This can help you to manage your crawl budget.
- Use to prevent duplicate content issues: This is a direct way to prevent a search engine from indexing a page with duplicate content.
- Use a clear, logical site structure: A logical site structure makes it easy for search crawlers to find and index your content.
- Avoid using on a page you want to rank: This is a common and often devastating mistake.
- Avoid using it to deceive search engines: This is a clear violation of a search engine’s guidelines.
- Avoid using it and disallow on the same page: This can confuse a search engine’s crawler.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Failing to use a noindex 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
What is the difference between a noindex tag and a robots.txt file?
A noindex tag is a directive that is placed in the <head> section of a webpage. A robots.txt file is a text file that is placed in the root directory of a website. The noindex tag is a stronger signal.
Is a noindex tag a ranking factor?
No, it 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.
Can a page with a noindex tag still appear in search results?
No, a page with a noindex tag will not appear in search results. The tag tells a search engine’s crawler not to add the page to its index.
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.
How can I test if a noindex tag is working?
You can test if a noindex tag is working by using the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console. It will show you a screenshot of how Google sees your page and a list of all the resources it failed to load.