What Is a Noindex Tag? [Examples & Best Practices]

A noindex tag is an HTML meta tag that instructs search engines not to index a specific web page. When a page is marked with a noindex tag, it will not appear in search engine results. This is useful for preventing low-value or duplicate content from affecting your website’s SEO. In this guide, we will explore what a noindex tag is, how it works, when to use it, and best practices for implementation.

How Does a Noindex Tag Work?

A noindex tag is placed in the HTML head section of a web page. When search engine crawlers visit the page, they read the tag and understand that the page should not be included in the search index. As a result, the page will not show up in search engine results. The noindex tag does not block crawlers from accessing the page but simply prevents it from being indexed.

Why Use a Noindex Tag?

There are several strategic reasons for using a noindex tag on specific pages:

• Duplicate Content: If multiple pages on your site have similar content, it can lead to duplicate content issues, affecting your SEO. Applying a noindex tag on duplicate pages helps consolidate ranking signals.
• Private or Confidential Pages: Some pages are meant for internal use, such as employee resources or test pages. A noindex tag ensures they remain private and do not appear in search results.
• Low-Value Pages: Pages like login screens, thank-you pages, or archived content do not provide significant value to users in search results. Using noindex prevents them from cluttering the search engine index.
• Under-Construction Pages: If a page is still being developed or lacks enough content, a noindex tag hides it from search engines until it’s ready for public viewing.

How to Implement a Noindex Tag

To add a noindex tag, insert the following code into the head section of the HTML page:

<meta name="robots" content="noindex">

This code tells search engines not to index the page. You can also use it with the “nofollow” directive to prevent link equity from being passed on:

<meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow">

This prevents both indexing and the passing of link juice to external links on the page.

Noindex vs. Nofollow: What’s the Difference?

• Noindex: Instructs search engines not to display the page in search results but allows crawlers to visit the page.
• Nofollow: Tells search engines not to pass link equity to the linked page, preventing the link from influencing the ranking of the linked site.
• Noindex, Nofollow Combination: This prevents both indexing and passing of link equity, making the page invisible in search results and preventing any SEO benefit from outgoing links.

Best Practices for Using Noindex Tags

• Strategic Use: Only use noindex tags on pages that genuinely don’t need to be indexed. Overuse can limit your site’s visibility.
• Check Robots.txt: Ensure the page is not blocked by robots.txt, as this prevents crawlers from seeing the noindex tag.
• Monitor Impact: Use tools like Google Search Console to check if pages with noindex tags are correctly excluded from search results.
• Combine with Canonical Tags: If duplicate content is unavoidable, use noindex tags along with canonical tags to consolidate ranking signals.

Common Misconceptions About Noindex Tags

• Myth 1: Noindex Tags Block Crawlers – Noindex tags do not block search engines from crawling the page. They only prevent indexing.
• Myth 2: Noindex Equals No Traffic – Pages with noindex tags can still receive direct traffic from links, emails, or social media.
• Myth 3: Noindex Tags Pass Link Equity – If “nofollow” is included, link equity is not passed to external links on the page.
• Myth 4: Noindex Tags Are Permanent – Noindex tags can be removed at any time, allowing pages to be indexed once the tag is deleted.

How to Check if a Page is Noindexed

To check if a page is noindexed, use these methods:

• Google Search Console: Look under the “Index” section to see which pages are excluded due to noindex tags.
• View Page Source: Right-click on the page and select “View Page Source.” Search for <meta name="robots" content="noindex">.
• SEO Tools: Tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or SEMrush can help identify pages with noindex tags.

FAQs

Will a noindex tag remove my page from Google immediately?

No, it may take some time for Google to recrawl and remove the page from its index.

Can I use a noindex tag on the homepage?

It is not recommended, as it prevents your main page from appearing in search results.

Is it okay to use noindex tags on category pages?

Yes, if the category pages are thin or duplicate content, using noindex can prevent SEO issues.

How do I check if a page is noindexed?

Use tools like Google Search Console or inspect the page’s HTML source for the noindex tag.

Conclusion

A noindex tag is a valuable tool for controlling which pages appear in search results. It is useful for managing duplicate content, private pages, and low-value pages. Implementing noindex tags strategically improves your website’s SEO by ensuring only valuable content gets indexed. Regularly monitor and adjust your noindex strategy to maximize your site’s search engine performance.

Article by:

Oyejobi Adeola

Oyejobi Adeola, founder of NiveDigital & NiveDigital Academy, is a top expert in SEO and digital marketing.

With over a decade of experience, he has helped businesses grow through advanced SEO strategies and trained hundreds of students to succeed online.

His insights have been featured in top industry publications.