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If you’re like most people, you’ve probably heard of the term “SEO” but don’t really know what it means. SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization,” and is a process by which you can improve your website’s visibility and ranking on search engines like Google.
One common tactic used in SEO is the use of the noindex tag. But what is a noindex tag, and what are its benefits? In this post, we’ll answer those questions and more.
So keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the noindex tag in SEO!
What is a noindex tag?
In simple terms, a noindex tag is an HTML tag that tells search engines not to index a certain page on your website.
The noindex tag looks like this:
<noindex>
…
</noindex>
You can insert the noindex tag into the <head> section of your website’s code. Doing so will tell search engine bots not to index that particular page.
What are the benefits of using a noindex tag?
There are several benefits to using a noindex tag on your website.
For one, it can help improve your website’s performance on search engines. If you have a lot of low-quality or duplicate pages on your site, using a noindex tag can help you avoid having those pages show up in search results.
Secondly, it can be used as a way to hide certain pages from the public. For example, if you have a “coming soon” page for an upcoming product launch, you may want to use a noindex tag so that people can’t find and view the page until you’re ready to launch.
Lastly, it can be helpful in managing your website’s privacy settings. If you have a page that contains sensitive information that you only want certain people to see, adding a noindex tag will make sure that it doesn’t show up in search results where anyone can find it.
How do you use a noindex tag?
Now that you know what a noindex tag is and what benefits it can offer, you’re probably wondering how you can use one on your own website.
If you’re using WordPress, there are a few different plugins that you can use to add a noindex tag to your website. One popular option is the Yoast SEO plugin. Once you’ve installed and activated the plugin, simply go to the “Advanced” settings for the page or post that you want to add the noindex tag to. Then check the box next to “Allow search engines to show this Post in search results?” and save your changes.
If you’re not using WordPress, you can manually add a noindex tag to your website’s code. Simply add the following tag to the <head> section of the page you want to hide from search engines:
<meta name=”robots” content=”noindex”>
Conclusion
There you have it! Now you know everything there is to know about the noindex tag in SEO. By using this tag, you can improve your website’s performance on search engines and hide certain pages from the public. So if you’re looking for a way to improve your SEO or keep certain pages private, be sure to give the noindex tag a try. Thanks for reading!
Jamie Fallon is an SEO expert who lives life to the maximum, redlining every day on a rollercoaster straight to the grave.
In an SEO career of almost ten years, he’s seen it all, he’s done it all, and he’s not impressed: from white text on a white background to today, when you can have robots paint or write for you like some kind of sick science fiction come true.
No matter what life throws at him, Jamie always manages to come out on top. He’s an expert at seeing the silver lining in every cloud and making the best of every situation. His positive attitude and unshakable faith in himself have seen him through tough times. For some people, success goes to their heads; but Jamie never forgets what got him to wherever he thinks he is.
When he’s not busy gaming the system, you can find him writing angry thinkpieces on how Google is ruining everything good about the internet, or hanging out with his wife (pictured).
