Addressing the issue of pages excluded by the ‘noindex’ tag in Google Search Console can be somewhat complex. Whether you are an SEO professional or managing your own website, understanding and fixing this problem is essential to ensure your crucial pages get indexed by Google. This guide will explain what the ‘noindex’ tag is, why it appears, and provide a detailed step-by-step solution.
How to Identify and Fix URLs that Should Be Indexed
Sometimes, the URLs flagged by Google should indeed be indexed. Here’s a step-by-step guide to address this:
1. Inspect the URL:
- Open Google Search Console.
- Navigate to the specific issue from the page indexing report.
- Click the inspection icon next to the URL to review its details.
2. Conduct a Live Test:
- After inspecting the URL, click on “Test live URL” to evaluate the current status of the page.
- Under Availability > Indexing > Indexing allowed?, check if the ‘noindex’ directive is still applied.
3. Live Test Result
4. Remove the Noindex Tag
- If the ‘noindex’ directive is present in the robots meta tag, you need to remove it by editing the source code or CMS settings accordingly.
- If the URL has a ‘noindex’ in the HTTP header, modify the server response header to eliminate the ‘noindex’ directive.
5. Request Indexing
- If the reported URL doesn’t have a ‘noindex’ meta tag and it was a false positive, request indexing for the URL.
- Click “Request Indexing” to ask Google to re-crawl the page and remove it from the ‘noindex’ issue list.
Recognizing and Ignoring Intentionally ‘Noindexed’ Pages
Some pages are deliberately marked as ‘noindex’. You can usually ignore these URLs, as they serve specific purposes:
- Development or Staging Versions of Pages: These are often used for testing and should not be indexed.
- Duplicate Content: Pages with duplicate content are marked ‘noindex’ to avoid search engine penalties.
- Low-Value Content Pages: Pages that offer little value, such as tag pages or thin content, are often set to ‘noindex’.
Understanding the Ways to Apply a ‘Noindex’ Directive
Using a Noindex Meta Tag
A ‘noindex’ meta tag is an HTML tag added to the source code of your webpage. It instructs search engines not to index the page. This tag is typically used for pages that shouldn’t appear in search results, such as login pages, thank you pages, or admin pages.
<meta name=”robots” content=”noindex”>
Utilizing a Noindex HTTP Header
A ‘noindex’ HTTP header is added at the server level and functions similarly to the meta tag. It tells search engines not to index the page, but this instruction is included in the HTTP response.
HTTP/1.1 200 OK X-Robots-Tag: noindex
Handling Pages That Shouldn’t Be Indexed
Certain pages are naturally better off not being indexed to optimize your site’s performance and search engine visibility. Examples include:
- Filter URLs
- Search URLs
- Cart, Checkout, and Account URLs
Blocking these pages in your robots.txt file helps improve your crawl budget, ensuring that Google focuses on the more important pages. Additionally, feed URLs and tracking URLs, like those from pixel managers, typically don’t need to be indexed and can be safely ignored.
Summary
Fixing the ‘URL marked Noindex’ issue in Google Search Console requires a thorough understanding of ‘noindex’ directives, their purpose, and the appropriate steps to resolve them. By following the steps outlined above, you can ensure that your essential pages are indexed and your site’s visibility in search results is optimized.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a ‘noindex’ meta tag?
A ‘noindex’ meta tag is an HTML element that instructs search engines not to index a specific webpage.
Why are some URLs marked ‘noindex’?
URLs can be marked ‘noindex’ to exclude certain pages from search results, such as admin pages or duplicate content.
How do I remove a ‘noindex’ directive?
You can remove the ‘noindex’ directive by editing the HTML source to delete the meta tag or by modifying the server response to eliminate the HTTP header.
Should I be concerned about ‘noindex’ on feed URLs?
No, feed URLs generally don’t need to be indexed, so no action is required for these URLs.
How can I check if a page is marked ‘noindex’?
Use Google Search Console’s URL inspection tool or review the page source/response headers to check for the ‘noindex’ directive.
