Introduction
The "Noindex" message in Google Search Console indicates that a page on your site has a directive telling search engines not to index it. This ensures the page does not appear in search results. While this is often intentional and helps keep private or low-value pages out of search engines, it’s important to review whether this directive is correctly applied to each page.
What Does "Noindex" Mean?
A noindex directive is an instruction placed in a page’s meta tags or HTTP headers that tells search engines not to index the page. This means:
The page will not appear in search engine results.
The directive is typically used for content not intended for public visibility, such as admin pages or low-value content.
Should I Be Concerned About This Message?
No Cause for Concern: If the noindex directive is intentional (e.g., for admin pages or confirmation pages), no action is needed.
When to Act: If the noindex directive is applied to a page that you want to be indexed and visible in search results, you should investigate and remove the directive if necessary.
Common Scenarios in Newsifier Where "Noindex" is Applied
Admin Pages and Secure Sections
What Happens: Pages within the
/adminarea or other secure sections are intentionally set to noindex to protect private content.Why It’s Important: Prevents sensitive or irrelevant admin pages from being visible in search results.
Thank You or Confirmation Pages
What Happens: Pages shown after a form submission (e.g., "Thank You" pages) are set to noindex.
Why It’s Important: These pages provide no value in search results and are excluded to focus on more relevant content.
Low-Value or Irrelevant Content
What Happens: Internal search result pages or pages with little user value may be tagged with noindex.
Why It’s Important: Ensures only meaningful content appears in search results, improving the quality of your indexed pages.
What Actions Should You Take?
Review the Purpose of the Page
Expected Noindex: If the page is private, administrative, or low-value (e.g.,
/admin, confirmation pages), no action is required.Unexpected Noindex: If the page is intended for public search visibility, proceed to the next steps.
Check the Meta Tags
Inspect the page’s HTML for the
<meta name="robots" content="noindex">tag or anoindexdirective in the HTTP header.If the directive is present on a public-facing page, remove it to allow indexing.
Monitor Changes
Once the noindex directive is removed, use Google Search Console to request indexing of the page. It may take some time for Google to reflect the changes in search results.
FAQs
Why does Google show a page as noindexed?
Answer: Google detects a noindex directive in the page’s meta tags or HTTP headers. This is used to prevent the page from appearing in search results, often for private or irrelevant content.
Should I remove the noindex directive from a page I want indexed?
Answer: Yes. To make a page appear in search results, remove the noindex directive from the meta tags or HTTP headers. Be aware that it may take some time for Google to process and index the page.