NO INDEX in SEO: everything you need to know to optimize your strategy
You've heard of the NO INDEX tag without really knowing what it's for? In this article, we explain why and how to use it effectively to optimize your SEO strategy. Follow the guide!
In the world of SEO, certain tools can make all the difference. Among them, the NO INDEX (noindex) tag is often overlooked or misused. Yet it plays a crucial role in refining your site’s SEO strategy and ensuring greater control over your content.
Whether you’re a business owner or in charge of marketing, understanding the subtleties of this tag will transform your online approach. So, are you ready to unveil the mysterious NO INDEX?
What is the NO INDEX (noindex) tag?
The NO INDEX tag is a small HTML code that gives a clear instruction to search engines: don’t index a specific page. This means that this page will not be displayed in the results of search engines such as Google, Bing or others.
In other words, it remains accessible to users with the link, but invisible to the general public browsing via search engines.
This tag is used for strategic reasons:
- protect sensitive pages,
- avoid diluting a site’s SEO potential,
- or manage obsolete pages.
This feature gives you greater control over what you want to make public or confidential on the web.
A concrete example
Imagine you’ve got a test page or an old promotion that’s expired. Rather than letting it pollute your results, you can apply a NO INDEX to it. Clever, isn’t it?
To go even further, the NO INDEX tag is often combined with other attributes such as ” NO FOLLOW ” for even greater precision in page management.
Why use NO INDEX in SEO?
Avoid duplicate content
Duplicate content is a scourge for SEO strategies.
Google doesn’t like it when the same information is present on several pages, as this complicates its ranking work.
By using NO INDEX on pages with the same or similar content (such as product pages with variations), you protect your site from potential SEO penalties.
Offer better referencing of strategic pages
Each page indexed by Google consumes a share of your crawl budget.
By limiting indexing to strategic pages – those that generate traffic or conversions – you focus search engine efforts on what really counts.
This boosts your site’s overall visibility and effectiveness.
Protecting sensitive information
Some pages simply shouldn’t appear in search results.
Think of a login page, a customer area or a payment form. With NO INDEX, these pages remain accessible to your users but invisible to search engines, avoiding security problems or navigation errors.
Managing temporarily unused pages
When setting up seasonal campaigns or temporary event pages, you can use NO INDEX to remove them from the SERPs (results pages) once they are no longer relevant, while preserving their content for future use.
When NOT to use the NO INDEX tag?
Ah, the big question! Don’t abuse this tag like you abuse chocolatines (or pains au chocolat, depending on which side you’re on).
On strategic pages
Pages that generate organic traffic, conversions or leads must be indexed. A NO INDEX error here could literally sabotage your SEO strategy.
If the page receives a lot of backlinks
A page with many incoming links loses its SEO potential if it’s in NO INDEX. These backlinks won’t benefit your site, and the “SEO juice” will be wasted.
Without controlling your redirects
Before de-indexing a page, make sure that it is not the main entry point for your users. Also check that it redirects correctly if it is to be removed.
How do you implement NO INDEX on your site?
Having understood the essential importance of the no index tag in your SEO strategy, let’s move on to the practical side: how do you integrate it into one of your web pages?
Via robots.txt file
Add the following line to your robots.txt file to prevent search engines from indexing a page:
User-agent: *
Disallow: /votre-page-a-ne-pas-indexer/This allows you to globally control which pages should not be crawled or indexed.
Directly in HTML code
Place this tag in the header of your page:
<meta name="robots" content="noindex">This method is ideal for fine-tuning the management of pages not to be indexed.
From your CMS (WordPress, for example)
With plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math, you can easily activate NO INDEX with a single click on the relevant page parameters. Handy for non-technical users.
Using Google Search Console
You can ask Google to quickly de-index a page using the URL removal tool. This is particularly useful for sensitive or obsolete pages.
Is it possible to de-reference a page that has already been indexed?
Yes, once you’ve applied the NO INDEX tag, you’ll have to wait for Google’s robots to return.
To speed up the process, use Google Search Console‘s URL removal tool.
Does NO INDEX delete a page?
No, the page is still accessible via its URL, but it does not appear in search results.
To delete it: just delete it!
What's the difference between NO INDEX and NO FOLLOW?
NO INDEX prevents search engines from indexing the page, while NO FOLLOW prevents them from following links on the page.
These two tags can be combined for optimum control.
Can NO INDEX have an impact on global SEO?
Yes, if you apply NO INDEX to strategic pages or mismanage your redirects, you risk diluting your site’s impact in the search results.
To conclude on the NO INDEX tag (noindex)
The NO INDEX tag is a powerful tool for refining your SEO strategy.
It enables :
- protect your sensitive pages,
- optimize your crawl budget,
- and avoid duplicate content.
However, it must be used with care. Incorrect application can have negative consequences for your overall SEO.
At AntheDesign, we help you better understand and exploit SEO tools to maximize your site’s visibility. Need a hand optimizing your strategy? Contact us and let’s move forward together!