The “noindex” and “nofollow” tags are HTML meta tags used to control how web pages are indexed and tracked by search engines. Both are crucial components of your website’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy and serve different purposes:
noindex Tag
The “noindex” meta tag prevents a web page from being indexed or included in search engine results. In other words, this tag hides the entire content of the page, including title and description meta tags, content, and links, from search engines.
Usage Scenarios
- Temporary pages: By applying the noindex tag, particularly to temporary pages like beta versions or test pages, you can prevent these pages from appearing in search results.
- Hidden content: When you want to hide exclusive or paid content from users, you can use the noindex tag.
- Low-quality content: Marking pages with low-quality or insufficient content as not to be indexed can help maintain your site’s overall SEO performance.
Example noindex tag
nofollow Tag
The “nofollow” meta tag instructs search engines not to follow or track specific links. This means that the linked page’s SEO authority is not transferred to the target page but is directed to users instead.
Usage Scenarios
- Hidden links: When you want to conceal or do not want to endorse cross-site links, you can use the nofollow tag.
- Paid links: It is essential to mark paid links with the nofollow tag as Google discourages the encouragement of paid links between websites.
Example nofollow tag
These tags assist in specifying how certain pages or links should be handled by search engines, providing you with the means to guide your SEO strategy. However, careful and accurate use of these tags is crucial; otherwise, misuse may negatively impact your SEO results. Collaborating with a proficient Digital Agency can help you carefully manage and optimize the use of nofollow and noindex tags on your site, ultimately enhancing your site’s performance.
Author: Hakan Karaman
