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While managing a website, there may be situations that you do not wish specific content to be displayed in the Google search engine. No matter if it is a sensitive paragraph, an outdated webpage, or a PDF, no-indexing is something you should definitely consider to determine what can be crawled and indexed by search engines.
In this blog, you will learn how to no-index certain content like a paragraph, webpage, or PDF in Google Search in 2024, and I will also answer some FAQs at the end.
1. Understanding No-Indexing
No-indexing is a command applied to search engine crawlers, including Googlebot, to keep specific pages or information from appearing in search engine queries. This does not imply that it is not there on your website but it simply will not be indexed in the search engines.
There are several reasons why you may want to no-index content:
- Confidential and / or time-bound data
- Duplicate or low quality content pages
- Some of the pages contained outdated or unnecessary information
- Privacy concerns
The process of no-indexing can be different depending on what you want to hide. Let me explain how to do the no-indexing of a paragraph, a webpage, and even a PDF.
2. How to No-Index a Paragraph
Making a single paragraph or section of content no-index is not a direct setting in SEO. Search engines crawl pages not particular segments, thus you can’t choose to no index only one part of the page. However, there are ways to work around this:
Option 1: In this tutorial, learn how to conceal some parts of your site from Google using JavaScript.
Google can interpret script and javaScript, however if you enclose some particular text within javaScript function that displays it or not, Google will not scroll it. Still, this is not without its problems because the Google rendering capabilities are not static.
Here’s a simple example:
html
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document.getElementById(“private-content”).style.display = “none”
</script>
This is the paragraph that I do not wish to be indexed by Google.
This approach hides the paragraph from the users and crawlers but it remains in the source code of the web page. It is still possible that Google will crawl and index this depending on its JavaScript abilities.
Option 2: Dynamic Content Loading through AJAX
It is possible to load content through AJAX which is a method of updating parts of a web page. When the content is loaded via AJAX, the content is not initially part of the HTML page which can lead to the content not being crawled by a search engine.
3. How to No-Index a Webpage
It is easier and more commonly done to not index a whole page and this can be done by adding meta tags in the page or by setting it in the website’s robots.txt file.
Option 1: Using the Meta Robots Tag
Another simple technique to no-index a whole page is by inserting a meta tag in the <head> section of your HTML. Here’s the meta tag you’ll need:
html
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In fact, when Googlebot or any other search engine crawlers find this tag they are given instructions not to index the page.
Option 2: Using the HTTP Header
However, you can also use the HTTP header to no index a page and this is helpful if the page is not an HTML page but may be a PDF or any other file type. Here’s how to set it up:
makefile
X-Robots-Tag: noindex
It is also possible to set this header on your server so that search engines won’t be able to access the file.
Option 3: Using the Robots.txt File
Another way of controlling visibility of the certain pages is robots.txt file. You can add a Disallow directive to prevent bots from crawling specific pages:
makefile
User-agent: *
Disallow: /page-to-noindex
Let me mention that using robots.txt does not always mean that the content will not be indexed. However, if there are other sites that redirect to the page, Google can still access it and thus using meta tags is usually more effective.
Option 4: Google Search Console
Another option is to go through the Google Search Console and then Submit a removal request for a URL from the Google index. Under the Index section, it should be in Removals, and enter the page URL you want to exclude from the search results.
4. How to No-Index a PDF
That’s because PDFs can be indexed by Google and appear in search results if you have a file that you do not want to be found you need to no-index it. There are a few methods you can use:
Option 1: In this case, include an X-Robots Tag in the HTTP Header.
The best way to no-index a PDF is by using the X-Robots-Tag in the HTTP header. This can be configured at the server level as well. Here’s the code you need:
makefile
X-Robots-Tag: noindex
This code instructs the search engines not to index the PDF as it is done with the meta robots tag for HTML pages.
Option 2: Use Robots.txt
You can also use the robots.txt file to disallow crawlers from indexing PDFs:
javascript
User-agent: *
Disallow: /files/example.pdf
This way, crawlers are denied access to the PDF and though it is not 100% effective, if the document is linked elsewhere on the web, it may still get indexed.
Option 3: Password Protect the PDF
Another indirect way to no-index a PDF is to use a password on it. If the content is protected by a password which Google cannot enter, then this content will not be entered into the index. But this is also a disadvantage because your users will be required to enter a password to access it.
5. Some Guidelines on No-Indexing
Double-Check Indexing Status: Once you have added a no-index tag, you should verify this by checking the Google Search Console under URL Inspection to verify that the page is not indexed.
Don’t Use Robots.txt Alone: It is advisable to refrain from depending on robots.txt to prevent particular information from being indexed. It is always advisable to use the meta robots tag or HTTP headers for the better results.
Monitor with Google Search Console: To track the indexing status of your website, make it a habit to use Search Console. It will also inform you of problems with no-index directives.
Conclusion
Using the no-index technique effectively allows you to determine which content is indexed by Google and which remains out of search engine sight. Whether concealing an entire website page, a PDF document, or individual content, no-index tags, robots.txt files, and HTTP headers deliver reliable solutions. You can assure that your business’s online presence is more effectively handled and that any inappropriate or unnecessary material remains unavailable to the public by following the steps given.
FAQs
Q1: Can I opt to not index part of a page, just a paragraph?
A: No, because search engines navigate the full page, you’re unable to no-index individual sections or paragraphs. Still, you are able to bypass this by using JavaScript or AJAX to make the content invisible.
Q2: Are Google completely disregarding no-indexed pages?
A: By no-indexing a page, Google will ignore it in search results, but if you block that page with robots.txt, external links could still facilitate its finding and indexation by Google. Obtain total control with a meta tag or HTTP header.
Q3: Am I Able to No-Index PDFs and Pages Permanently?
A: For certain pages or documents, you can effectively prevent indexing by Google by using a combination of meta tags, HTTP headers, and robots.txt.
