What does noindex mean?
Unlike nofollow, the noindex attribute is placed directly on the page itself. That difference is fundamental to understanding nofollow vs. noindex. Noindex tells search engines not to index the page concerned.
Technically, this means the code meta name=”robots” content=”noindex”> in the header of your web page.
How do you use them?
These attributes are valuable in many specific situations. They generally apply to pages you want to keep out of the index or to keep from passing authority. Think of staging sites or multiple versions of the same page, to avoid duplicate content.
When to use nofollow
The nofollow attribute plays an essential role in the fight against spam. It helps you control the number of links between your pages effectively. This regulation protects you against possible penalties imposed by search engines.
Be aware, though, that nofollow will never stop your pages from being indexed. So do not treat it as a way to block indexing.
Use examples
Imagine that you regularly insert links to an affiliate site in the footer of a site you have built. Without nofollow, you would be creating thousands of identical links between domains.
Fortunately, the nofollow attribute solves this problem by letting users see these links while preventing crawlers from counting them.
Nofollow also gives you a degree of control over crawler paths. Its effectiveness varies, however, depending on how each crawler interprets the attribute.
For Google specifically, its crawler will not follow a link marked nofollow. This feature is particularly useful on complex sites that need precise crawl management.
When to use “noindex”:
The “noindex” attribute seems simpler but it too has its subtleties. When a page carries this tag in its header, search engines understand that they must not index it.
Generally, “noindex” is paired with Disallow directives to make sure these pages never appear in Google’s index.
This directive is used mainly on development sites, to protect your temporary URLs from unwanted exposure.
Another use case concerns duplicate content. Your archives, printable versions or other similar content can be given the “noindex” attribute to concentrate authority on a single main page.
Warnings
As often in SEO, certain situations can complicate the use of these attributes. Here are a few important exceptions to know about, to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Different crawlers
Do not forget that not all crawlers behave the same way. Even if Google respects your directives, others may ignore them. Never publish sensitive content relying on these attributes alone.
Alternatives and official versions
The noindex tag is useful, but other solutions can suit better depending on the case. For pages in different languages, prefer the hreflang tag. Likewise, a canonical tag is better suited to managing different versions of the same page.
Sometimes Google can ignore your noindex directives and show “Indexed, though blocked by the ‘noindex’ tag” in Search Console. In that case, consider other approaches, or perhaps rethink your strategy for that specific page.
If in doubt, do not leave it to chance. Instead, take the approach that seems most relevant to you. Feel free to contact us to benefit from our SEO expertise.
