Imagine you’re fine-tuning your website to show only your best pages in search results. When you compare the no-index tag vs no-follow tag, you’ll see they serve different goals. In this guide you’ll learn what each directive does, when to use it, and how to set them up without mistakes.
Understand no-index tag
What is a no-index tag?
A no-index meta tag tells search engines not to include a page in their index. You add
<meta name="robots" content="noindex" />
in your page header. Search bots can still crawl the page, but it won’t appear in search results (SEO.com).
When to use no-index
- Thank-you or confirmation pages that bypass lead forms
- Duplicate content pages, like tag archives
- Staging or test environments
- Privacy policy or admin dashboards
By hiding these pages, you keep your index focused on your most valuable content. For more on pitfalls, see common mistakes with no-index tag.
Explore no-follow tag
Definition of no-follow links
A no-follow attribute on a link—and sometimes on a page—tells crawlers not to pass ranking credit. The syntax looks like this:
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Partner site</a>
Originally introduced in 2005 to curb comment spam, Google now treats no-follow as a hint rather than a strict rule (Wikipedia).
Ideal use cases
- Sponsored or paid links—use
rel="sponsored"for ads - User-generated content, like blog comments—use
rel="ugc" - Links you don’t want to vouch for, such as third-party widgets
These help you manage link equity and avoid penalties for unnatural linking.
Compare both directives
| Feature | no-index | no-follow |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks page from search results | Yes | No |
| Prevents bots following links | No | Yes (or hint to not follow) |
| Affects link equity | N/A | Stops (or hints to stop) passing authority |
| Implementation | Meta tag or HTTP header | rel attribute on links or meta tag |
Wondering which to pick? Use no-index when you want to hide a page entirely. Use no-follow when you want to protect your link profile.
Apply tags wisely
- Audit your site
- List pages that shouldn’t rank
- Identify external links you don’t endorse
- Choose the right directive
- Hide pages with no-index
- Control link equity with no-follow
- Implement your tags
- Add meta tags in your HTML or HTTP header
- For robots.txt exclusion, check no-index tag in robots.txt file
- Avoid slip-ups
- Don’t mix up no-index and no-follow
- Follow best practices for implementing no-index tag
Monitor tag performance
Test in Search Console
Submit URLs in Google Search Console’s URL Inspection tool to confirm the no-index directive is seen.
Check coverage reports
Watch the Index Coverage report for “Excluded by ‘noindex’ tag” status.
Update as needed
If you make a hidden page valuable, simply remove the tag and request reindexing.
Key takeaways
- The no-index tag keeps pages out of search results
- The no-follow tag controls link authority flow
- Use each directive based on your SEO goals
- Test changes in Google Search Console
- Regularly audit to keep your site optimized
Ready to streamline your index and link profile? Start auditing today and let us know how it goes in the comments below.
source https://localseoagency.co.za/no-index-tag-vs-no-follow-tag/
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