Google Warns: Avoid Noindex Tags in Page Code
▼ Summary
– Google has updated its official guidance to clarify how its crawler handles `noindex` tags on JavaScript-rendered pages.
– The update states that if Google encounters a `noindex` tag in the original HTML, it may skip rendering and executing JavaScript on that page.
– This means using JavaScript to later change or remove a `noindex` tag is unreliable and may not prevent the page from being excluded from indexing.
– Google advises developers that if they want a page indexed, they should not include a `noindex` tag in the page’s original source code.
– The key takeaway is to avoid relying on JavaScript for critical SEO directives like blocking crawlers and to implement such protocols directly in the HTML.
Google has issued a clear warning for webmasters and SEO professionals regarding the use of noindex tags on pages that rely on JavaScript. The company recently updated its official JavaScript SEO documentation to emphasize a critical point: if you intend for a page to be indexed by search engines, you must avoid placing a noindex tag in the original HTML source code. This guidance stems from how Google’s crawler, Googlebot, processes pages that utilize JavaScript, and it highlights a significant technical risk for those who depend on JavaScript to manage indexing directives.
The updated documentation now states that when Googlebot encounters a noindex tag in the initial page code, it may bypass the rendering process and skip JavaScript execution entirely. This behavior is crucial because many developers have attempted to use JavaScript to dynamically change or remove a noindex tag after the page loads. Google explicitly warns that this approach “may not work as expected.” The crawler’s decision to skip rendering means the JavaScript intended to alter the tag never runs, leaving the noindex instruction in place and effectively blocking the page from Google’s index, even if that wasn’t the final intention.
This represents a clarification of Google’s previous stance. Earlier guidance also noted that Googlebot would skip rendering if it found a noindex tag, but the new language reinforces the unpredictability of the situation. Google explains that while its systems may sometimes render a page with JavaScript despite a noindex tag, this behavior is “not well defined and might change.” Relying on an undefined or potentially shifting process is a substantial risk for any website owner who cares about their search visibility.
The core takeaway for marketers and developers is profound. It underscores that using JavaScript to handle critical search engine protocols like indexing and blocking is inherently unsafe. For actions as fundamental as controlling whether a page appears in search results, dependence on client-side JavaScript introduces unnecessary uncertainty. The safest and most reliable method to ensure a page is not indexed remains implementing the noindex directive directly on the server-side, within the page’s HTTP headers or static meta tags, before any JavaScript can interfere. Conversely, to guarantee a page is eligible for indexing, the noindex tag must be absent from the original code altogether, with no plan to manage it later through scripts. This update serves as a vital reminder to prioritize server-side solutions for foundational SEO controls.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
