A meta robots directive telling search engines not to include a page in their search results index.
Noindex is a meta robots directive that instructs search engines not to include a specific page in their search index, preventing it from appearing in search results. When search engines encounter a noindex directive, they crawl the page but exclude it from their database of searchable content.
This directive serves as a precise content control mechanism, allowing webmasters to keep certain pages accessible to users while removing them from search visibility. Unlike blocking crawlers entirely, noindex permits search engines to follow links on the page and discover other content, making it ideal for pages that serve internal purposes but shouldn't compete in search results.
Why It Matters for AI SEO
AI-powered search systems and traditional search engines both respect noindex directives, making this a universal tool for content strategy. With AI overviews and generative search experiences pulling from indexed content to create responses, controlling what gets indexed becomes even more critical for brand management and content quality. Modern AI content tools can generate vast amounts of pages quickly, creating potential index bloat issues. Strategic noindex implementation prevents low-value or duplicate AI-generated content from diluting your site's overall authority while preserving crawl budget for your most important pages.
How It Works
Implement noindex through a meta tag in the page's HTML head section: . You can also specify it via HTTP headers or combine it with other directives like to prevent indexing while allowing link following.
Tools like Screaming Frog and Sitebulb can audit your entire site for noindex implementation, while Google Search Console shows which pages are excluded from indexing. Common applications include thank-you pages, internal search results, filtered product pages, staging environments, and duplicate content variations. Monitor your implementation carefully—accidentally noindexing important pages can devastate organic traffic overnight.
Common Mistakes
The most dangerous mistake is accidentally applying noindex to important pages, often through template-level changes or staging site configurations that migrate to production. Many practitioners also overuse noindex on thin content instead of improving or consolidating it, missing opportunities to create comprehensive resources that could rank well.