Avoid temporary use of noindex to manipulate crawl budget allocation.
- Avoid temporary use of noindex to manipulate crawl budget allocation1 cited source1 category
Save for later 0
Use × to move an item here. You can restore it when you’re ready.
Your checks and saved items stay in this browser. Nothing is submitted.
Why this matters
Google requires crawling to detect noindex; temporary noindex does not shift crawl budget as intended.
Hypothetical standard operating procedure
Adapt this example to your site, access, tools, and change process. It is our suggested procedure, informed by the sources below.
- Review pages using noindex directive for intended permanent purpose.
- Avoid applying noindex to temporarily control crawl frequency.
- Prefer robots.txt blocking for permanent crawl exclusion when appropriate.
- Monitor crawl and index reports to verify intended behavior.
- Educate team on correct noindex usage.
Watch for
Using temporary noindex wastes crawl budget without increasing crawl on other pages.
Definition of done
No temporary noindex tags used with intent to shift crawl budget; only permanent use for unwanted pages.
Sources & attribution
Original checklist wording and example SOP by Best SEO Checklist, using source-grounded AI assistance. Editorial contact: Ted Kubaitis, @tedkubaitis on Teams. Check current source guidance before implementation.