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    4. Should search pages be indexed?

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    Should search pages be indexed?

    Technical SEO
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    • RebekahVP
      RebekahVP last edited by

      Hey guys,

      I've always believed that search pages should be no-indexed but now I'm wondering if there is an argument to index them?

      Appreciate any thoughts!

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • Xiano
        Xiano Subscriber @RebekahVP last edited by

        I would definitely not allow search engines to index those type of results pages. To be fair, they're unlikely to come across them as a bot wouldn't typically fill in a search box to search, but ey might follow a link from somewhere else. For products, I would definitely want to be using category (or similar) pages to define what the search engines saw.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • RebekahVP
          RebekahVP @jacobmartinnn last edited by

          Thanks Jahir, any particular reason?

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • RebekahVP
            RebekahVP @Xiano last edited by

            Thanks Alex, I mean search bars on eCommerce sites. More specifically, a search bar that filters down to products.

            For help centre searches, I can understand why having the search box indexed would be useful - just don't think it would be a good idea for specific product searches. But I've never made a pro-con list so was looking more for opinions 🙂

            Xiano 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • jacobmartinnn
              jacobmartinnn last edited by

              I prefer not to allow search result pages to be indexed.

              RebekahVP 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • Xiano
                Xiano Subscriber last edited by

                Do you mean pages you initiate the search from, or the search results page? (I know these can be the same thing in some cases)

                I would allow a page that you search from to be indexed, depending upon what it is used to search. Someone who has put a query into Google might find your search page useful in resolving their query.

                I wouldn't allow search results pages to be indexed, for obvious reasons, even for specific searches links from other locations. You'd be better off creating category index pages or similar.

                RebekahVP 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
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