Suppress a post type from being indexed in Google

This thread is resolved. Here is a description of the problem and solution.

Problem:

I don't want custom post types to be indexed in a google search.

Solution:

You can follow Google document to setup the "noindex" metatag:

https://developers.google.com/search/docs/advanced/crawling/block-indexing

For example, some other SEO plugins support this feature:

https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/

Relevant Documentation:

This support ticket is created 3 years, 10 months ago. There's a good chance that you are reading advice that it now obsolete.

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Tagged: Access plugin

This topic contains 5 replies, has 2 voices.

Last updated by Dee_DeeA2948 3 years, 10 months ago.

Assisted by: Luo Yang.

Author

Posts

December 24, 2020 at 5:30 am #1885661

Dee_DeeA2948

Hi. I do not want a specific post type to be indexed in google. How can I make sure that the posts are not being indexed? Let me know if you need more information. Thank you for your help.

December 24, 2020 at 8:40 am #1885817

Luo Yang

Hello,

The Google search engine/other search engine bots will act as a Guest user to your website, you might consider to disable all Guest to your custom post types, see our document:
https://toolset.com/course-lesson/setting-access-control/

December 24, 2020 at 5:56 pm #1886119

Dee_DeeA2948

Hi Luo,
I like your suggestion of navigating to Access > finding the custom post type > unchecking the "guest" option so that these posts won't be indexed by google.
I have one follow up question: If someone shares the URL of the post, can it be viewed? I want it to be viewable, I just don't want it to be indexed in a google search.

In the post type settings, I found two options that said:
#1 publicly_queryable
Whether post_type queries can be performed from the front end.
Default: value of public argument.

#2 exclude_from_search
Whether to exclude posts with this post type from search results.
Default: value of the opposite of the public argument.

I'm not sure if this will suppress the posts for being indexed on google? I thought I would mention it. Thank you for your help.

December 25, 2020 at 2:05 am #1886311

Luo Yang

No, both of two options can not achieve what you want.

You can follow Google document to setup the "noindex" metatag:
hidden link

For example, some other SEO plugins support this feature:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/

December 25, 2020 at 6:08 am #1886443

Dee_DeeA2948

Hi Luo,

Thank you for confirming that those checkbox settings wouldn't work for what I am looking to accomplish. I have the Yoast SEO plugin and the settings appear on my WordPress pages. However, I don't see the Yoast SEO widget listed on my custom post type. Not sure what's wrong?

December 25, 2020 at 6:25 am #1886447

Dee_DeeA2948

Hi Luo. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction to make sure that my custom post type would not be indexed. You solved my problem.

I didn't realize that the Yoast SEO setting was in another location for post types. I found this article that explained where to find it: hidden link