Understanding the Use of Canonical and Noindex Tags for Better Search Rankings

SEO may seem like a world of cryptic codes and hidden rules, but two tools—canonical and noindex tags—can unlock a surprising amount of control over your search engine presence. When used strategically, these tags can help shape how Google indexes your content, manages duplicate pages, and builds its “link graph” to evaluate your site’s authority. In this post, we’ll explore the use of canonical and noindex tags, debunk the myth of the “follow” directive, and reveal what these tools mean for your SEO success.

The Noindex Tag: How It Works

The “noindex” directive is used in the robots meta tag to instruct search engines to exclude a webpage from search engine results. When a page is marked with “noindex,” it signals Google and other search engines to avoid adding that page to their indexed content. This means it will not appear in search results.

The keyword in Google’s documentation is “directive” because Google obeys these instructions when given explicitly. However, when it comes to following links on a page, search engines act on default behaviour rather than needing explicit commands.

No Such Thing as a “Follow” Directive

The hypothetical question about pairing “noindex” with a “follow” directive leads to an important point: there is no “follow” directive for Googlebot to follow in meta tags. This question arose from a misconception that, without an explicit “follow” command, Google might ignore the links on a noindexed page. 

However, Google’s robots meta tag documentation clears this up: “follow” is the default behaviour for links on any page unless explicitly told otherwise (e.g., with a “nofollow” tag). In simpler terms, Googlebot will continue to crawl and follow links on a noindexed page without needing a directive to do so.

Why is There No “Follow” Directive?

The absence of a “follow” directive stems from the principle of default behaviour in SEO and web crawling. By design, Googlebot’s default behaviour is to follow links on a webpage unless told otherwise. This allows Google’s crawler to discover content across the web, constructing what is essentially a roadmap of links across different websites. While directives like “noindex” alter whether a page appears in search results, the act of following links from that page happens by default unless overridden by a “nofollow” instruction.

In cases where someone wants Google to ignore specific links on a page, they can use the “nofollow” directive in the robots meta tag or on the link itself. This instructs Googlebot to avoid following that particular link, helping web admins control link equity distribution or avoid association with untrustworthy sites.

What Happens to Noindexed Pages?

In a tweet, Google’s Gary Illyes explained that “something with noindex will never reach the serving index, but we will have the fetched copy for things like link graph calculation.” What does this mean in practical terms?

A “noindex” directive prevents a page from being indexed, which means it won’t be shown in search results. However, Google still stores a copy of that page for other purposes, such as link analysis. This means that while users won’t see a noindexed page in Google’s search results, Googlebot can still use its links to assess and maintain a “link graph.”

Decoding the “Link Graph” Concept

To understand what Illyes meant by “link graph,” it helps to think of the link graph as a map of connections between web pages and websites. The link graph visualises how pages are interlinked across the web, and Google uses it to evaluate how pages relate to each other through hyperlinks. Links act as pathways that signal the importance, relevance, and authority of pages based on how frequently they are linked to other reputable sources.

In simple terms, the link graph helps Google prioritise which pages to crawl more frequently, assess link authority, and better understand the relationships between different websites.

The Role of Noindexed Pages in Link Graph Calculations

Even though noindexed pages don’t appear in search results, they can still play a role in calculating link relationships. For example, if a page with a noindex tag links to other pages, Google may still include that page in its link graph as a part of the larger network of relationships. This is essential for understanding how authority flows from one page to another.

Consider an internal blog post on a website marked “noindex” that links to various pages across the site. While the noindexed post itself will not show up in Google search results, its links to other pages may still contribute to those pages’ authority and relevance. This is because Googlebot has analysed the noindexed page’s connections and factored them into its calculations.

Why This Matters for SEO

SEO professionals often wonder whether a noindexed page’s links still pass value, given that it’s hidden from search results. The answer, based on Google’s approach, is generally yes: the links on noindexed pages can contribute to Google’s link graph, indirectly benefiting the linked pages’ SEO profiles. However, this influence is often reduced compared to links on indexed pages.

Understanding this nuanced use of canonical and noindex tags allows site owners and SEO practitioners to strategically place noindex tags on pages that may not need search visibility but still offer valuable internal links to important pages. Examples might include thank-you pages or login pages that, while relevant to users, do not provide standalone value in search results.

In Summary

The absence of a “follow” directive isn’t an oversight in Google’s robots meta tag documentation; it reflects a design choice where following links is Googlebot’s default behaviour. While noindexed pages won’t appear in search results, they remain a part of Google’s link graph and contribute to its understanding of the web’s interconnectedness. 

Optimising for search engines requires a balance between visibility and link structure. At Springhill Marketing, we can help you develop SEO strategies that leverage Google’s algorithms to boost page authority and enhance site relevance. Get in touch today.