How to optimize robots.txt file for SEO?
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2024 7:18 am
Among the key elements checked during a technical audit, the robots.txt indexing file should not be forgotten in an SEO strategy. Its optimization plays a role that is too often underestimated in the referencing of sites.
What is a robots.txt file and what is its role?
The importance of robots.txt for SEO
How is the robots.txt file used?
What content should bots be banned from to optimize your SEO?
Mistakes to avoid with the robots.txt file
What is a robots.txt file and what is its role?
An indexing file located on the server, at the root of a website, robots.txt is a text file intended exclusively for crawlers (search engine indexing robots). It tells them what information can be indexed , by prohibiting or authorizing them access to certain pages and directories.
We are talking about a robot exclusion protocol, because the file is mainly used to prevent crawlers from exploring a site or part of a site. The idea is either to prevent the indexing of a page that has not yet been indexed, or to prevent indexing robots from browsing a page that is already indexed. The robots.txt file is not intended to deindex pages. afghanistan phone number library Its role is rather to manage the crawl time of robots : some pages, such as the shopping cart, are indeed essential to the user journey, but have little added value for the SEO of a site.
On a site, search robots like Googlebot first crawl the robots.txt file. When it doesn't exist, they continue to crawl and index the entire site without restriction (including pages with duplicate content, error pages, internal search engines, etc.).
The importance of robots.txt for SEO
It is the exploration of content by search engine robots that allows the referencing of a website. The optimization of the robots.txt file is essential since through it, you indicate to the crawlers of Google, Bing or Yahoo the content that they do not need to explore, because it will not bring any added value to the search results.
In an SEO approach , the use of the robots.txt file is part of technical optimizations , as opposed to semantic optimizations, for example. By making certain pages inaccessible to robots, the file allows a more efficient and faster crawl of the site. The indexing robot will thus devote its exploration to content that has a greater SEO interest. In the case of Googlebot, we also know that a site can be penalized by the presence of error pages , broken links or even duplicate content . By temporarily or permanently prohibiting access to this content, it is thus possible to maintain optimal referencing.
How is the robots.txt file used?
Robots.txt is a text file, so it can be easily created with a simple text editor. It must be placed at the root of the site, by dragging it to the intended location on the FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server. Tests and updates to the robots.txt file can be performed from Google Search Console . Format and location rules apply, as well as a specific syntax.
What is a robots.txt file and what is its role?
The importance of robots.txt for SEO
How is the robots.txt file used?
What content should bots be banned from to optimize your SEO?
Mistakes to avoid with the robots.txt file
What is a robots.txt file and what is its role?
An indexing file located on the server, at the root of a website, robots.txt is a text file intended exclusively for crawlers (search engine indexing robots). It tells them what information can be indexed , by prohibiting or authorizing them access to certain pages and directories.
We are talking about a robot exclusion protocol, because the file is mainly used to prevent crawlers from exploring a site or part of a site. The idea is either to prevent the indexing of a page that has not yet been indexed, or to prevent indexing robots from browsing a page that is already indexed. The robots.txt file is not intended to deindex pages. afghanistan phone number library Its role is rather to manage the crawl time of robots : some pages, such as the shopping cart, are indeed essential to the user journey, but have little added value for the SEO of a site.
On a site, search robots like Googlebot first crawl the robots.txt file. When it doesn't exist, they continue to crawl and index the entire site without restriction (including pages with duplicate content, error pages, internal search engines, etc.).
The importance of robots.txt for SEO
It is the exploration of content by search engine robots that allows the referencing of a website. The optimization of the robots.txt file is essential since through it, you indicate to the crawlers of Google, Bing or Yahoo the content that they do not need to explore, because it will not bring any added value to the search results.
In an SEO approach , the use of the robots.txt file is part of technical optimizations , as opposed to semantic optimizations, for example. By making certain pages inaccessible to robots, the file allows a more efficient and faster crawl of the site. The indexing robot will thus devote its exploration to content that has a greater SEO interest. In the case of Googlebot, we also know that a site can be penalized by the presence of error pages , broken links or even duplicate content . By temporarily or permanently prohibiting access to this content, it is thus possible to maintain optimal referencing.
How is the robots.txt file used?
Robots.txt is a text file, so it can be easily created with a simple text editor. It must be placed at the root of the site, by dragging it to the intended location on the FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server. Tests and updates to the robots.txt file can be performed from Google Search Console . Format and location rules apply, as well as a specific syntax.