dindexation

Dindexation, or deindexation, is the removal of a web page from a search engine’s index, so the page no longer appears in search results. It can apply to individual pages, sections of a site, or an entire site. The page may still exist on the server; deindexation affects visibility in search results rather than server availability. It can be permanent or temporary, depending on the underlying reason and actions taken.

Deindexation can result from site owner actions, such as adding a noindex directive in the page’s HTML or HTTP header, or by blocking the page with robots.txt. Search engines may also deindex pages that violate guidelines, are low quality, duplicate content, or are no longer relevant. In some cases, a 404 Not Found or 410 Gone status signals to crawlers that a page should be removed from indexing.

Common methods and signals include noindex meta tags, noindex HTTP headers (x-robots-tag), and removal requests via webmaster tools. If content is moved, employing a 301 permanent redirect to a relevant page can preserve signals and traffic. Blocking indexing through robots.txt alone may prevent crawling but does not guarantee deindexation if other signals indicate the page exists.

Impact and best practices: deindexation reduces search visibility and traffic, so it should be planned and monitored carefully. Before removing content, consider redirects, updating or consolidating pages, or using noindex temporarily. After making changes, monitor indexing status and search performance to ensure the desired outcome is achieved.