Noindex
Definition
Noindex is a directive (via meta tag or HTTP header) that tells search engines not to include a page in their index.
Plain English
It says "don't show this page in search results." Useful for internal pages, but dangerous if applied accidentally.
Why it matters
- An accidental noindex makes a page invisible to search.
- It's the most common cause of "page not appearing" issues.
- Must be audited regularly, especially after deploys and CMS changes.