Robots.txt

What is robots.txt?

Robots.txt is a text file located in the root directory of a website (for example, at www.example.com/robots.txt) that guides search engine crawlers about which parts of the site they can or cannot crawl. It's especially useful for preventing crawlers from accessing certain pages or sections—perhaps those containing sensitive information or pages not intended for public indexing.

This file offers instructions like 'Allow' and 'Disallow' to manage the crawlers' access. For instance, you might use it to prevent crawlers from indexing a development version of your site or to stop them from indexing individual files.

However, it's important to note that robots.txt is more of a request to crawlers than a strict rule. Some crawlers might choose to ignore these requests, and malicious bots might use the information in robots.txt to identify potentially sensitive areas of your site.

For more robust control, combining robots.txt with other methods such as meta tags in HTML or the 'X-Robots-Tag' HTTP header can offer a more comprehensive approach to managing crawler access.

Is robots.txt outdated?

No, robots.txt is not outdated. It continues to be a fundamental tool for managing how search engine bots interact with a website. Its role in directing the traffic of web crawlers is still relevant, especially for large websites or those with specific indexing needs.

Where do I put robots.txt on my website?

Robots.txt should be placed in the root directory of your website. This means if your site's address is www.example.com, the robots.txt file would be located at www.example.com/robots.txt. Placing it in the root directory ensures it's easily found by web crawlers.

What does blocked by robots.txt mean?

If a resource is 'blocked by robots.txt,' it indicates that the robots.txt file of the website includes directives that prevent crawlers from accessing that resource. This could be an entire section of the site or specific files.

How do I create a robots.txt for my website?

1. Use a plain text editor to create a new file.
2. Write the user-agent directive, specifying which crawler the rule applies to (e.g., User-agent: * for all crawlers).
3. Add 'Disallow' directives for resources you want to block (e.g., Disallow: /private/).
4. Optionally, use 'Allow' directives to specify what can be crawled.
5. Save the file as 'robots.txt'.
6. Upload it to the root directory of your web server.

Does robots.txt allow Google to crawl?

Yes, robots.txt can be configured to allow or disallow Google's crawler (Googlebot) from accessing certain parts of your site. Proper configuration ensures that Googlebot crawls your site effectively, adhering to your specified guidelines.

Is robots.txt file bad for SEO?

If used correctly, a robots.txt file is not bad for SEO. It can actually enhance SEO by preventing search engines from indexing duplicate content or irrelevant sections of your site. However, incorrect usage can negatively impact SEO, such as inadvertently blocking important content from being crawled and indexed.

Should robots.txt be accessible?

Yes, the robots.txt file should be publicly accessible to ensure that search engine crawlers can access and follow its directives. A non-accessible robots.txt file cannot communicate your preferences to crawlers, which might lead to inefficient or undesired crawling and indexing of your site.