What Is Noindex?
A noindex directive tells search engines not to include a page in their search results. It can be set via a meta tag in HTML or an HTTP header. The page can still be crawled — it just won't appear in search results.
Why It Matters
Noindex is a common SEO tool for controlling what appears in search results. For domain forwarding, noindex is rarely needed — but understanding it helps when planning migrations and ensuring search engines index the right URLs.
How Noindex Works
Meta Tag Method
<meta name="robots" content="noindex">HTTP Header Method
X-Robots-Tag: noindex| Directive | Crawled? | Indexed? | In Search Results? |
|---|---|---|---|
| (default) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| noindex | Yes | No | No |
| robots.txt Disallow | No | Eventually removed | Eventually removed |
| 301 redirect | Followed | Destination indexed | Destination shown |
Noindex vs Domain Forwarding
When you forward a domain with a 301 redirect:
- The old domain’s URLs are not indexed (they redirect)
- The destination URLs are indexed
- Link equity flows from old → new
- No noindex tag needed — the redirect handles it
Noindex becomes relevant if you’re serving actual content (not redirecting) and want to keep certain pages out of search results — like staging sites, admin panels, or duplicate content. A canonical URL tag is a softer alternative that tells search engines which version to prefer without hiding the page entirely.
Related Terms
Frequently
asked questions
Not necessary. A forwarded domain serves a 301 redirect, not a page — there's nothing to index. Search engines follow the redirect and index the destination instead.
robots.txt Disallow prevents crawling entirely. Noindex allows crawling but prevents indexing. For pages that are linked externally, noindex is better because the crawler can still discover link equity.
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