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How do I remove a webpage from Google?

Published in Search Engine Optimization 4 mins read

To remove a webpage from Google's search results, you need to take steps to ensure Google doesn't crawl and index the page, or that the current indexed version is removed. Here's how:

1. Remove or Update the Content:

  • Deletion: The most direct approach is to completely remove the webpage from your server. When Google next crawls the URL, it will encounter a 404 (Not Found) or 410 (Gone) error, eventually removing the page from its index. This is the quickest way if you don't need the content anymore.

  • Content Modification: If you want to keep the webpage active, you can significantly alter its content. Google will eventually re-crawl the page and update its index, though this process can take some time. This option is useful if the original indexed content was outdated or incorrect.

2. Password-Protect the Page:

  • By requiring authentication (e.g., a username and password) to access the webpage, you prevent Google from crawling and indexing it. Googlebot cannot log in to password-protected pages, so they won't appear in search results.

3. Add a 'noindex' Tag:

  • Meta Tag: Insert the following meta tag within the <head> section of your webpage's HTML:

    <meta name="robots" content="noindex">

    This tells search engine crawlers, including Googlebot, not to index the page.

  • HTTP Header: Alternatively, you can return an X-Robots-Tag HTTP header with a value of noindex. This is particularly useful for non-HTML files like PDFs.

4. Use Google Search Console's Removal Tool:

  • If you've already made changes to the page (e.g., removed it or added a noindex tag), you can use Google Search Console's removal tool to expedite the removal process. This tool allows you to temporarily hide a URL from Google's search results.

    • Important: Using this tool does not permanently remove the page from the internet. You must also implement one of the methods above (removal, password protection, or noindex tag) to prevent Google from re-indexing the page in the future.
    • Go to Google Search Console: https://search.google.com/search-console/
    • Select your property (website).
    • Navigate to "Removals" under the "Index" section.
    • Click "New Request."
    • Enter the URL you want to remove and follow the instructions. You can request removal of the URL or all URLs with a particular prefix.

5. Use robots.txt (Least Recommended for Complete Removal):

  • While robots.txt can prevent Google from crawling a page, it doesn't guarantee it won't be indexed. If the URL is linked to from other websites, Google may still index the page based on those links, even if it can't crawl the page content. Using robots.txt is therefore not a reliable method for completely removing a page from Google's index. It's best used to manage crawl budget and prevent Googlebot from accessing unimportant areas of your site.

Summary of Methods:

Method Description Permanence Speed Requirements Best For
Content Removal Deleting the webpage from your server. Permanent Slow Access to your web server. Removing content you no longer need.
Password Protection Requiring login credentials to access the page. Permanent Slow Access to your web server. Protecting content that should only be accessible to authorized users.
'noindex' Tag Adding a meta tag or HTTP header instructing search engines not to index. Permanent Slow Ability to edit the page's HTML or HTTP headers. Preventing indexing of specific pages while keeping them accessible.
Google Search Console Removal Tool Temporarily hiding a URL from Google's search results. Temporary Fast Ownership of the website in Google Search Console. Quickly hiding content that has already been removed or marked as noindex.
robots.txt Preventing Googlebot from crawling a page. Conditional N/A Access to your robots.txt file. Managing crawl budget, not reliably removing pages from the index.

Important Considerations:

  • Timeframe: It can take time for Google to process your request and update its index. Be patient.
  • Verification: Ensure you've correctly implemented the chosen method. Use Google Search Console to check if Google can still access the page.
  • Links: Consider removing or updating any internal or external links pointing to the page you want to remove, as these can contribute to Google's indexing.

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