What does it mean when a store page has 'no index' in the source code? Is it invisible to Google?

[CreativeLeahG]

One of my stores has the text 'no index' in the source code.

Does this mean this store is not visible to Google, if so how does this affect the products in that store.

Another store I looked at hadn't got this text (that I could see).

Thank you

[idraw]

@CreativeLeahG 

Here——

noindex is a rule set with either a <meta> tag or HTTP response header and is used to prevent indexing content by search engines that support the noindex rule, such as Google.

Note—-I have been on z for 16 years, it’s always been no index. I own a website, where I can change my coding, but since our z shops are subordinate to the Main z shop, we don’t get access to changing the coding.

[MOM]

@CreativeLeahG @idraw Yup, that’s pretty much bad news (for a store). Now it’s important to know or learn what has triggered that. 🤔

And good catch!! I have not gotten the idea yet to look into the source code of my store but I will do so tomorrow night.

Did you notice it in “public view”? Because if you look at the source code logged in and “managing the store” the no follow coding makes sense.

[CreativeLeahG]

Logged in or out the text says: 

<meta name="robots" content="noindex,follow" />

[idraw]

Decided to research further:

Checking my MAIN shop, here’s what I found using my DESKTOP Mac,

Firefox>Tools>Page Info>Meta Tags>robots>index, follow.
To use Ipad and Iphone, have to download an app to view code, not doing that.

Checking a second shop, under meta tags, NO robots index follow.

Z community admins, could you sort this out using Z'splain?

[CreativeLeahG]

I can't see the 'no index' thing on another shop? But it might be elsewhere (there's a lot of code) and if it's no index, that means Google can't see our stores or products? Or just the stores?  Is it something to be concerned about? I was looking because with this particular store some of my products don't show up where they should show up, BUT then others do?  

Thank you 

[ColsCreations]

https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/block-indexing

Block Search indexing with noindex

noindex is a rule set with either a <meta> tag or HTTP response header and is used to prevent indexing content by search engines that support the noindex rule, such as Google. When Googlebot crawls that page and extracts the tag or header, Google will drop that page entirely from Google Search results, regardless of whether other sites link to it

It can still crawl the page and explore the content, indexing other pages it finds from links there, but it can't index that page itself. I could be wrong but that's how I've always understood it.

I have 5 stores: 2 real ones, 1 that I created at the beginning to save the name but ended up never using, and 2 dead ones that once served a purpose but I haven't deleted because I don't know what I want to do with those old products that sold. So those three stores are set to Private meaning noone can see/find them but me. (Just realized though that those old products in them are still findable and getting views so gott'a go in and make them Hidden).

Anyways, I checked the source code for all five stores. (In Firefox, I just use Ctrl + F to open the text search tool bar and search for "noindex" no quotes.)

For my two real stores that are Public, noindex does not appear anywhere in the source code. For the three stores that are Private I get this:

 So that makes sense to me. It's telling Google not to index the private stores on any of the domains.

You've mentioned before that you have a bunch of stores, but you don't display any on your profile. But using your Collections tab I was able to click through to two stores. Neither of those had 'noindex' in the source. So my guess is that the store you are seeing 'noindex' on is set to Private.

[CreativeLeahG]

Thank you for checking all that Col, much appreciated.

The  store in question is public. 

Before I noted this, a month or so ago I noticed the products from that store were not (in their entirety) showing in a feed. Some were .... and same re Google, some products are showing and others not. So it's all a bit baffling to me for now.

Hopefully it can be fixed (if it's broke?).

[CreativeLeahG]

Not all my stores have the 'no index' tag and Mark confirms only some stores have it. But yes ... it could be the case this is not a new development?

[Marcia]

Probably a really stupid question, but where do you even find that code?

[CreativeLeahG]

right click on store 'view page source' 

I found it around line 135 

[Marcia]

@CreativeLeahG Thanks, Leah, but I'm not getting that to work for me (view page source). I'm not very tech savvy (obviously!). Oh well, maybe in this case it's better that I don't know...lol

[ColsCreations]

I viewed page source for the one store that appears on your profile and 'noindex' does not appear anywhere in the source.

[Marcia]

@ColsCreations thank you so much!!! You're always so helpful & I truly appreciate it!

[Harmony]

not sure how to view this either. i don't see a view source option

[CreativeLeahG]

Any news re this? Pretty concerning if my store is being hidden?

Thanks

ps. I have emailed more specifics re this to proseller team (no word as yet).

@Mark 

[Mark]

Hey @CreativeLeahG,

Apologies for the delay here. The team are currently looking into this and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience.

[CreativeLeahG]

Thank you Mark

[CreativeLeahG]

Please can you ask that these no index tags are removed, other sellers have noted them but they don't apply to all stores indicating they may have been manually added. I spent an entire year on the particular store identified and with editors picks dominating the marketplace I only have my own promotional efforts and Google to aid me. Being invisible means all that work has been for nothing. Removing the tag should be simple?

[CreativeLeahG]

Any news re this Mark, I haven't had a reply from proseller support. Thanks in advance.

[Mark]

Hey @CreativeLeahG,

Apologies for the delay. I have checked in with the team again for an update.

[EugeneM]

@Mark Both of my best-selling stores [invintage / eugene_designs: both zrank 9] have also been set to 'no index, follow' which I find really worrying, especially as my sales have plummeted drastically and nothing I do (adding covers, changing SEO, designing new products seems to make any difference) But then, these things wouldn't help if my products are not being indexed or showing up in search results. Thanks so much, @CreativeLeahG for bringing this to our attention (you rock!) I really hope that we can get this resolved soon. 

[CreativeLeahG]

I haven't dared check all my stores! I have around 120 😉 But I suspect it's not an isolated incident and being as it is not the case for all, I really hope this isn't intentional, if so why? 

[CreativeLeahG]

You having a zrank of 9 (very good btw!) is alarming as I wondered if maybe lower rank (new) stores were affected?

[EugeneM]

Thanks, Leah! I've learned a lot from you! I wish I could find something that would shift the needle at the moment. I love Zazzle and have been location independent thanks to Zazzle (I'm a Brit too but currently between Georgia and Ecuador), but, at the moment, I'm thrashing about trying everything I can think of just to find something that makes a difference, to no avail. I have yet to try video - I watched your tutorial on creating those on Canva. That's my next project. It 'feels like' some shops are being amplified and others being sent a 'burn notice'. Obviously, 'no index, no follow' would be a good way of doing the latter. I have a few shops too (though not in your league!) so I can see some vanishing and others (almost) surviving - but darned if I can find the recipe! I'm hopeful that it's just a temporary, back-end error and not some 'you have been selected by AI for immediate termination' scenario hahaha!

[CreativeLeahG]

We have to do more marketing, I don't think we can rely on Zazzle for exposure anymore. 😞 

[SkullPilot]

Yes. I've been hearing this a LOT recently, on several platforms, esp POD sites and places like Etsy. Just too much competition on the marketplace sites now to expect great results in the 'on-site' search algorithms. Like you say, we have to drive our own traffic from outside. And hope to keep those potential customers on our own stores!

[WHS_Designs]

I also see that one of my stores has been set to "no index, follow," and sales this month have collapsed, too.

Note: I had previously set that the store to private early this month, but reset it to Public within a few hours of that change.

[CreativeLeahG]

My affected store was always public. 

My assumptions at first was this was possibly related to new stores, low zrank stores, but it appears to not be the case based on other commentors here.

[WHS_Designs]

that is correct. my affected store has a zRank of 7, and has been around for many years.

[kills]

BE NICE IF THEY FIX THIS my stores as well

[Harmony]

i have a noindex plus an additional 26 nofollow

[almdrs]

I had a feeling that my products were invisible. Now I know why.

[CreativeLeahG]

In the absence of any feedback from Zazzle I asked AI what possible reason could there be for the no index tag and disappearing forum threads.

It gave a variety of options:

There are a few possible reasons why Zazzle might be removing forum threads and products from search results:

Focus on Quality and Brand Image:

• Low-Quality Products: Zazzle might be removing products that don't meet their quality standards or violate their terms of service. This could include products with copyrighted content, poor design, or misleading descriptions. By removing such products, they aim to improve the overall user experience and brand image.
• SEO Optimization: Zazzle might be removing forum threads and products that don't align with their SEO strategy. Threads with outdated information or irrelevant keywords wouldn't be helpful for search engines. Similarly, products with poorly optimized titles and descriptions wouldn't be easily discoverable.

Changes in Strategy:

• Shifting Focus: Zazzle might be focusing on different product categories or business models. Removing products that don't fit the new direction makes sense.
• Prioritization: Maybe Zazzle is prioritizing promoting products from specific sellers or collections. By de-indexing others, they can focus resources on what's most profitable.

Technical Issues:

• Website Redesign: It's possible Zazzle is undergoing a website redesign. Removing forum threads and products could be a temporary measure during the process.
• Indexing Problems: There might be technical issues with their sitemap or robots.txt file, causing products to be de-indexed unintentionally.

Zazzle which is it please? Are some of us just being put out to pasture or is this a major technical blip? 

[kills]

they will never answer this question.    even if so

Zazzle which is it please? Are some of us just being put out to pasture ?

[Dmargie-1029]

Is there a way for me to check on ipad?  My store were doing good and then last Christmas dropped off.

[MOM]

@Dmargie-1029 I never owed an iPad but I assume it’s similar to an iPhone concerning operating system. To read the source code using an iPhone I needed to download an app in the Apple Store.

[Malissa]

My shop has a no index tag as well.  

I have been trying to read about index vs no index (it is all very confusing to me), and from what I could gather it may be because sometimes internal "catalog" type pages are sometimes marked no index vs say, product pages.  But that would not explain why some stores are marked with an "index' and some "no index".  

[Marcia]

@Malissa Since I just figured out how to find the page source on a mac, I checked my store & a product I suspect now has "no index" & they look fine, fortunately. So I thought I'd check your store since you said it was marked "no index". I can't find it anywhere. Or was your store changed to "index"? Where in the page source did you see that? Thanks!

[Malissa]

@Marcia If you view the source code from my products page you should see the no index tag on line 135.  It looks like this

<meta name="robots" content="noindex,follow" />