What is the purpose of the "Indexing" feature under the SEO tab in Webflow, and how does it affect Google rankings if turned on or off?

Published on
September 22, 2023

The purpose of the "Indexing" feature under the SEO tab in Webflow is to control how search engines, such as Google, crawl and index your website. When turned on, this feature allows search engines to access and include your website's pages in their search results. When turned off, search engines are instructed not to crawl and index your website.

The indexing feature can have a direct impact on your Google rankings based on how search engines interpret and include your website's content in their search results. Here's how the indexing feature affects Google rankings when turned on or off:

  1. Indexing turned on:
  • When indexing is turned on, search engines have the ability to crawl and index your website's individual pages.
  • This means that your web pages will be included in search engine results pages (SERPs), providing you with greater visibility and a higher likelihood of being discovered by users.
  • Your content will be eligible to appear in organic search results, potentially leading to increased organic traffic and better search rankings.
  1. Indexing turned off:
  • When indexing is turned off, search engines will not crawl or index your website's pages.
  • This means that your web pages will not appear in search engine results, making it difficult for users to find and discover your website through organic search.
  • Turning off indexing can be useful in certain scenarios, such as when you're working on website development or want to hide specific pages from search engines.

It's important to note that if you want to improve your website's visibility and rankings in Google search results, it is generally recommended to have indexing turned on. However, there may be situations where you want to restrict search engine access temporarily (e.g., during development or when there are pages you don't want to be indexed). In such cases, turning off indexing temporarily can be beneficial.

To summarize, the indexing feature in Webflow's SEO settings allows you to control search engine access to your website. When turned on, your pages are crawled and indexed, increasing the visibility and potential for higher rankings in Google search results. When turned off, search engines are prevented from accessing and including your website in search results, potentially limiting its discoverability.

Additional questions users may search for:

  1. What is the purpose of the "Indexing" feature in Webflow's SEO settings?
  2. How does enabling or disabling indexing in Webflow affect Google rankings?
  3. Should I have indexing turned on or off in Webflow for better SEO?