Noindex + Nofollow Questions

[ErrlyBird]

We are adding a category that has much of the same products in it as another category. This category will have some sub categories that WILL be unique and I would like them to be crawled and indexed. I however would not like for the main category to be indexed.

If I nofollow, noindex the main category, will the sub categories still be crawled?

Is this a case where I would want to use follow, noindex?

Just making things overly complicated in my head and can't seem to find the info I''m looking for on G.

 

[SeoBacklinkGenie]

I would no index, d0 follow.

I believe the url name is the only thing that matters for indexing and follow, so you can separate main category from subs but I've never tried it.

Any reason not to have both indexed and d0 follow? Are you thinking they are going to be tagged as canonical/dup content and the sub will get deindexed?

 

[Steptoe]

If I nofollow, noindex the main category, will the sub categories still be crawled?

Unless the subcategories have links from other internal pages or have external backlinks pointing at them, it's doubtful they'll be crawled.

Is this a case where I would want to use follow, noindex?

The tag to use would be

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

However, personally I think you're analysing too deeply, just let the category page get indexed and concentrate on other content.

 

[ErrlyBird]

I would no index, d0 follow.

I believe the url name is the only thing that matters for indexing and follow, so you can separate main category from subs but I've never tried it.

Any reason not to have both indexed and d0 follow? Are you thinking they are going to be tagged as canonical/dup content and the sub will get deindexed?

Yeah just worried about cannibalization. The products are basically the exact same, the only difference is the category name as there are 2 different names for the same products. I could target the different names but the descriptions would be basically identical and the products would be identical.

Unless the subcategories have links from other internal pages or have external backlinks pointing at them, it's doubtful they'll be crawled.


The tag to use would be

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

However, personally I think you're analysing too deeply, just let the category page get indexed and concentrate on other content.

I probably am analysing to deeply. Making things more difficult than they need to be is something I'm working on doing less often. But with all the volatility in SERPs right now I have just been on edge.

 

[McGrady]

If you still need help with that, let us know, i'll be happy to help.

That's not a very hard situation if you think it through