How To Setup The Perfect Robots.Txt File?

1 year ago
Setare Afsharzadeh
9 minutes

This guide will help you create or optimize a robots.txt file for your website. A robots.txt file instructs search engines on which parts of your website to crawl and index.

Why it’s important:

  • Controls how search engines interact with your website.
  • Ensures search engines index the content you want them to.

What you’ll need:

  • A text editor (e.g., Notepad)

Auditing your current robots.txt (optional):

  1. Visit http://yourdomain.com/robots.txt.
  2. Check the following:
    • Is it validated by Google Search Console?
    • Does it try to block pages from search results (use other methods)?
    • Does it block unimportant system pages (recommended)?
    • Does it block sensitive data (recommended, password protect too)?
    • Does it block necessary scripts?
  3. Use Google’s “site:” search operator to find any unexpected indexed pages.

Creating a robots.txt file:

  1. Create a new text file named robots.txt.
  2. Choose a template based on your needs:
    • Disallow all crawling (rarely used, for staging sites).
    • Allow all crawling (default behavior for search engines).
    • Block specific paths, file types, or crawlers (most common).

Using the templates:

  • Disallow all: User-agent: * Disallow: /
  • Allow all: User-agent: * Allow: / Sitemap: http://yourdomain.com/yoursitemapname.xml
  • Block specific paths/file types/crawlers:
    • Add User-agent: * at the beginning.
    • Block paths: Disallow: /your-path (blocks subpaths too).
    • Block file types: Disallow: /*.filetype$ (replace with file type).
    • Block specific crawlers: Add a new line with User-agent: Crawler Name followed by Disallow: /.

Adding the robots.txt to your website:

  • WordPress with Yoast SEO plugin:
    1. Go to WordPress Admin > SEO > Tools.
    2. Paste your robots.txt content and save changes.
  • Other platforms: Use FTP or SFTP to upload the file to your website’s root directory.

Validating your robots.txt:

  1. Use Google Search Console’s robots.txt tester tool.
  2. Compare the version in the tool with your live file.
  3. Submit your robots.txt if there’s a mismatch.
  4. The tool will show any errors or warnings in your file.

Mastering Your Robots.txt: A Guide to SEO Success

This guide equips you with the knowledge to create and maintain an optimal robots.txt file for your website. A well-crafted robots.txt acts as a roadmap for search engines, instructing them on which parts of your site to crawl and index.

Why It Matters:

  • Search Engine Guidance: Your robots.txt file establishes clear communication with search engines, ensuring they focus on the content you want them to see.
  • Optimized Indexing: A strategic robots.txt helps search engines efficiently index the most relevant parts of your website, potentially boosting your search ranking.

What You’ll Need:

  • A basic text editor (like Notepad)

Building or Updating Your Robots.txt:

  • Optional Audit: If you already have a robots.txt file, consider reviewing it for:
    • Google Search Console validation.
    • Attempts to block pages from search results (use alternative methods).
    • Blocking of unnecessary system pages (recommended).
    • Blocking of sensitive data (recommended, with additional password protection).
    • Blocking of essential scripts.
  • Creating the File: Use a text editor to create a new file named robots.txt.
  • Choosing a Template: Select a template that aligns with your needs:
    • Disallow all crawling (rarely used, for development sites).
    • Allow all crawling (default behavior for search engines).
    • Block specific sections, file types, or crawlers (most common).

Using the Templates:

  • Disallow All: User-agent: * Disallow: /
  • Allow All: User-agent: * Allow: / Sitemap: http://yourdomain.com/yoursitemapname.xml
  • Block Specific Content/Crawlers:
    • Add User-agent: * at the beginning.
    • Block paths: Disallow: /your-path (blocks subpaths too).
    • Block file types: Disallow: /*.filetype$ (replace with file type).
    • Block specific crawlers: Add a new line with User-agent: Crawler Name followed by Disallow: /.

Adding the File to Your Website:

  • WordPress with Yoast SEO Plugin:
    1. Navigate to WordPress Admin > SEO > Tools.
    2. Paste your robots.txt content and save the changes.
  • Other Platforms: Utilize FTP or SFTP to upload the file to your website’s root directory.

Validating Your Robots.txt:

  • Google Search Console: Leverage the robots.txt tester tool within Google Search Console.
  • Version Comparison: Compare the version displayed in the tool with your live file.
  • Submitting Updates: If there’s a discrepancy, submit your robots.txt file.
  • Error Checking: The tool will identify any errors or warnings within your file.

Auditing Your Robots.txt File

Maintaining a well-structured robots.txt file is crucial for optimal search engine optimization (SEO). Here’s a checklist to guide you through auditing your existing robots.txt:

Access and Validation:

  1. Location: Visit http://yourdomain.com/robots.txt (replace yourdomain.com with your actual website address). This should display your robots.txt content.
  2. Google Search Console Validation: Has your robots.txt been validated using Google Search Console’s robots.txt tester tool? Validation ensures it’s functioning correctly.

Content Review:

  1. Blocking Search Results: Remember, robots.txt doesn’t directly remove pages from search results. Use alternative methods like password protection or noindex directives for sensitive content.
  2. Unimportant System Pages: Are unimportant system pages (like login pages or server logs) disallowed from crawling? This helps search engines focus on valuable content.
  3. Sensitive Data: Are sensitive pages (like internal documents or customer data) disallowed? Crucially, also password-protect these pages to prevent unauthorized access. Hackers can exploit robots.txt to discover such information.
  4. Essential Scripts: Does your robots.txt accidentally block scripts necessary for proper page rendering (e.g., Javascript files)? Ensure these scripts are allowed for optimal user experience.

Double-Checking Indexing:

  1. Search Operator: Use the Google search operator “site:yourdomain.com” (replace with your domain) to view currently indexed pages.
  2. Manual Review: Scan the results and identify any pages that shouldn’t be indexed based on the checklist criteria.

Creating Your Robots.txt File

A robots.txt file acts as a roadmap for search engines, instructing them on which parts of your site to access.

What You’ll Need:

  • A text editor (like Notepad or TextEdit)

Choosing a Template:

Most websites won’t need to block everything or allow everything. Here are common scenarios and corresponding templates:

  1. Disallow All Crawling (Rare Case): Use this only for private websites (e.g., staging sites) that shouldn’t be indexed publicly. User-agent: * Disallow: / Caution: This can severely damage your search ranking.
  2. Allow All Crawling (Default Behavior): This is the default and doesn’t require a robots.txt file. Search engines will crawl everything they can access.
  3. Block Specific Paths/Filetypes/Crawlers (Most Common): This allows all robots but restricts access to certain areas.

Building Your Custom Robots.txt:

  1. Create a Text File: Open your text editor and create a new file named robots.txt.
  2. *Start with User-agent: : This line indicates the following rules apply to all search engine crawlers (robots).
  3. Block Specific Paths: Use Disallow: /your-path to block a path (and all subpaths within it). Example: Disallow: /images/private blocks “/images/private” and “/images/private/photos”.
  4. Block Filetypes: Use Disallow: /*.filetype$ to block specific file types. Replace filetype with the actual extension (e.g., .pdf, .jpg). Example: Disallow: /*.pdf$ blocks all PDF files.
  5. Block Specific Crawlers: Add User-agent: Crawler Name followed by Disallow: / to block a particular crawler from your entire site. Example: User-agent: Googlebot-Image\nDisallow: / blocks Google’s image crawler.

Uploading Your Robots.txt File

Once you’ve created your robots.txt file, it’s time to upload it to your website. Here’s how to do it for different scenarios:

Using WordPress with Yoast SEO Plugin:

  1. Login to your WordPress admin panel.
  2. Navigate to SEO > Tools.
  3. If “Advanced features” aren’t enabled, go to SEO > Dashboard > Features, enable them, and click Save Changes.
  4. Click on File Editor.
  5. Paste the content of your robots.txt file into the text box.
  6. Click Save Changes to Robots.txt.

Using Other Platforms (FTP/SFTP):

  1. Utilize an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) client to connect to your website’s server.
  2. Locate the root directory of your website. This is typically the public_html or www directory.
  3. Upload your robots.txt file to the root directory.

If You Don’t Have Upload Access:

If you don’t have access to upload files yourself, contact your web developer or the company that built your website. Here’s a template email you can use:

Subject: Uploading Robots.txt File

Hi [Name of contact person],

I’ve created a robots.txt file to improve the SEO of the website. The file is attached to this email.

Please place the file in the root directory of the domain named “robots.txt.”

You can find more technical specifications about robots.txt files here: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/robots/intro

Thanks, [Your Name]

Verifying Your Robots.txt:

Once you’ve uploaded the file, open your web browser and navigate to http://yourdomain.com/robots.txt (replace yourdomain.com with your actual website address). You should see the content of your robots.txt file displayed. This confirms successful upload.

Validating Your Robots.txt with Google Search Console

After uploading your robots.txt file, it’s crucial to validate it using Google Search Console. This ensures search engines are using the correct version and identifies any errors.

Steps:

  1. Open Google Search Console: Go to https://search.google.com/search-console/about and log in with your Google account.
  2. Select the Right Property (if applicable): If you manage multiple websites in Search Console, choose the website associated with your robots.txt file.
  3. Access Robots.txt Tester: In Search Console, navigate to the Crawl section and click on Robots.txt Tester.
  4. Compare Versions: The tester displays the last version of your robots.txt that Google crawled. Open your actual robots.txt file on your website (e.g., http://yourdomain.com/robots.txt) and compare the content with the version in the tester.
  5. Submit Updates (if necessary): If the versions differ, click the Submit button twice. This instructs Google to crawl your updated robots.txt file.
  6. Refresh and Check for Errors: After submitting, refresh the page (Ctrl+F5 on PC, Cmd+R on Mac). If your robots.txt is free of syntax errors or logic warnings, you’ll see a success message.
  7. Address Errors or Warnings (if applicable): Errors or warnings will be highlighted with specific lines in your robots.txt causing the issue. Review these carefully and make necessary corrections to your robots.txt file.
  8. Test Specific URLs (optional): In the text box provided, enter a URL on your website and click Test. This helps verify if the URL is blocked by your robots.txt. A “Blocked” message indicates a blocking rule, and the tester will highlight the responsible line in your robots.txt.
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