| ent"> Search engine optimisation services generally try | | | | There are several ways an SEO company can do |
| to get search engines to index as much of their | | | | this. For example, they can use .htaccess. This is a |
| clients’ sites as possible, to facilitate SEO link | | | | way to password-protect content that you |
| building and thus increase revenue. However, there are | | | | don’t want the search engines to index. This is |
| times when they have to do the opposite. A search | | | | a powerful tool, as it indicates to the search engines |
| engine optimisation company also doubles as an online | | | | exactly who is allowed to access the content on |
| reputation management firm, after all. | | | | specific directory files, thus protecting the content |
| If, for example, your site has attracted spammers or | | | | inside. |
| other malicious links, the URL needs to be taken down | | | | Another method is not allowing site linking from the |
| as soon as possible, while repairs are done and the | | | | page that’s opened. However, it’s not |
| links reconfigured. Another common reason is that a | | | | totally foolproof, as someone who opens that page link |
| site or page has simply become outdated, and people | | | | may then go to another page which lists the referral |
| linking to it are finding it detrimental to their searches. | | | | page. This will create a link that the search engines |
| This can do untold damage to your online reputation | | | | could follow. |
| management strategy, especially if you have clean | | | | A preferable option would be to use No |
| links to another site bearing your name. | | | | Index’, a piece of code that supposedly blocks |
| Google Webmaster Tools is one of those SEO tools | | | | all references to the URL in the search index. |
| that many SEO companies can’t do without. | | | | However, it is only foolproof on Google; Yahoo and |
| However, it can only be used for Google. It can be | | | | Bing will still show the reference. Nofollow is an |
| used to block an entire website, a single directory or | | | | alternative, but time intensive method of removing a |
| even a single page. So long as the URL is indexed, you | | | | page reference from an index. It’s ineffectual |
| can use Google Webmaster Tools to remove it, and it | | | | unless you are prepared to put a nofollow insertion on |
| has the benefit of being reversible. Robots.txt is | | | | every path leading to that page. |
| another tool which tells Google not to crawl certain | | | | Most of us have come across 301 redirects, even if |
| sites or pages. However, even if you block parts of | | | | we haven’t implemented them ourselves. A 301 |
| your site with this command, they can still be | | | | redirect command is a permanent way of removing a |
| referenced in the index. | | | | defunct URL from the index, replacing it with a new |
| Alternatively, a URL can be manipulated so it drops off | | | | one. |
| the search engine radar until the problem is fixed. | | | | |