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In the WordPress SEO plugin by Yoast, there is an option that could noindex the subpages of archives. From example, it would noindex the following:

http://example.com/page/2/
http://example.com/page/3/
http://example.com/page/4/

… and so on. Is there a good and legitimate reason to do this, in terms of SEO? Would it benefit me in any way?

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4 Answers 4

Reset to default
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Yoast discusses why this setting exists on his site. If your archive pages have any kind of static content or introduction, you run the risk of that content getting indexed on the second and subsequent pages of your archive and a dupe penalty applied. If you don't have that intro text, users get dumped into your older posts and may not have any real idea where they are or why Google sent them there and have a higher chance at bouncing away. So the setting allows you to set an intro to your archives whilst preventing duplicate content and also ensuring that Google (and inbound users) see the "freshest" content on the site.

Is the setting wholly necessary for life as we know it? Probably not. It mostly depends on how your site is structured.

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I us it on my webpage and since I have my portofolio there it indexes subpages regardless on my SEO Yoast settings of non indexing on subpages.

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I am skeptical about using this feature on my site. However, I think Google bot should not be prevented in anyway from indexing pages on a website or blog

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Instead of noindex, define canonical tags.

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  • Please provide more details about how to do this.
    – Andrew Lott
    Commented Dec 14, 2015 at 9:50
  • one of best working plugin for it is Yoast SEO.
    – Vikas Avnish
    Commented Dec 14, 2015 at 10:33
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    That still doesn't explain how to implement it, or even why it's the right answer to the question. Please edit your answer to how to do it and why it would help.
    – Andrew Lott
    Commented Dec 14, 2015 at 10:47
  • kb.yoast.com/article/148-canonical-urls-in-wordpress-seo
    – Vikas Avnish
    Commented Dec 14, 2015 at 10:50
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    @VikasAvnish: The first page must not be used as canonical target for page 2+ (details). This is also what the page you linked to says.
    – unor
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 12:18

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