Hiding Files from Search Engines

Site URL: http://www.swoopanalytics.com

Hi there, 

Is it possible to hide individual files from being indexed by search engines?

We have quite a few PDF documents that require opt-in data capture prior to download, however, I have discovered that some of the files are showing up in search results with a direct link to the doc. 

Is there a way to hide them?

Thanks in advance!

I would also love to know the answer to this! I was taken aback when I realized that files I had uploaded to a PAGE that was hidden from indexing were themselves being indexed.

Bumping this post cause I'm curious as well, but I love your website!!!

same issue!

This is actually really quite difficult but in practice:

1. robots.txt would tell the search engines where not to index  - so you could put all your PDFs inside a folder and then exclude that folder. Problem is that users could just look at robots.txt and find where you are hiding them.

2. Remove from site-map will again stop it being indexed in Google.

3. Don't put them on a server!!

4. I don't know if you add a digital product in SquareSpace in a shop whether this means that the product is not added to a sitemap or included in Google Search (I would be interested to know that).

For me the best way to protect files on a traditioanl server is to use htacess and hard-code a password protect on the folder at the server level. No-one gets in.

Hope this helps somehow.

In the unlinked in the back section of your site, you create a file, upload the pdf into the file, and create a link for the pdf. that you can then use in a button, or in any communications (blog post, email, page)  on your site so that, one someone clicks on the active link, your pdf will open.

Here's a good YouTube video that shows us how it's done: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgZL9cBXckk

Hope that helps!

On 10/21/2020 at 2:39 PM, erinsydd said:

Site URL: http://www.swoopanalytics.com

Hi there, 

Is it possible to hide individual files from being indexed by search engines?

We have quite a few PDF documents that require opt-in data capture prior to download, however, I have discovered that some of the files are showing up in search results with a direct link to the doc. 

Is there a way to hide them?

Thanks in advance!

Hey! Did you ever find the solution to this? Having the same troubles here!

On 10/21/2020 at 4:39 AM, erinsydd said:

We have quite a few PDF documents that require opt-in data capture prior to download, however, I have discovered that some of the files are showing up in search results with a direct link to the doc. 

Is there a way to hide them?

7 hours ago, Tgrace said:

Did you ever find the solution to this?

If you have uploaded a file and linked it from a public page, search engines can index the file and show it in search results.

You should be able to prevent search engines from indexing a newly uploaded file if you upload it to a password-protected page, as this prevents search engines from accessing the page to discover and index the file. If you have already added a file that has been indexed, it is best to remove the file, then upload it again after setting a page password. 

Of course, none of this can stop someone downloading a file if they know the direct URL or if they guess it correctly. Files added to password-protected or member area pages are currently no better protected against access than any other files.

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