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Robots.txt Best Practices

Here are some best practices you can follow in order to ensure you are using robots.txt files correctly.

Updated over a year ago

In general, the following best practices will aid in making sure robots.txt files are created and used correctly so no unintended issues arise.

  • To ensure discoverability, place the robots.txt file in the top-level directory of your website (www.example.com/robots.txt)

  • Remember that robots.txt filenames are case-sensitive; use "robots.txt" for consistent naming, not variations like "Robots.txt" or "robots.TXT."

  • Be aware that some user agents, especially malicious ones like malware robots or email scrapers, may disregard your robots.txt file.

  • Keep in mind that the /robots.txt file is publicly accessible, so avoid using it to conceal private user data as anyone can view your directives.

  • Separate subdomains within a root domain should each have their own robots.txt files, e.g., blog.example.com and example.com should have distinct robots.txt files at their respective locations.

  • It's advisable to specify the location of associated sitemaps at the end of your robots.txt file to facilitate proper indexing.

  • Google Search Console advises against blocking CSS and JS files to ensure proper website rendering and indexing.

  • URLs are case-sensitive, so make sure that directories, pages, and file extensions are in the correct case.

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