How to Add a Custom Robots.txt File in Blogger {Updated}

Robots.txt files play a vital role in determining how your website gets indexed by search engines. If you're a Blogger user, you're in luck because Blogger allows you to customize your robots.txt file to optimize your site's search engine performance. In this guide, we'll dive into the importance of custom robots.txt file and provide you with the latest method to add one to your Blogger blog.

Understanding Robots.txt

Before we delve into the process of adding a custom robots.txt file in Blogger, let's clarify what a robots.txt file is and why it's crucial for your website.

What is a Robots.txt file?

A robots.txt file is a simple text document that contains instructions for web crawlers. These instructions guide search engine bots on how they should crawl and index your website. By using a robots.txt file, you have the power to restrict the indexing of specific web pages that you don't want to appear in search results.

Components of a Robots.txt File

Let's take a closer look at the elements that make up a robots.txt file. Understanding these components will help you create an effective custom robots.txt file for your Blogger blog.

User-agent: Media partners-Google

This line is essential if you're running Google AdSense ads on your blog. It ensures that Google can deliver relevant ads to your site. Even if you're not using AdSense, it's best to leave this line intact.

User-agent: *

This line, marked with an asterisk (*), applies to all robots. It serves as a catch-all for general instructions.

Disallow: /search

The "Disallow" directive prevents search engines from indexing web pages that contain search query results. Using this directive can be beneficial if you don't want these pages to appear in search results.

Allow: /

The "Allow" directive, on the other hand, instructs search engines to crawl and index your blog's homepage.

Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap.xml

Including your sitemap in the robots.txt file helps search engine crawlers locate and index your blog's content efficiently. A sitemap.xml file typically contains all your published posts and pages.

Adding a Custom Robots.txt File in Blogger

Now, let's explore the way you can add a custom robots.txt file to your Blogger blog. Follow these steps:

Custom Robots.txt Generator

1. Access your Blogger dashboard
2. Navigate to "Settings"
3. Go to "Crawlers and indexing" section
4. Enable Custom Robots.txt
5. Now, click on Custom robots.txt
6. Paste your custom robots.txt code into the provided text field.
7. Save Your Changes

You've successfully added a custom robots.txt file to your Blogger blog![alertsuccess]

Checking Your Robots.txt File

To ensure that your robots.txt file is correctly implemented, follow these steps to check it:

1. Open Your Browser
2. Enter your blog's URL in the address bar.
3. Add "/robots.txt" to your blog's domain name.
4. Press Enter to access your robots.txt file.

For example, if your blog is "http://example.blogspot.com", your robots.txt file URL would be "http://example.blogspot.com/robots.txt".

Disallowing Specific Content

If you wish to prevent certain posts or pages from being indexed by search engines, follow these guidelines carefully:

Be cautious when using disallow directives, as incorrectly applied rules can block your entire site from indexing.[alertdanger]

To disallow a specific post:

Disallow: /yyyy/mm/your-post-url.html[codeblock]

Replace "yyyy" with the year of publication, "mm" with the month of publication, and "your-post-url.html" with the URL of the post you want to block.[alertinfo]

To disallow a particular page:

Disallow: /p/page-url.html[codeblock]

Replace "page-url.html" with the URL of the page you want to exclude from indexing.[alertinfo]

In conclusion, we've covered the importance of robots.txt files and provided you with an updated guide on how to add a custom robots.txt file to your Blogger blog. Remember to exercise caution when editing your robots.txt file and regularly check its status.

By optimizing your robots.txt file, you can improve your site's search engine visibility and ensure that it's indexed according to your preferences. If you have any questions or need further clarification on this tutorial, don't hesitate to reach out.

Don't forget to explore our newly created Custom Robots.txt Generator for Blogger to simplify the process of creating a custom robots.txt file tailored to your blog's needs.

Thank you for reading, and if you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it on your social media platforms to help others on their blogging journey. Happy blogging!