At present, the robots.txt file for Zendesk Help Centre's is a shared file used across all Zendesk accounts. It is managed at the platform level by Zendesk and cannot be customised or edited for individual accounts.
This guide will cover the following topics:
- Alternative: Using meta tags to prevent indexing
- Temporary exclusion of pages from Google search
- Why is robots.txt not customisable?
- Need further assistance?
Alternative: Using meta tags to prevent indexing
While the robots.txt file is not account-specific, you can control the indexing of specific Help Centre pages by using the <meta> tag. This approach allows you to block search engines from indexing individual pages.
To block a page, add the following meta tag to its HTML:
This will prevent search engines from indexing the specified page.
Temporary exclusion of pages from Google search
If you want to temporarily exclude a specific page from being indexed by Google, you can follow the steps outlined in the Zendesk article How do I exclude a Help Centre page from being indexed by Google?. This article explains how to use Google Search Console to manage temporary exclusions effectively.
Why is robots.txt not customisable?
Zendesk maintains a global robots.txt file to ensure consistent functionality and security across all accounts. While this file cannot be edited, using meta tags gives you some control over the indexing of your Help Centre pages.
Need further assistance?
If you have additional questions about SEO for your Zendesk Help Centre, contact Zendesk Support or consult your account manager for guidance.
Alternatively, feel free to check out our guide here: How to improve SEO in Zendesk Guide Help Center - Meta Description