Robots.txt

A robots.txt file is a simple text document stored in a website's root folder. It tells search engine crawlers which parts of the site they're allowed to crawl and which areas should be restricted from indexing. It helps control indexing and conserve crawl budget. Proper configuration of robots.txt ensures that sensitive or duplicate pages are excluded from search results while keeping important pages crawlable. What is robots.txt in SEO? In SEO, robots.txt is used to manage how search engines crawl a website. By blocking non-essential pages, duplicate content, or staging environments, it ensures that crawlers focus on indexing valuable content. This improves crawl efficiency and prevents clutter in search results. When Should You Use a robots.txt File? A robots.txt file is useful when you want to exclude sections like admin pages, internal search results, or duplicate product filters. It should be used to block critical pages that can harm visibility. It's most effective for guiding bots, not hiding sensitive information.