How to fix "Discourage search engines" in WordPress
SEO1 min readFixes check wp-discourage-search
One checkbox in Settings → Reading adds noindex to every page. It is meant for sites under construction and is often left on after launch.
Step by step, with screenshots: "Discourage search engines": the WordPress box that hides your site →
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What a passing site looks like
- Search engines are not discouraged in Settings → Readingfail · −8 ptseffort S
"Discourage search engines" is switched on
Why it matters. The WordPress setting adds a site-wide noindex, nofollow tag. It is meant for sites under construction and is often left on after launch, which removes the whole site from Google.
How to fix it.
- In wp-admin go to Settings → Reading and untick "Discourage search engines from indexing this site".
- Then request indexing in Google Search Console; pages usually return within days to weeks.