Google Webmaster Guidelines Adds Not To Block Google Ads With Robots.txt

Feb 13, 2014 - 8:51 am 13 by

Google Webmaster ToolsA new update has been made to the Google webmaster guidelines document, which describes you should not block the Google ads destination URL with your robots.txt file.

The new text is under the technical guidelines and reads:

Make efforts to ensure that a robots.txt file does not block a destination URL for a Google Ad product. Adding such a block can disable or disadvantage the Ad.

The guideline before somewhat implies the complete opposite:

Make reasonable efforts to ensure that advertisements do not affect search engine rankings. For example, Google's AdSense ads and DoubleClick links are blocked from being crawled by a robots.txt file.

So what do you make of this new change to the Google webmaster guidelines?

This was spotted first by Menashe Avramov.

Forum discussion at Google+.

Update: The following day, Google has removed the language from the guidelines. I guess they decided it was confusing also?

 

Popular Categories

The Pulse of the search community

Search Video Recaps

 
- YouTube
Video Details More Videos Subscribe to Videos

Most Recent Articles

Search Forum Recap

Daily Search Forum Recap: December 20, 2024

Dec 20, 2024 - 10:00 am
Search Video Recaps

Search News Buzz Video Recap: Google December Core Update Done, Spam Update Starts, Google Ranking Exploit Leaked, Google Tests Double Serving Ads

Dec 20, 2024 - 8:01 am
Google Updates

Google December 2024 Spam Update 👾 Rollout Shocks Before Holidays

Dec 20, 2024 - 7:51 am
Google

Google Testing Shaded Button Sitelinks On Mobile

Dec 20, 2024 - 7:41 am
Google

Google Search To Gain AI Mode

Dec 20, 2024 - 7:31 am
Google Maps

Google Tests Nearby Hotels & Restaurants In Business Profile Listing

Dec 20, 2024 - 7:21 am
Previous Story: Google February Update: Possibly A Google Panda Refresh?