TL;DR
Google’s guidelines no longer explicitly require blocking internal search results from indexing, but John Mueller suggests doing so to avoid server load and potential quality issues that could impact rankings. While not considered spam, allowing these pages to be indexed can lead to inefficiencies and vulnerabilities, such as being flagged as hacked if irrelevant or spammy content appears.
Key Developments
- Google’s Search Essentials no longer mandates blocking internal search results from indexing.
- John Mueller advises blocking them to prevent server load and quality issues.
- Indexed internal search results can lead to irrelevant content, potentially causing Google to flag a site as hacked.
- Google’s past guidelines recommended blocking these pages to avoid low-quality and spam issues.
Optimixed Analysis
The removal of explicit guidelines on blocking internal search results does not imply a change in best practices. The potential risks, such as server inefficiency and vulnerability to spam, suggest that experienced professionals should continue to block these pages. The absence of a guideline does not equate to endorsement, and the risks of being flagged as hacked or having low-quality pages indexed remain significant.
