Disabled Robot.txt intentionally, Can I still build links?

5 replies
  • SEO
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As the topic states I have a website that intentionally do not want to be indexed yet. In the mean time would if I were to build links to it, would everything still work correctly once I enable robots.txt again?

Thanks
#build #disabled #intentionally #links #robottxt
  • Profile picture of the author paulgl
    What is a disabled robots.txt? If you mean you don't have one,
    then everything gets indexed. Theoretically. You don't
    need a robots.txt.

    If you mean your robots.txt is blocking google from crawling and
    indexing the site, well, that's a bad idea. You want stuff indexed.

    You are making a very iffy bet. Even if you have a robots.txt file
    telling google to stay way, and then make links, you are just asking
    for the robots.txt to become rather meaningless. They are not
    foolproof.

    I can't think of a reason for not wanting google to index the stuff
    that you eventually want google to index. The sooner the better.

    Paul
    Signature

    If you were disappointed in your results today, lower your standards tomorrow.

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    • Profile picture of the author danparks
      Originally Posted by paulgl View Post

      What is a disabled robots.txt? If you mean you don't have one,
      then everything gets indexed. Theoretically. You don't
      need a robots.txt.

      If you mean your robots.txt is blocking google from crawling and
      indexing the site, well, that's a bad idea. You want stuff indexed.

      You are making a very iffy bet. Even if you have a robots.txt file
      telling google to stay way, and then make links, you are just asking
      for the robots.txt to become rather meaningless. They are not
      foolproof.

      I can't think of a reason for not wanting google to index the stuff
      that you eventually want google to index. The sooner the better.

      Paul
      All the above. I assume your site isn't finished, and that's why you're blocking google? If that's the case, don't bother doing that. Go ahead and let google start finding and indexing backlinks. Get your backlink history started. If your backlinks go to your home page, and your home page isn't completed - maybe it has no text referencing your keywords, what your site is about - then it has no on-page SEO. So even if google finds some backlinks, it's not like google will propel your site to the top of SERPs for any keywords.
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  • Profile picture of the author Clint Faber
    Yes you can start your back linking portfolio and all credited and indexed back links will be credited to you when you go live.

    Need any more help just let us know.

    Good luck with your new site.
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  • Profile picture of the author chris_87
    Thanks for the feedback everyone,

    I will level with everyone and provide more details. I do art seriously as a hobby at this point, but eventually I would like it to be more than that. I am using my name as the domain for the website (myname.com or theartofmyname.com). Right now im in a unrelated business and I do not want my art site coming up in google when someone googles my name.

    The main point of the site from the onset is to document my progress, and when I reach a proficient enough level hopefully have a portfolio as well. In the meantime I suspect my site will naturally build links.
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    • Profile picture of the author danparks
      Originally Posted by bluehabit View Post

      Thanks for the feedback everyone,

      I will level with everyone and provide more details. I do art seriously as a hobby at this point, but eventually I would like it to be more than that. I am using my name as the domain for the website (myname.com or theartofmyname.com). Right now im in a unrelated business and I do not want my art site coming up in google when someone googles my name.

      The main point of the site from the onset is to document my progress, and when I reach a proficient enough level hopefully have a portfolio as well. In the meantime I suspect my site will naturally build links.
      You know you don't have to develop a website online. That is, you don't have to keep uploading files to yourdomain.com as you work on it. A lot of people develop their site offline and view it on their PC and then, when finished, upload everything. I think that would satisfy your concerns.
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