If you run a WordPress site, you’ve likely noticed that your category and tag archives are cluttering up your Search Console data. Worse yet, they might be contributing to “thin content” penalties or keyword cannibalization. While these pages are great for internal navigation, they are rarely what you want users to land on when they search for specific terms.
I have spent the last decade managing sites and cleaning up messes for creators. I’ve seen countless site owners panic when their search rankings tank because Google decided to index 400 tag pages instead of their actual content. Today, we are going to fix this. No fluff, no "go viral" advice, and no generic instructions.
Before we start: If you are dealing with scraped content or a legal takedown issue, screenshot everything. Take full-page screenshots of the offending pages, the source code (right-click, view page source), and any logs you have. If this is a legal issue, your documentation is your only shield.
Step 1: Assess the Content and Risk Level
Before you start deleting or adding tags, you need to understand *why* these pages are hurting your site. Run an audit using a tool like Screaming Frog or a simple export from your WordPress SEO plugin.
Ask yourself these three questions:
- Does this category page have unique, descriptive text on it, or is it just a list of post excerpts? Are my tags actually being used as a taxonomy, or are they just random words I added once? Is Google showing these pages in SERPs for high-value keywords?
If the answer to the first two is “no,” your SEO strategy needs an immediate cleanup. Leaving thin archives indexed is like hanging a "messy room" sign on your site’s front door for the Google crawler.
Step 2: The Practical Workflow for Removing Archives
You have two main 99techpost.com paths: the “noindex” route (for your own site) or the “takedown” route (for when someone else scrapes your content). Since you are likely managing your own WordPress site, we will focus on the former first.
Using SEO Plugins for 'wordpress tag noindex' and 'category archive noindex'
Do not go into your theme’s PHP files if you don’t have to. Using a plugin like Yoast SEO, Rank Math, or All in One SEO is the cleanest way to handle these settings.
Setting Type Action Reason Tags Set to Noindex Usually redundant content. Categories Index (with caution) Keep only if they have unique content. Date Archives Noindex Zero SEO value.The Checklist for SEO Settings in WordPress
Log into your WordPress dashboard. Navigate to your SEO plugin settings (usually in the sidebar). Look for Search Appearance or Taxonomies. Find the "Tags" tab. Toggle the setting that says "Show Tags in search results" to No. Repeat for "Categories" if you determined they are thin content. Save changes and clear your site cache.Step 3: What to do if another site scraped your content
At 99techpost, we handle dozens of these requests a year. If you find your content (or your categories) on a scraped site, do not bother "fighting back" on social media. It’s a waste of time. Follow this professional workflow instead.
Collect the Evidence
Before you do anything, take these steps:
- Document: Save the URL of the scraper. Proof: Use the Internet Archive (Wayback Machine) to prove your content was published first. Screenshot: Save the source code showing your original images or internal links.
The 'Contacting Webmasters' Myth
People often tell you to "just email them." In my experience, most scrapers are automated scripts running on hijacked hosting. They won't read your email. If you must reach out, be direct. Do not use passive voice. Do not apologize.
Example of a professional, non-vague email:
"Subject: DMCA Takedown Notice regarding [URL]. You are hosting copyrighted content from [YourSite].com without authorization. Remove this content within 48 hours or I will file a formal DMCA notice with your hosting provider and search engines."
Step 4: Using the Google Removal Tool
Once you have set your WordPress tag/category pages to `noindex`, you need to tell Google to re-crawl your site. You don't have to wait for them to "stumble upon" your changes.
Log into your Google Search Console account. On the left-hand sidebar, click on Removals. Click the New Request button. Enter the URL of the category or tag archive you want to hide. Google will temporarily suppress the URL from search results for 6 months, giving your `noindex` tag time to propagate.This is a tactical move. It removes the page from search while your technical changes take effect. Always double-check your robots.txt file afterward to ensure you aren't blocking the search engine from actually seeing the `noindex` tag.
Why this matters for your site health
I’ve seen sites with 10,000 indexed pages where only 200 were actual articles. The rest were tags, date archives, and attachment pages. When Google crawls your site, it has a "crawl budget." If you waste that budget crawling nonsense tag pages, Google will stop visiting your site as frequently, and your real content will suffer.
By implementing these SEO settings in WordPress, you are effectively telling Google, "Focus on the stuff that actually matters." This is not a "hack" or a "growth trick." It is basic site hygiene. It is the digital equivalent of sweeping the floor before you open for business.
Final Advice from the Desk of an Admin
If you are struggling with a specific plugin, don't waste hours in forums. Look at the plugin's documentation directly. Most developers have a specific page for their taxonomy settings. If you’re ever stuck, look for the "Robots Meta" section in your WordPress header—if you see , you know your settings have taken effect.
Keep your site clean, document your changes, and stop worrying about archive pages. Your real content is what will build your traffic in the long run.