How to get your content removed from Google

Filed under: Design, Developer, Internet, Web services, Google

How to get your content removed from Google

by Chris Gilmer Apr 18th 2007

Have you ever wondered how you can get your content wiped out of the Google directory, as some newspapers have been vying to do recently? Google has a plan for webmasters.

The Google Webmaster Blog outlines a few methods that site owners can use in order to ensure their content is not indexed by the search engine. This can include a simple robots.txt file that either blocks Google completely or blocks certain directories on a server. The best way to go about removal however, is to verify the ownership of your site through Google's webmaster tools by inserting a small line of code in a webpage. There is a diagnostic tab there called URL Removals. From there you can submit a New Removal Request and choose to remove Individual URLs, a directory, your entire site, or cached copies.

Of course if you end up changing your mind, Google also has a way to reinclude content. Keep in mind, either way could take a few months or more to refresh on all of Google's servers.

Tags: central, directory, google, removal, robots, robots.xtx, search, webmaster

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