Do I Need To Index My Blog Tag Pages On Google?

I was working with a plumbing company recently who was just dipping their toes into content marketing.

During one of our SEO calls, the owner asked me about this long list on “non-indexed” pages that were showing up in their Search Console report.

"So wait... should Google be indexing all these tag pages on our blog?"

The worst thing you can find out with a new business client is that they have been investing good money into their content strategy… but have no idea if they were actually optimizing correctly.

When you log into your Google Search Console results, you might find a long list of pages that “aren’t indexed.”

While there could be a variety of reasons why this happens, the most common culprit I’ve found are those pesky “blog tag” pages.

…/blog/tag/your-topic-here

Let’s look at what blog tags are and whether you should index them – without the fluffy BS you'll get from most SEO "gurus."

What Are Blog Tags?

Blog tags are metadata elements that describe specific topics in your posts.

Think of them as content sorting mechanisms.

While categories organize your content into broad buckets (your main content pillars), tags get granular with the specific subjects.

For the plumbing company, they had a "Residential Services" category with posts tagged "Water Heater Repair," "Emergency Plumbing," and "Pipe Leaks."

Tags help readers find related content and organize your site internally.

But should Google be indexing all these tag pages? That's where things get interesting.

The Tag Indexing Conundrum

When clients ask whether to index their tag pages, I don't give them some wishy-washy answer.

I tell them the truth – it depends on whether those pages create value or waste. Here's exactly what I look for:

Why You Might Index Those Pages

Many SEOs point to a few advantages that properly indexed tag pages can bring to your site’s search visibility:

Tag pages can target specific keywords that your main posts might not fully address
They create additional internal linking structures
Well-structured tag pages can serve as content hubs for specific topics
They provide another entry point for search traffic

Potential Drawbacks

But hold up - there are compelling reasons to be cautious about indexing tag pages that many website owners don't initially consider:

Tag pages often create thin content that might trigger quality issues
They can cannibalize keywords from your main articles
Excessive tags waste crawl budget (a common client fear)
They might create duplicate content issues if not properly configured

What I Told the Plumbing Company (And What I'll Tell You)

After auditing their site, here's exactly what I recommend:

Audit existing tag pages

Check Google Search Console and your overall analytics to see if your tag pages bring in any meaningful traffic. For the plumbing company, their tag pages were practically ghost towns.

Consider your site structure

If you have well-structured categories that already serve user needs, tags might be redundant. The plumbing company's categories were already well-organized.

For most blogs, apply "noindex, follow" to tag pages.

This tells Google to ignore these pages in search results while still following the links to your money-making content.

consider a few Exceptions

For highly specialized blogs where tags form legitimate content hubs with unique value, consider indexing them—but be selective. Cut the fat.

Maintain tag hygiene

If you do use tags, create clear guidelines to prevent tag sprawl. The plumbing company had 47 tags for just 20 blog posts – complete overkill.

Don’t Get Too Stressed About Tags

Look, the harsh truth is that most clients waste time obsessing over indexing every page possible instead of focusing on what actually drives revenue.

In reality, a cleaner site architecture often leads to better performance for your core content.

Google's job is to deliver the best content to searchers. If your tag pages don't provide unique value to someone landing there from a search, they shouldn't be indexed.

Period.

The goal isn't having the most indexed pages — it's making sure the right pages get found and convert traffic into customers.

For the plumbing company, fixing their tag indexing was just one piece of the SEO puzzle that helped them start dominating local search results.

Want to chat about your site’s SEO and content strategy? Looking to drum up more organic trafic through content your target audience actually cares about? Let’s chat!

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FAQ

Blog tags are metadata labels that identify specific topics within your content. They help organize your blog posts by subject matter and create connections between related pieces of content, making it easier for readers to find similar articles.
Categories are broad topic classifications that form the main structure of your blog, while tags are more specific and granular. Think of categories as chapters in a book and tags as the index terms that appear throughout multiple chapters.
When implemented strategically, tags can help search engines understand your content's topical relevance and improve internal linking. However, poorly implemented tags can create duplicate content issues and waste crawl budget.
For most websites, applying "noindex, follow" to tag pages is recommended. This prevents potential duplicate content issues while still allowing search engines to follow links to your important content.
Use 3-5 relevant tags per post at most. Using too many tags dilutes their effectiveness and can create an excessive number of thin pages.
Excessive tags can create additional database queries and page requests, potentially affecting site speed. Keep your tag structure lean and purposeful.