In a recent exchange, Google's Search Advocate John Mueller clarified the differences between indexing images and web pages. This arose from a query about Google's documentation suggesting the use of robots.txt for de-indexing images, which is typically used for controlling crawling.
Key Points from Mueller's Response
- Image vs. Web Page Treatment: Google treats image URLs differently from HTML URLs. Images are shown in different ways and places compared to web pages.
- Blocking Images: Blocking an image from crawling results in its complete removal from image search results, without any placeholder.
- Blocking Web Pages: Blocked web pages may still appear in search results with limited information.
- Impact on Images on Blocked Pages: If a web page is blocked from crawling, any images on that page also cannot be indexed.
This clarification emphasizes the nuanced approach Google takes to indexing different types of content, highlighting the importance of understanding these distinctions for effective SEO strategies, particularly in image optimization and content accessibility. Mueller's insights are valuable for webmasters and SEO professionals managing visual content in Google's search results.
