How to Index the Contents of an iframe

When your primary page integrates a sub-page through an iframe, you need to think about how search engines handle the content. Although search engines try to associate the sub-page content with the primary page, it isn’t guaranteed. This uncertainty arises because both pages are treated as individual HTML entities.

Cross-Domain Iframes and Indexing Control:

• To influence the indexing behavior, you can use a combination of meta tags and HTTP headers:
  • Meta Tags for Indexing Control:
    • On the sub-page, you can include meta tags to guide search engines. If you want to ensure that the sub-page is only indexed as a part of the primary page, use the following meta tags:
    • <meta name="robots" content="noindex, indexifembedded">
    • The “noindex” tag prevents standalone indexing, and “indexifembedded” suggests that indexing is allowed when embedded within another page.
  • HTTP Header for X-Frame-Options:
    • To prevent the sub-page from being embedded via iframe elements and ensure it’s not indexed as a part of the primary page, set the appropriate X-Frame-Options in the HTTP header:
    • X-Frame-Options: DENY
    • This header instructs browsers not to display the sub-page in a frame, preventing it from being indexed as part of the primary page.