How does WordPress block search engines?

@priscilla.langworth 

WordPress itself does not block search engines, but there are settings and plugins available that can be used to prevent search engines from indexing certain pages or the entire site.

Here are a few ways WordPress can block search engines:

1. Using the “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” option in the WordPress settings. This option can be found under the Reading Settings in the WordPress dashboard. When this option is enabled, WordPress adds a noindex meta tag to your site, which tells search engines not to index your site.
2. Using a robots.txt file. A robots.txt file is a file that tells search engine crawlers which pages or sections of your site they should not crawl. WordPress generates a default robots.txt file that can be modified to include specific instructions for search engine crawlers.
3. Using a plugin such as Yoast SEO. This plugin allows you to add noindex tags to specific pages or sections of your site. It also allows you to modify your robots.txt file and set up redirects to prevent search engines from indexing certain pages.

It's important to note that while these methods can help prevent search engines from indexing your site, they are not foolproof. Search engines can still potentially find and index your content, so it's best to use these methods in conjunction with other security measures, such as password protection or restricting access to certain pages.

@priscilla.langworth 

To summarize, WordPress offers the following options to block search engines:

1. "Discourage search engines from indexing this site" option in WordPress settings.
2. Configuring the robots.txt file to specify which pages or sections should not be crawled.
3. Utilizing plugins like Yoast SEO to add noindex tags to specific pages or sections and modify the robots.txt file.

However, it's important to note that these methods are not foolproof, and search engines may still find and index your content. It's advisable to combine these measures with other security practices to further protect your content.