What is NoFollow?

"NoFollow" instructs search engine crawlers not to follow any links on the webpage, essentially treating all outbound links as if they had the "nofollow" attribute applied to them. It's typically used when a webmaster wants to prevent search engines from crawling or indexing any pages linked from the current page.

You might use the "nofollow" meta tag for several reasons:

• Managing Crawl Budget: Shopify stores often have numerous pages, including product pages, collections, and blog posts. By using the "nofollow" meta tag selectively, the store owner can guide search engine crawlers to prioritize crawling and indexing the most important pages, such as product listings and key content, while preventing them from wasting resources on less significant pages like terms of service or privacy policy pages.
  
• Preventing Duplicate Content Issues: E-commerce platforms like Shopify may generate duplicate content issues due to similar product descriptions or variations of the same product. By using the "nofollow" meta tag strategically, store owners can prevent search engines from indexing duplicate content or pages with thin content, thereby avoiding potential penalties and ensuring that the most relevant pages rank higher in search results.
  
• Controlling Indexation of Non-Essential Pages: Shopify stores often include pages like login or account management pages, which are not meant to be indexed in search results. Using the "nofollow" meta tag on such pages ensures that they don't appear in search engine results, maintaining the focus on pages that drive traffic and conversions.
  
• Managing SEO for Seasonal or Promotional Pages: Shopify store owners may create seasonal or promotional pages that are relevant for a limited time. Once the promotion ends or the season changes, these pages may become irrelevant. Using the "nofollow" meta tag on such pages prevents them from being indexed by search engines after they've served their purpose, helping to maintain the store's SEO integrity.
  
• Preventing Search Engines from Crawling Affiliate Links: If the Shopify store includes affiliate links, using the "nofollow" meta tag on those links can prevent search engines from following them. This ensures that the store's SEO efforts aren't diluted by linking to external affiliate sites.
  

Implementing the "nofollow" meta tag in a Shopify store allows the store owner to have more control over how search engines crawl and index the site, ultimately improving the site's SEO performance and user experience. However, it's essential to use the tag judiciously and in alignment with the overall SEO strategy to achieve the desired results.