Set each page's title in Web Page Title and its description in Web Page Description, both in Inspector > Page Settings. To keep a page out of Google, untick Include page in search engines there and publish again. Neither needs SEO PowerUp.
Set a page's title and description
Google usually shows the Web Page Title as the blue headline and the Web Page Description under it, though it sometimes picks other text from your page. The title also shows in the browser tab, not on the page. For a heading on the page, use a text box with HTML Tag set to H1 in the Text Inspector.
- Select the page in the page list. Each page has its own settings. They can't be set on a Master Page.
- Go to Inspector > Page Settings.
- In Web Page Title, describe the page in your customers' words, such as "Wedding cakes in Leeds | Smith Bakery". Keep it to about 30 to 65 characters: Google cuts off longer titles.
- Open Search Engine Optimization. In Web Page Description, write one or two sentences, about 150 to 160 characters, that make people want to click.
- Publish. Google shows the change after its next visit, which can take a few days to a few weeks.
Give every page its own title and description. EverWeb uses exactly what you type. If Web Page Title is empty, Google makes a title up, and Check Page in the toolbar warns you.
Keywords: Google ignores the keywords tag, so don't add one in Head Code. What counts is the words in your title, headings, text and image descriptions (see Why can't people find my website on Google?). The Keywords list in EverWeb still helps the search box on your own website find the page.
Keep a page out of Google
- Select the page and go to Inspector > Page Settings.
- In the Search Engine Optimization section, untick Include page in search engines.
- Publish.
EverWeb adds a noindex tag to the page (a hidden note asking search engines not to list it). With SEO PowerUp, the page is also left out of your sitemap.
- It's a request, not a lock. Anyone with the link can still open the page. To keep it private, see Can I password protect my website? Simple Password and Membership Sites.
- Already in Google? It drops out after Google's next visit. To hide it sooner, use Removals in Google Search Console.
- Your own search box still lists it unless you also untick Include in Site Search in the Site Search section.
- Not ready yet? Tick Do not publish page in Advanced Options so it doesn't go online at all.
- A whole test copy: untick the setting on every page. See Try out changes before they go live: publish a test copy of your website.
"Duplicate without user-selected canonical" in Search Console
Google found the same content at more than one address and chose one itself. It's usually harmless. A canonical tag (a hidden line telling Google which address is the main one) settles it. Common causes:
| Cause | What to do |
|---|---|
| A separate phone page (Mobile Page) with the same text as a desktop page | Link the two pages (below) |
| The same page or PDF at http:// and https://, or with and without www | Tick Use HTTPS Secure URLs in File > Edit Publishing Settings, then choose File > Publish Entire Site. Visitors and Google then go to the https://www. address. See My site says 'Not Secure': how to get HTTPS (SSL) on your website |
| Two pages with nearly the same text | Rewrite one, or remove the one you don't need |
Link a phone page to its desktop page
- Select the desktop page. In Inspector > Page Settings, open Mobile Settings.
- Set Mobile Page to One of My Pages and choose the phone page in Page.
- Select the phone page. Leave its Mobile Page set to None and tick This page is for mobile devices.
- Choose File > Publish Entire Site.
EverWeb then adds a canonical tag to the phone page pointing to the desktop page. Responsive pages (one page that adapts to every screen) don't have this problem.
Add a canonical tag yourself
- Select the page and go to Inspector > Page Settings > Head/Footer Code.
- In Head Code, paste this line, using the full address of the page you want Google to list:
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.yourdomain.com/about.html">- Publish.
Never put a canonical tag in File > Edit Publishing Settings: it would go on every page, and Google could drop all but one. Don't add one to a linked phone page either, because EverWeb already adds it.