Index or noindex for product tag pages/

"Hey everyone, I utilize Wordpress, WooCommerce, and Rank Math for creating a website. On the main navigation menu, I have linked the top level item to a product category URL and set it as 'index' in Rank Math. The dropdown items are linked to product tag URLs, which I have set as 'noindex' in Rank Math. The products on the category page are the same as on the tag pages. Is this a proper or recommended SEO strategy according to Google? Any help in understanding this would be greatly appreciated. :)"

It is generally recommended to index product category pages and noindex product tag pages. This aligns with Google’s best practices for SEO.

Here’s why:

  • Product category pages provide a valuable overview of your product offerings, helping users navigate your site and find relevant items. Indexing these pages allows Google to understand your product structure and potentially rank them for relevant search queries.
  • Product tag pages often duplicate content from the product category pages, as they typically display the same products categorized under a different attribute. Indexing these pages can lead to duplicate content issues, potentially negatively impacting your SEO.

By indexing category pages and noindexing tag pages, you create a clear hierarchy for your site structure, ensuring that Google can easily understand your content and rank your most valuable pages.