Why Robots.txt Matters for Crawling
The robots.txt file tells search engines which parts of your site they’re allowed to crawl. It acts as a gatekeeper, guiding bots away from unimportant or sensitive areas. Used correctly, it helps conserve crawl budget and protect private content. However, misuse—such as blocking JavaScript or essential folders—can stop crawlers from indexing key content. Always double-check your robots.txt rules to ensure your SEO-critical pages remain crawlable.