Summarize with AI:

Search Visibility Warning

Toolbar reminder when “discourage search engines” is on, with a quick path to change it.

Overview

Search Engine Visibility Warning displays an admin notice when the WordPress setting “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” (Settings, Reading) is enabled. This setting adds noindex to your site, which prevents search engines from indexing your content. The notice reminds you to turn it off before launching a live site. Dismissible or persistent depending on implementation. Helps avoid accidentally leaving the site invisible to search engines.

Who is this for?

Site owners and developers who may forget to disable “Discourage search engines” before going live. Prevents accidental noindex on production sites.

Features

Admin Notice

Notice appears in wp-admin when "Discourage search engines" is checked. Reminds you to disable it for live sites.

Link to Settings

Typically includes a link to Settings, Reading for quick access.

Dismissible (Optional)

May be dismissible per user or session. Implementation varies.

Use Cases

StagingNotice
Staging or development sites (keep "Discourage" on, notice is informational)

LaunchReminder
Launch checklist (reminder to disable before going live)

WorkflowProtection
Multi-site or agency workflows (avoid leaving noindex on client sites)

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I disable "Discourage" on staging?
Keep it on for staging so search engines do not index your staging site. The notice is a reminder; you can ignore it on staging. Disable only when the site is live and you want indexing.