Search engines such as Google can find and index your public directory: the directory page, each Public partner profile and your public landing pages. PartnerPage builds the sitemap, robots.txt and page tags for you. This article explains what happens automatically and what you or PartnerPage support can change. It is for vendors.
Applies to: vendors · Availability: all directories. Indexing is on unless PartnerPage support switches it off.
Which pages search engines can index
Your directory tells search engines which pages to index:
Indexed: the directory page, each Public partner profile and its contact page, the partner application and matchmaking pages when those features are on, and your public landing pages.
Not indexed: the directory page when its address includes a search, a filter, a sort or a page size; profile previews; the Get Listed and deal registration forms; the pages visitors see after sending a form.
Not found: Hidden and Inactive profiles, whose pages don't open, and hidden landing pages.
Searchable profiles aren't in the sitemap, but their pages open, so search engines can still index one if they find a link to it. See Partner profile statuses: Public, Searchable, Hidden, Inactive.
Your sitemap
PartnerPage creates your directory's sitemap automatically and keeps it up to date. It's at your directory's address followed by /sitemap.xml, for example https://partners.acme.com/sitemap.xml, or https://acme.com/partners/sitemap.xml when you use a reverse proxy.
The sitemap lists:
The directory page.
The partner application page and the matchmaking page, when those features are on.
Every Public partner profile, and its contact page when contact requests are on.
Your public landing pages.
To speed up indexing, submit the sitemap address in Google Search Console.
robots.txt
On your partnerpage.io address and on your own subdomain, PartnerPage answers robots.txt at the root of the domain. It allows search engines in and points them to your sitemap.
When your directory sits under a path on your website through a reverse proxy, such as acme.com/partners, your website's own robots.txt applies. Add a line with your directory's sitemap address to it, for example Sitemap: https://acme.com/partners/sitemap.xml. See Use your own domain for your directory.
Canonical addresses
Every indexable page has a canonical tag that tells search engines its main address. The canonical address uses your own domain once you've set it up in Customizations > URLs, otherwise your partnerpage.io address. It leaves out search, filter and sort settings, and keeps only the page number on the directory page. Search engines then credit your own domain rather than a copy of the page.
Page titles, descriptions and share images
The following table shows what search engines and social networks show for each page. "Directory title" means the search title PartnerPage support set for your directory, or the directory's name if there isn't one.
Page | Title | Description | Share image |
Directory page | The directory title | The directory's search description, or "Discover" followed by your company name and "partners and apps." | The directory's share image, or your logo |
Partner profile | The partner's name, then the directory title | The partner's Headline | The partner's Logo |
Landing page | Its Page title, or its Title followed by the directory title | Its Meta description | The directory's share image, or your logo |
The same title, description and image go into the tags that LinkedIn, Slack and other apps read for link previews.
The directory's search title (up to 255 characters), search description (up to 300 characters) and share image are set by PartnerPage support. To change them, contact support with the text and image. You set a landing page's own title and description yourself: see Create landing pages.
Pages in other languages
When your directory shows other languages with a language code in the address, such as /fr/, each indexable page lists its versions in the other languages (hreflang tags), and the sitemap includes them. See Show your directory in other languages.
Partner profile addresses
A partner profile's address is your directory's address, then /partner/ (or the word your directory uses instead), then a short name made from the partner's name, for example https://partners.acme.com/partner/northwind-consulting. The address is made when the profile is created; renaming the partner later doesn't change it.
With URL override, available on request, your team or the partner can choose the end of the address in the Custom slug field of the URL override card on the profile, up to 60 characters of lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens. Two profiles can't share an address. Keep these effects in mind:
The old address stops working. A custom slug replaces the profile's address straight away, and the old address shows "Page not found". Update any links you've shared.
Clearing the field makes a new address from the partner's current name.
Switch indexing off
PartnerPage support controls the setting that lets search engines index your directory. When it's off, every page tells search engines not to index it, robots.txt blocks them, and the sitemap address shows "Page not found". Contact support if you want a directory kept out of search results, for example while you prepare it.
Common questions
Why isn't my directory showing on Google?
Search engines can take days or weeks to index a directory. Submit your sitemap in Google Search Console, check that your partners are Public, and ask PartnerPage support to confirm that indexing is on for your directory.
Can partners set their own meta description?
No. A profile's description for search engines is the partner's Headline, so a clear headline helps the profile in search results.
Is a subdomain or a reverse proxy better for search engines?
Both are indexed. A reverse proxy puts the directory under your main domain, such as acme.com/partners; a subdomain, such as partners.acme.com, is quicker to set up. Either way, the canonical tags point to the address you choose. See Use your own domain for your directory.
Why aren't filtered pages indexed?
A filtered, searched or sorted directory page shows the same partners as the main page in a different mix. Keeping those pages out of search results avoids duplicate pages competing with your main directory page.