Google Says JavaScript Verification Still The Way To Go For Sensitive Pages

Back in 2008 Google’s Susan Moskwa said that when it comes to showing content to search engines but not all users because of either age verification detection or other requirements, often JavaScript verification is the way to go. The same is true today, according to John Mueller of Google.

The question was around a massage service company that is not allowed to offer a specific type of massage in some cities and locations. They do not want Google to show that page for that specific massage service when a searcher is in that location. The issue is, you really can’t noindex the page because other locations allow the service. But you don’t want a searcher in a specific set of cities see that page.

So what do you do? JavaScript banner verification, where it may try to automatically determine your location and say you are not allowed to see this page. Or it asks you for your age or location and then says if you can see it or not.

Here is the question:

@JohnMu probably going to be a no, but its putting folks in danger / unpleasent situations – a site is ranking for tantric massages in a certain city, a service they don’t offer, can this be some sort of synonym match ?

— Gerry White SEO geek (@dergal) September 8, 2021

John Mueller of Google replied that “there’s no way to suppress ranking for individual queries or in individual locations – you can noindex the pages, but that takes them out everywhere. For things like this you might show a JS banner depending on what you recognize, but city-level recognition is usually flakey.”

There’s no way to suppress ranking for individual queries or in individual locations – you can noindex the pages, but that takes them out everywhere. For things like this you might show a JS banner depending on what you recognize, but city-level recognition is usually flakey.

— ???? John ???? (@JohnMu) September 8, 2021

This comes up with alcohol, drugs, adult themes and I guess with some massages.

Forum discussion at Twitter.