deleteing joomla categories from google index

Question

In my site google seems to index categories although I never specifically link to a category - how is that possible such that I can stop it?

This link was never created by me: http://www.website.com/50-categoryname and I want it gone from google for good please.

Thanks,

Mat

Answer 1

Even though you think you have never linked the category most likely you have such as by having the category name display in a list or part of a module. Go to configuration fr all your content types and make sure that display/link category and parent category is turned to off and check all modules. Also make sure you don't have any categories links and that you aren't using a sitemap that generates these links automatically (linking to all the top level categories and letting the map build through all of the child categories is the quickest way to generate a site map).

Answer 2

You should hide these links from search engines. You can do it in your robots.txt file like this:

Disallow: /50-categoryname

Also take a look at Joomla's Redirect Manager - may it will help you to redirect incorrect links to needed pages.