How to Manage Indexes with your Account Manager

Folder Index Manager is a feature that allows you to customize how your website directories are displayed to visitors and search engines. Bluehost enables you to manage indexes through your Account Manager, which enhances your website's user experience, security, and SEO rankings.

This article will walk you through managing your indexes within your Account Manager.

• Understanding How Indexing Works
• Managing Indexes
• Best Practices for Directory Management
• Summary

Understanding How Indexing Works

When a site visitor pulls up a directory on your website, the server usually shows a list of files and subdirectories found within that directory. This feature is known as directory indexing. Learning how and where to manage indexes is important, as they can pose security risks and negatively impact your site's user experience if they are not managed properly.

Index Types

Indexing allows web admins to choose if directories without an index file show a list of files (indexing on) or give a "403 Forbidden" error (indexing off). It improves site security by blocking access to sensitive files or allowing users to see directory contents when needed.

The index types available in your Account Manager are as follows.

• Default System Setting: No indexing rules are applied to the folder. It will inherit the index settings of the parent folder. If the parent folder has no defined indexing preference, the default settings will apply.
• Fancy Indexing - Filename and description: A detailed directory listing with filenames, sizes, last modified date, and file icons.
• No Index - Hide folder contents: This option prevents the contents of a folder from displaying.
• Standard indexing - Filename only: The directory listing shows only the file names.

Managing Indexes

Already logged into your Account Manager? If you are already logged into your Account Manager, you can use the following link to manage your indexes:

• https://www.bluehost.com/my-account/hosting/details/indexes

Not yet logged into your Account Manager? If you have not logged in to your Account Manager yet, please follow these steps.

1. Log in to your Bluehost Account Manager.
2. Click Websites in the left menu.

   
    

   • If you have only one website, you will be redirected straight to its Overview panel.
   • If you have multiple websites, all of them will be listed. Click on Settings to access the website's Overview panel.

     
      

3. Navigate to the Files & Access tab and click MANAGE in the Folder Index Manager section.

   
    

4. On the Folder Index Manager page, you can take the following actions to manage your indexes.
    
   • Add a new index
   • Edit an index
   • Delete an index
      

   Add a New Index

   1. Click the ADD INDEX button.

      
       

   2. The Add Index pop-up window will appear. From the dropdown menus, select the Website and Directory you want to index.

      
       

   3. Select your Index type, and then click ADD.
       

   Edit an Index

   1. On the Folder Index Manager page, locate the directory you want to edit.
   2. Click the ellipsis icon on the right, and then select Edit.

      
       

   3. In the Edit Index pop-up window, update your Website, Directory, or preferred Index type, and then click SAVE.

      
       

   Delete an Index

   1. On the Folder Index Manager page, locate the directory you want to delete.
   2. Click the ellipsis icon on the right, and then select Delete Index.

      
       

   3. In the Delete Index pop-up, click the DELETE button to confirm the removal of the index.

      
       

Best Practices for Directory Management

Here are some best practices you may consider to optimize directory management.

• Review and adjust directory indexing settings regularly. This ensures sensitive directories are marked with "No Indexing" to prevent search engines from indexing them.
• Create a clear, logical directory structure to enhance SEO by making the website easier to navigate for both users and search engines.
• Consider using meaningful and descriptive directory names to help search engines better understand your content, boosting its visibility.

Summary

Folder Index Manager in Bluehost lets website owners control directory visibility, enhancing user experience, security, and SEO rankings by managing indexes. You can choose from various indexing options and manage them through the Folder Index Manager in the Account Manager. To optimize management, we recommend regularly reviewing index settings, maintaining a clear directory structure, and using descriptive names, ensuring a more secure and SEO-friendly website.