Four weeks ago, I rolled the dice on my Texas gun show listings site. Old event pages were choking search results, serving up outdated content and frustrating users. My fix? A white-hat SEO trick called the unavailable_after meta tag to deindex those pages after they expired. The result was a wild ride: a 70% traffic plunge, followed by a near-full recovery over four weeks as my upcoming events (re)took over the SERPs. Is this the SEO hack you’ve been missing? Here’s how I did it, why it might be working, and how you can test it.
What’s the unavailable_after Hack?
The unavailable_after meta tag is my secret weapon for keeping search results fresh on my Texas gun show listings site. It tells search engines to drop a page from their results after a set date, perfect for time-sensitive content like event listings. I use it on my weekly overview pages (covering all shows for a specific week) and individual show pages, setting it to expire a day or two after the events end, like this:
<meta name="robots" content="unavailable_after: 2025-08-10 00:00:00">
My current week’s overview page stays tag-free, so it’s always live and updated with the latest shows. Past weekly pages and individual events get deindexed after they’re done, clearing the SERPs for what’s next.
Learn more about unavailable_after from Google: Robots meta tag, data-nosnippet, and X-Robots-Tag specifications
Why Deindexing Could Be a Game-Changer
Deindexing pages sounds like a bold move—fewer indexed pages could mean less traffic. But for time-sensitive content, it’s looking like a hidden gem. Here’s why I’m buzzing about the results:
- Spot-On Search Results: Old event pages were confusing users searching for upcoming shows. Deindexing them likely ensures only fresh events rank, matching what users want.
- Better User Experience: Relevant pages keep visitors engaged, possibly cutting bounce rates and signaling quality to search engines. Could this lift my rankings?
- Fresh Content Shines: The 70% traffic drop stung, but over four weeks, I clawed back most of it as my new event pages climbed the SERPs.
- Stronger Site Value: Clearing out stale content might be telling search engines my site’s fresh and focused, a white-hat win.
How I Made unavailable_after Work For Me
Here’s how I’m testing this hack:
- Smart Expiration Dates: I set the tag to expire a day or two after each event or weekly page, keeping them live while they’re relevant.
- Tracking the Data: Analytics showed the traffic dip and gradual four-week recovery, proving my new pages were gaining traction.
- SEO Power-Ups: I use event structured data (Schema.org), clear details (like “Dallas, TX”), and a homepage “Upcoming Events” hub to boost my fresh content.
- Extra Reach: Social media and newsletters push my upcoming events, amplifying the tag’s impact.
If you're running Joomla, you can easily apply this to individual content items and menu items using my free System - Meta Robots plugin.
The Risk and the Payoff
That initial traffic drop was a gut-check, but the four-week recovery has me intrigued. For users hitting deindexed pages via old links, I redirect them to my upcoming events to keep them hooked. It’s a small trade-off for potentially cleaner SERPs and happier visitors.
Should You Test This Hack?
Four weeks in, this unavailable_after experiment is showing promise. It’s tidied up my SERPs, likely improved user experience, and put my upcoming gun shows in the spotlight. If your site deals with events, sales, or seasonal content, this could be your next big SEO play. Try it, track the results, and see if you can turn a traffic hit into a relevance win. I’m betting this hack’s got potential—will you give it a shot?
