Understanding the Constraint
When a client implements OTTO through Google Tag Manager (GTM) rather than the WordPress plugin, you typically do not have direct access to the server's robots.txt file or the site's CMS backend. This means standard approaches — editing robots.txt directly or adding meta tags through a CMS admin panel — may not be available to you.
This is a known configuration gap. Because the specific steps for resolving this depend on your site setup and what access your client can grant, the most reliable path is to work directly with our support team, who can guide you through the appropriate approach for your situation.
What to Have Ready Before Escalating
To get the fastest resolution, please have the following information available when you contact us:
- Your project name and the domain where OTTO is deployed
- Confirmation of how OTTO is implemented (e.g., via GTM, WordPress plugin, or another method)
- A description of what you are trying to achieve — for example, applying noindex to specific pages, blocking certain paths in robots.txt, or removing URLs from Google's index
- The specific pages or URL patterns you need to control
- What backend or CMS access you currently have (e.g., GTM container access, Google Search Console access, FTP/hosting access)
- Any error messages or unexpected crawl/index behavior you have observed, including timestamps if available
General Guidance
Depending on your level of access, common approaches for this type of issue include collaborating with your client to apply changes at the server or CMS level, using any GTM or Search Console access you do have, or requesting that your client implement specific directives on your behalf. Our support team can help you identify which option fits your situation and walk you through the correct steps.
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.