What is SeznamBot?

SeznamBot is a web crawler operated by Seznam.cz, the leading search engine in the Czech Republic. This bot systematically browses the web to discover and index content for Seznam's search engine results. First deployed around 2009, SeznamBot functions as a traditional indexing crawler that analyzes webpage content, follows links, and helps maintain an up-to-date search index.

The bot identifies itself in server logs with user-agent strings like Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; SeznamBot/3.2; +http://napoveda.seznam.cz/en/seznambot-intro/) or older versions such as SeznamBot/2.0. Each user-agent string includes a link to the bot's documentation page, following responsible bot operation practices. SeznamBot typically operates from IP addresses associated with Seznam.cz's infrastructure, with the primary crawling server identified as "fulltextrobot.seznam.cz".

SeznamBot behaves like other major search engine crawlers, following links, analyzing content, and respecting standard crawling directives like robots.txt. It helps Seznam.cz maintain its competitive position in the Czech search market by ensuring its index contains fresh, relevant content.

Why is SeznamBot crawling my site?

SeznamBot is crawling your site to discover, analyze, and index your content for inclusion in Seznam.cz's search results. If your website is being visited by SeznamBot, it means your content is being considered for inclusion in Seznam's search index, which could bring traffic from users in the Czech Republic and surrounding regions where Seznam has market presence.

The frequency of SeznamBot visits depends on your site's popularity, content update frequency, and relevance to Seznam's user base. Sites with Czech-language content or that target audiences in Central Europe may see more frequent crawling. The bot is triggered to visit based on factors like the discovery of new links pointing to your site, content updates, or routine re-crawling schedules.

SeznamBot's crawling is a standard, authorized activity for search engines. Its purpose is legitimate and beneficial for both Seznam's search quality and potentially for your site's visibility in their search results.

What is the purpose of SeznamBot?

SeznamBot serves Seznam.cz's search engine by collecting and indexing web content. The data gathered helps Seznam provide relevant search results to its users, primarily in the Czech Republic where Seznam maintains significant market share against Google.

The crawler analyzes webpage content, extracts key information, and helps Seznam understand what topics your site covers. This information powers Seznam's search algorithms, allowing them to match user queries with the most relevant web pages.

For website owners, having content crawled by SeznamBot can provide value through increased visibility in Seznam's search results. This can be particularly valuable for businesses targeting Czech-speaking audiences or operating in Central European markets where Seznam has a strong presence.

The bot operates similarly to other major search engine crawlers, focusing on content discovery and analysis rather than personal data collection.

How do I block SeznamBot?

SeznamBot respects the robots.txt protocol, making it straightforward to control its access to your site. To completely block SeznamBot from crawling your entire website, add the following to your robots.txt file:

User-agent: SeznamBot
Disallow: /

If you only want to block specific sections or pages, you can use more targeted directives:

User-agent: SeznamBot
Disallow: /private-directory/
Disallow: /members-only/
Allow: /

Seznam.cz recommends using robots.txt as the primary method for controlling their crawler. Blocking SeznamBot will prevent your content from appearing in Seznam's search results, which might reduce visibility to Czech users and others who use Seznam as their primary search engine.

For most websites, allowing SeznamBot to crawl public content is beneficial, especially if you're interested in visibility in Central European markets. If you're concerned about crawler load on your servers, you might consider using more specific robots.txt directives that allow crawling but at a controlled pace rather than blocking the bot entirely.

SeznamBot