Noindex the thin pages or delete them outright?

Noindex the thin pages or delete them outright?
Q: Pruning a bloated site. Should weak pages get noindex or the axe?

A: Short answer: noindex first, delete later — only if you're unsure.

Longer answer: deletion is permanent and you lose any internal links and the URL forever. Noindex is reversible: you keep the page live for users, pull it from the index, and watch what happens over 60-90 days. If a noindexed page still pulls referral clicks or sits in a useful cluster, keep it for humans. If nothing misses it, then delete and 410.

The trap: noindex with 'nofollow' kills internal link flow through the page. Use 'noindex, follow' so equity still passes through your links while the page itself leaves search.

Anyone want me to go deeper on this? React 👍