Google Not Obeying "Noindex" & Returning "Soft 404s"

[EarWig]

Our website uses Google Maps API to display a map of the client's office address based on their postcode.

Despite the map page having <meta name="robots" content="noindex" /> in the head of the document, Google Webmaster Tools show all as "Soft 404's".

Any idea how I can stop these pages returning "Soft 404s"?

Any help appreciated

[tedster]

Are visitors being sent to this page through a direct link, or via some kind of redirect?

[Robert Charlton]

Despite the map page having <meta name="robots" content="noindex" /> in the head of the document...

Do you happen to have the page ALSO disallowed by robots.txt?

[indyank]

Yes I am also noticing google indexing pages with <meta name="robots" content="noindex" /> in the head.Not sure whether this is a glitch right now....

@Robert the page is not disallwed by robot.txt.

[g1smd]

What about robots.txt?

[EarWig]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the feedback, direct link from page to new window with map.

Robots.txt not dissallowing

Cheers
Ray

[tedster]

This is becoming rather curious. Is the page's actual content being used for the description snippet and is the clickable title taken from the actual title element?

[EarWig]

Hi Tedster

As far as I can tell none of the pages are in the Google index but my Google Webmaster Tools shows as follows:
www.***-*****.**.**/*******.php?pcode=BS15BQ 404-like content Aug 15, 2010

There are currently 198 urls showing as "Soft 404s"
I am ging to be away for a few days so will check back when I return.
:)

Cheers
Ray

[indyank]

I meant robots.txt and it was a typo....

[EarWig]

I have returned

Any other thoughts on this and how I can sort
Cheers