Published on 2025-08-07T06:18:08Z

omgili bot

The omgili bot is a specialized web crawler operated by Webz.io. Its primary focus is on discovering and indexing content from discussion forums, message boards, and other user-generated content platforms. Unlike traditional search engines, Omgili aims to make online conversations searchable. The data it collects is also licensed to third parties for purposes that may include AI model training.

What is the omgili bot?

The omgili bot is a web crawler from Webz.io that functions as a specialized search engine for online discussions. It is designed to index content from forums, message boards, and Q&A platforms, treating them as structured conversations rather than simple web pages. The bot identifies itself in server logs with a user-agent string like omgili/0.5 +http://omgili.com. Its sophisticated algorithm analyzes the structure of conversations to extract more meaningful data from user-generated content.

Why is the omgili bot crawling my site?

The omgili bot is crawling your site because it contains discussion forums, comment sections, or other forms of user-generated content that are valuable for its index. The crawler is specifically looking for conversational content, and it only crawls pages that are publicly accessible to guest users. The frequency of its visits is determined by how active your forums are and how valuable your content is considered by its algorithms. Sites with high-quality, regularly updated discussions will be crawled more often.

What is the purpose of the omgili bot?

The purpose of the omgili bot is to power a specialized search engine for online discussions, helping users find answers to questions that have already been asked and answered in forums across the web. The data it collects is also licensed to Webz.io's clients, which may include companies using the data to train AI models. For forum owners, the bot can provide value by driving traffic to their discussions. It can also be integrated into a forum's own site search to provide more advanced search capabilities.

How do I block the omgili bot?

To prevent the omgili bot from accessing your website, you can add a disallow rule for it in your robots.txt file. This is the standard method for managing access for web crawlers.

Add the following lines to your robots.txt file to block the omgili bot:

User-agent: omgili
Disallow: /

User-agent: omgilibot
Disallow: /

How to verify the authenticity of the user-agent operated by Webz.io?

Reverse IP lookup technique

To verify user-agent authenticity, you can use host linux command two times with the IP address of the requester.
  1. > host IPAddressOfRequest
    This command returns the reverse lookup hostname (e.g., 4.4.8.8.in-addr.arpa.). 
  2. > host ReverseDNSFromTheOutputOfFirstRequest
If the output matches the original IP address and the domain is associated with a trusted operator (e.g., Webz.io), the user-agent can be considered legitimate.

IP list lookup technique

Some operators provide a public list of IP addresses used by their crawlers. This list can be cross-referenced to verify a user-agent's authenticity. However, both operators and website owners may find it challenging to maintain an up-to-date list, so use this method with caution and in conjunction with other verification techniques.