What does Google say about SEO?

Should you really update your backlinks after a domain migration?

John Mueller Feb 04, 2022 ★★★

During a domain migration, beyond redirects and the address change tool, you must contact important sites that had links to the old domain so they update their links. This prevents Google from continuing to favor the old domain because of external li...

Domain Age & History AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Links & Backlinks Domain Name Redirects

Should you really block pages with robots.txt if Google can index them without any content?

John Mueller Feb 04, 2022 ★★★

Pages blocked by robots.txt can be indexed without content because Google cannot crawl them. The rel canonical and noindex directives are ignored on these pages. These URLs generally do not appear in normal search results, only in specific site: sear...

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Domain Name

Does image alt text in a link carry the same SEO weight as visible anchor text?

John Mueller Feb 04, 2022 ★★

In a link containing both text and an image, Google treats the image's alt text essentially the same way as visible anchor text. They have equivalent value. The order does not matter. However, you must maintain visible text for accessibility and othe...

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Images & Videos Links & Backlinks

Does retouched product photography actually hurt your review rankings?

John Mueller Feb 04, 2022 ★★★

For product reviews, Google strongly recommends using unique, original photos created by your site — not retouched or artificial images found online. While systems don't automatically detect fake photos, manual verifications are carried out periodica...

Domain Age & History E-commerce Images & Videos Local Search

Is keyword stuffing really penalized by Google?

Gary Illyes Feb 03, 2022 ★★★

Keyword stuffing is clearly identified as spam and is not useful for users. Google can manually adjust the ranking of a site that practices this technique.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Penalties & Spam

Does Google really consider all hidden text as spam, or is it more nuanced than that?

Gary Illyes Feb 03, 2022 ★★★

White text on white background or any text intentionally hidden to manipulate search results is considered spam. The intention to manipulate is the determining criterion, not accidental technical error.

Content JavaScript & Technical SEO Penalties & Spam

Is randomly generated content really considered spam by Google's standards?

Gary Illyes Feb 03, 2022 ★★★

Pages containing gibberish, meaning random words without meaning, for the purpose of ranking on search queries to make money through affiliate links, constitute obvious spam practice.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Links & Backlinks Penalties & Spam

Have backlinks really become obsolete for SEO success?

Gary Illyes Feb 03, 2022 ★★★

It is possible to rank without links. Links remain a ranking factor among others, but are no longer considered a truly important element in the modern ranking algorithm.

Algorithms AI & SEO Links & Backlinks

Does valid HTML really matter for ranking higher on Google?

Martin Splitt Feb 03, 2022 ★★★

Using valid HTML according to specifications helps Google understand pages more reliably. However, Google also indexes pages with invalid HTML, even if this can lead to interpretation errors. It's a best practice, not a requirement.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO

Why does Google insist so much on real <a href> tags?

Martin Splitt Feb 03, 2022 ★★

Websites should use the HTML anchor tag with an href attribute pointing to an accessible URL, rather than buttons or spans with JavaScript event handlers to simulate links.

AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Links & Backlinks Domain Name

Should you really abandon CSS images in favor of HTML img tags for better SEO?

Martin Splitt Feb 03, 2022 ★★★

You must use HTML image tags rather than CSS background images. The alt attribute should be added for images that deliver meaningful content, not for decorative images. This improves accessibility and strengthens computer understanding of your conten...

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Images & Videos

Does Google really treat noindex as an absolute rule, or does it bend the rules for exceptional content?

Martin Splitt Feb 03, 2022 ★★★

Google strictly respects the noindex directive: if a page contains this tag, it will not be indexed, even if the content seems useful. This is a clear rule and not a recommendation.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO

Does Google really require HTTPS to index your website?

Martin Splitt Feb 03, 2022 ★★

Using HTTPS is a clear best practice and is recommended, but Google still indexes HTTP sites. It's a best practice, not a blocking requirement for indexation.

Crawl & Indexing HTTPS & Security AI & SEO

Is your website still using plugins to display content? Here's why Google says you need to stop immediately

Gary Illyes Feb 03, 2022 ★★

Browser plugins such as Flash should not be used to display content. With the evolution of the web and JavaScript APIs, plugins have become obsolete and are no longer supported.

Content JavaScript & Technical SEO PDF & Files

Does Google really trigger scroll or click events to crawl your hidden content?

Martin Splitt Feb 03, 2022 ★★★

Don't rely on scroll or click events to expand page content (such as scroll-based lazy loading), because Google may not trigger these events and could miss the content entirely.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Images & Videos Web Performance

Is image alt text really still essential when Google has computer vision to understand images?

Martin Splitt Feb 03, 2022 ★★

Google uses computer vision to analyze images, but the alt attribute remains important because it reinforces Google's confidence in interpreting visual content when both sources align.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Images & Videos

Are Google's SEO guidelines really reliable over time?

Gary Illyes Feb 03, 2022 ★★

Google's guidelines are not set in stone and constantly evolve to adapt to the evolution of the web and user needs. What is recommended today can change tomorrow.

AI & SEO

Does Google really notify all manual actions through Search Console?

John Mueller Feb 01, 2022 ★★★

When Google needs to apply a manual action against a site, the team informs the owner via Google Search Console, giving them the opportunity to fix the problem and submit a reconsideration request.

AI & SEO Penalties & Spam Search Console

How can you lift a Google manual penalty without wasting months of your time?

John Mueller Feb 01, 2022 ★★★

After correcting the issues that led to a manual action, webmasters can submit a reconsideration request. Google then verifies that everything has been fixed and can cancel the manual action.

Penalties & Spam

Does Google really tolerate unintentional SEO errors?

John Mueller Feb 01, 2022 ★★

Google recognizes that nobody is perfect and it's easy to fall into bad SEO practices, whether due to misinformation found online or well-intentioned but incorrect advice.

AI & SEO