What does Google say about SEO?

Does using display:none really affect your SEO?

John Mueller Oct 01, 2021 ★★

Using display:none in CSS on internal links in the footer is not a best practice, but the Webspam team will not take manual action against it. This is different from hidden purchased links, which would be problematic.

AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Links & Backlinks Penalties & Spam

Why Does Googlebot Ignore 'See More' Buttons in JavaScript?

John Mueller Oct 01, 2021 ★★★

Googlebot does not use 'See More' buttons in JavaScript. Content dynamically loaded through these buttons will not be indexed. Google recommends using traditional pagination instead of this type of button.

Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Pagination & Structure

Should you worry about Google's spam updates affecting your technical issues?

John Mueller Oct 01, 2021 ★★

Google's spam updates are focused on truly spammy content or spammy links, rather than technical issues like light keyword stuffing. If a site experiences a drop during a spam update after a redesign, it is likely due to other on-site configuration f...

Content AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Links & Backlinks Penalties & Spam Redirects

Why does Google prioritize static content for the ranking of interactive pages?

John Mueller Oct 01, 2021 ★★★

For interactive content such as quizzes or surveys, the ranking is based on the static content that appears on the page. Googlebot does not attempt to fill out forms to discover content.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO

Do links to authoritative sites really boost your SEO?

John Mueller Oct 01, 2021 ★★

Adding dofollow links to authoritative sites (like Wikipedia or CNN) does nothing from an SEO perspective. It was an outdated spam technique that probably never worked.

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

Should you really avoid mixing multiple languages on the same SEO page?

John Mueller Oct 01, 2021 ★★★

Google does not recommend having multiple languages on the same page, as it makes it difficult to identify the primary language. It is better to create separate pages clearly in one language only.

Domain Age & History AI & SEO International SEO

Can a sitemap really stop Google from crawling all your pages?

John Mueller Oct 01, 2021 ★★

Removing pages from the sitemap file only aids in additional crawling, but it does not prevent Google from crawling those pages and does not remove them from the index. The sitemap does not stop natural crawling or indexing.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO PDF & Files Search Console

Why is noindexing empty internal search pages essential for SEO?

John Mueller Oct 01, 2021 ★★★

For empty internal search result pages, Google's preference is to recognize them, ideally through a noindex tag. Sending users to empty pages via Google would be a poor user experience.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO

Is it true that having more pages leads to better indexing?

John Mueller Oct 01, 2021 ★★★

Just because a site has many pages doesn’t mean Google will crawl and index them all. If Google isn’t convinced by the quality of the initial pages, its systems won’t take the time to index millions of additional pages.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO

Why is Google redefining your page titles?

Google Sep 30, 2021 ★★★

Google changed its title generation algorithm in August 2021. Now, each page has a unique and fixed title, rather than a variable title based on the query. In 87% of cases, Google uses the title tag. Titles may be rewritten if they are too long, stuf...

Algorithms Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO

How can you optimize your title tags without forcing keywords?

Google Sep 30, 2021 ★★★

For title tags, prioritize natural and descriptive content for users rather than optimizing solely for Google. Place keywords naturally without forcing their position. The left/right positioning is not officially important for Google. Algorithms are ...

Algorithms Content

Should You Choose Meta Refresh or JavaScript for Your SEO Redirections?

Gary Illyes Sep 30, 2021 ★★

For redirections, it is preferable to use server-side redirections or meta refresh rather than JavaScript. The meta refresh is recommended as it does not require rendering and is supported by most browsers, although it is not W3C standard.

JavaScript & Technical SEO Redirects

Does it really take a year for PageRank to fully transfer after a 301 redirect?

Google Sep 30, 2021 ★★★

After about one year of a 301 redirect, the transfer of signals (PageRank) to the new URL is complete. You can then remove the redirect. This duration is indicative (it could be faster), but one year ensures that the migration is finished. Google wil...

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

Why does Google keep crawling old URLs even after a redirect?

Google Sep 30, 2021 ★★

Even after 1 year of redirection and complete transfer of signals, Googlebot continues to request the old URL. This is normal: Google periodically checks for new content or whether the redirect is still active. This crawl is independent of the PageRa...

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing Links & Backlinks Domain Name Redirects

Does hidden CSS content on mobile really impact your SEO?

Google Sep 30, 2021 ★★

In Mobile-First Indexing, hidden CSS content (display:none) on mobile is indexed and evaluated. For structured data like hidden breadcrumbs on mobile, this isn’t technically a violation, although following the guidelines is recommended. No known manu...

Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Mobile SEO Penalties & Spam

How can you effectively index content in JavaScript popups?

Google Sep 30, 2021 ★★

For content displayed via JavaScript popups without a dedicated URL, indexing is difficult. Google recommends that each page be accessible through a link with a unique URL (according to general guidelines). Solution: create a dedicated page with a UR...

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Links & Backlinks Domain Name

Is it true that Google migrates sites to mobile-first indexing in massive waves?

Google Sep 30, 2021 ★★

The MFI migration occurs in batches of several million sites at a time, not site by site. If your site hasn't been migrated yet while being technically ready, that's normal. Just wait for your turn; no further action is required if the prerequisites ...

Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Mobile SEO Redirects

Do Core Web Vitals Really Boost Your SEO?

Google Sep 30, 2021 ★★★

Core Web Vitals are not a signal that enhances ranking if you excel; rather, they act as a penalty signal when there are issues. Having a perfect score does not increase traffic. The CWV are designed to identify poor performance, not to reward good p...

AI & SEO Web Performance Search Console

What are the reasons your content isn’t being properly indexed by Google?

Google Sep 30, 2021 ★★★

The majority of reported non-indexing cases are due to: 1) Google not considering the content important/enough priority, 2) Temporary crawl errors, 3) Manual actions (like active removal requests). Rarely a technical bug from Google. Verify these poi...

Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO

Why does prioritizing quality content matter more than keyword positioning for your SEO?

Google Sep 30, 2021 ★★★

Optimizing based on algorithmic trends (such as keyword positioning) makes your site susceptible to algorithm changes. Focus on quality content that centers on the user. Good content withstands updates better than over-technical optimization.

Algorithms Content