What does Google say about SEO?

Are Core Web Vitals Really a Ranking Factor in Google?

Martin Splitt Jun 26, 2025 ★★★

Core Web Vitals are useful for monitoring performance and detecting issues, but they don't directly correspond to SEO rankings. Improving a score from 85 to 87 doesn't guarantee better positioning.

AI & SEO Web Performance Search Console

Is your JavaScript content actually being indexed by Google, or is it invisible to Googlebot?

Martin Splitt Jun 26, 2025 ★★★

To verify if JavaScript is working correctly for SEO, use the URL inspection tool in Search Console or the rich results test. If important content appears in the rendered HTML, it will be indexed.

Content Crawl & Indexing JavaScript & Technical SEO Domain Name Search Console

Why does Google's Indexing API remain locked down to only two content types?

John Mueller Jun 26, 2025 ★★★

Google's Indexing API functions exclusively for job postings and live video broadcasts. It does not work for blogs, homepage content, e-commerce sites, or any other standard content type.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing E-commerce JavaScript & Technical SEO

Is your WordPress theme silently destroying your SEO without you knowing it?

John Mueller Jun 26, 2025 ★★★

Choosing a WordPress theme or CMS can affect SEO because it determines how your content is converted into HTML. A theme can generate semantic HTML with appropriate tags or produce a structure that's difficult for search engines to understand.

Content Pagination & Structure

Does Google really give Angular special treatment in search rankings?

John Mueller Jun 26, 2025 ★★

The fact that Angular is developed by Google provides no ranking advantage. No Google technology (Angular, Analytics, Ads) receives preferential treatment in search results.

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

Are you really leaving all those Google scripts slowing down your site?

John Mueller Jun 26, 2025 ★★

Integrating every possible Google JavaScript snippet on a site can make it extremely slow and cause rendering issues, which can have negative effects on SEO.

JavaScript & Technical SEO Web Performance Search Console

Does semantic HTML structure really matter for Google's content understanding?

Martin Splitt Jun 26, 2025 ★★★

Using appropriate semantic HTML tags such as headings, sections and articles makes it easier for Google to understand content, compared to a succession of divs without structural meaning.

Content Discover & News AI & SEO Pagination & Structure

Should you markup your loyalty program to unlock rich results in Google Search?

Google Jun 26, 2025 ★★★

Google now supports loyalty program markup (Loyalty Program) in structured data. By adding this markup to Organization and Product schemas, search results can display loyalty program benefits and rewards information for products.

Domain Age & History E-commerce AI & SEO Images & Videos Pagination & Structure Web Performance Local Search

Why is Google discontinuing 7 structured data types, and what should you do about it now?

Google Jun 26, 2025 ★★★

Google is gradually ending support for 7 types of structured data: Book Actions, Course, Claim Review, Estimate Summary, Learning Video, Special Announcement, and Recipe Testing. These formats are underutilized and provide little added value to users...

AI & SEO Images & Videos

Why is Google refusing to commit to a clear future roadmap for AI Overviews?

Google Jun 26, 2025 ★★

Regarding AI Overviews and AI Mode, Google cannot provide clear answers about their future evolution because these are still new features. Google avoids sharing uncertain information that could create additional challenges.

AI & SEO

Why doesn't Google index all your pages and how can you prepare for it?

Google Jun 26, 2025 ★★★

Google does not index all pages of a website. System decisions can change over time, and it is normal for previously indexed pages to lose their indexation. This is a common phenomenon.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing

Can you really stop Google from ranking your site for specific keywords?

Google Jun 26, 2025 ★★

There is no search option that allows you to prevent a site from appearing for specific queries. Google recommends conducting thorough market analysis and thinking through branding strategy before launching an activity.

AI & SEO

Is page quality alone enough to guarantee indexing by Google?

Google Jun 26, 2025 ★★★

Indexing does not depend solely on page quality. You must consider the overall added value for the web. Even if a page is good, it may not be indexed if there are many similar pages, for example automatic translations or URLs with parameters.

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

How long does Google really take to recognize your SEO changes?

Google Jun 26, 2025 ★★

Google's systems need time to recognize and understand the changes made to a site. You need to keep this in mind to stay calm in your future actions.

AI & SEO

How does Google actually discover all the URLs on your website?

Google Jun 26, 2025 ★★

Google discovers URLs through various methods: internal links, external links, and sitemaps. There is no need to worry about spam or technical URLs that Google crawls, especially if they redirect to 404 pages.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Links & Backlinks Domain Name Penalties & Spam Search Console

Does counting the exact number of URLs on your site really matter for SEO?

Google Jun 26, 2025 ★★

For large websites, counting the exact number of pages is extremely difficult. URL parameters technically create different page variations. Google recommends not worrying too much about the precise number of URLs.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Domain Name

Do you really need to submit your sitemap every single day?

Google Jun 26, 2025 ★★

Sending a sitemap daily is not mandatory. However, automation can help avoid human errors such as forgotten updates by other teams. If there is no particular reason to reduce the frequency, daily submission is acceptable.

Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Pagination & Structure Search Console

Should you keep maintaining structured data if Google stops displaying certain types?

Google Jun 26, 2025 ★★★

Discontinuing support for certain types of structured data does not affect how pages are ranked in search results. Only the specific visual features linked to these markups will no longer be displayed.

Domain Age & History AI & SEO Images & Videos Local Search

Do You Really Need to Know How to Code to Become a Great SEO in 2024?

Gary Illyes Jun 24, 2025 ★★★

In the latest episode of the Search Off the Record podcast, Google's Martin Splitt and Gary Illyes addressed the question of the technical level required to work as an SEO professional. Their message is clear: you don't need to know how to code to be...

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing HTTPS & Security AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Domain Name Redirects International SEO

Why Are Your Google Impressions Skyrocketing While Clicks Remain Flat?

Martin Splitt Jun 24, 2025 ★★

A new term is stirring up the SEO sphere: "The Great Decoupling," introduced by Darwin Santos and now widely referenced in conferences and publications. It describes an increasingly visible phenomenon since the introduction of AI Overviews in Google ...

Domain Age & History Content E-commerce AI & SEO