What does Google say about SEO?

Does the text/code ratio really influence SEO rankings?

John Mueller Jul 19, 2021 ★★★

Google does not use the text/code ratio as a ranking factor. Only page loading speed and Core Web Vitals should be monitored.

Domain Age & History Content Web Performance

Is it true that Google allows affiliate links for SEO benefits?

John Mueller Jul 13, 2021 ★★★

Affiliate links are acceptable and can be used to monetize a website. Google has no objection to their use as long as they are properly disclosed.

AI & SEO Links & Backlinks Pagination & Structure

Why is unique content essential for affiliate sites?

John Mueller Jul 13, 2021 ★★★

A site using affiliate links must provide its own unique content and offer value. It shouldn't just republish generic or low-quality descriptions.

Content AI & SEO Links & Backlinks

Should you really disclose all affiliate links for SEO benefits?

John Mueller Jul 13, 2021 ★★★

Affiliate links must be disclosed to both users and search engines. This is a fundamental requirement by Google.

AI & SEO Links & Backlinks

Should you really use rel='nofollow' for your affiliate links?

John Mueller Jul 13, 2021 ★★★

For search engines, affiliate links should use the rel='nofollow' or rel='sponsored' attribute to indicate that it's a paid link.

AI & SEO Links & Backlinks

Should you really be hiding your affiliate links for SEO?

John Mueller Jul 13, 2021 ★★★

There's no need to hide or obscure affiliate links for search engines. You shouldn't use complex JavaScript, automatic click management, or cloaking to conceal these links.

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

How can you enhance your affiliate product reviews using structured data?

John Mueller Jul 13, 2021 ★★

When affiliate links are used in the context of product reviews, it is recommended to consult Google's documentation to check if appropriate structured data can be implemented.

Content E-commerce AI & SEO Links & Backlinks PDF & Files Local Search

Why is it crucial to declare affiliate links correctly for SEO?

John Mueller Jul 13, 2021 ★★

The best practice is to create links normally and declare them with the appropriate attributes so that they are processed correctly by Google.

AI & SEO Links & Backlinks

Should you add nofollow attributes to affiliate links in JavaScript?

John Mueller Jul 13, 2021 ★★★

If affiliate links are added via JavaScript, appropriate attributes (nofollow or sponsored) must also be included in the JavaScript code.

AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Links & Backlinks

Should You Limit the Number of Internal Links on Each Page to Improve SEO?

John Mueller Jul 12, 2021 ★★★

John Mueller explained during a webmaster hangout that having too many internal links within each page of a site is detrimental. For example, having every page link to all others erases the notion of site structure, a concept that Google can no longe...

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Links & Backlinks Pagination & Structure

Can You Use Multiple Structured Data Tags on a Single Page Without Being Penalized?

John Mueller Jul 12, 2021 ★★★

John Mueller also explained in the same webmaster hangout that in itself, using multiple structured data tags on the same page is not a problem, but it must be done with logic and discernment: if you use an FAQ tag, is the page an FAQ page or is the ...

Domain Age & History Content Structured Data Featured Snippets & SERP AI & SEO Local Search

Is it true that a website redesign won't automatically penalize you in Google's eyes?

John Mueller Jul 09, 2021 ★★★

There is no system at Google that automatically penalizes a site after a redesign. If multiple sites lose traffic following a revamp, it is related to the redesign method used, not an action by Google against redesigns in general.

Redirects

What essential elements should you keep during a website redesign to protect your SEO?

John Mueller Jul 09, 2021 ★★★

During a redesign, it is important to keep as many elements as possible: the same URLs, internal linking, content, and layout. If these elements change without redirects, Google treats the site as new and starts indexing from scratch.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Domain Name Pagination & Structure Redirects

How Does Changing Your Site Structure Impact SEO Perception?

John Mueller Jul 09, 2021 ★★

Altering a site's structure impacts how Google views it. This can have either a positive or negative effect based on the specific site. The same change may enhance one site but not another.

AI & SEO Pagination & Structure

Does moving content around on a page truly affect SEO?

John Mueller Jul 09, 2021 ★★

Shifting a paragraph from one position to another on a page generally has no impact. However, relocating highly visible content (like a title) to a secondary area (such as the footer) may signal to Google that this content is less important.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO

Does changing your site's images really leave your SEO untouched?

John Mueller Jul 09, 2021 ★★

For normal web search, altering images on a site has no impact. However, for Google Images, changing images will affect SEO if the site receives traffic from that source.

Domain Age & History Images & Videos

Could link exchanging really sabotage your SEO strategy?

John Mueller Jul 09, 2021 ★★★

Link exchanges like 'you link to me, I link to you' are against Google’s guidelines. Algorithms strive to ignore these links, and the webspam team may impose a manual action if they constitute the majority of a site's backlinks.

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

Is it true that thematic link exchanges are a problem for SEO?

John Mueller Jul 09, 2021 ★★★

Thematic relevance changes nothing: if a link exchange is systematic, it’s problematic. Google considers these to be non-natural links since they only exist within the framework of an agreement between sites.

Links & Backlinks

Should you always be transparent about content promotion?

John Mueller Jul 09, 2021 ★★★

It is acceptable to reach out to sites to promote your content. However, demanding a return link, requesting payment, or suggesting an exchange makes the link unnatural according to Google.

Content AI & SEO Links & Backlinks Pagination & Structure

Why Do Featured Snippets Change So Much Based on Location?

John Mueller Jul 09, 2021 ★★

Featured snippets are essentially excerpts from search results, and the results vary depending on the countries and locations. These variations are normal and can even occur within the same country or at different times.

Content Featured Snippets & SERP AI & SEO Local Search International SEO