What does Google say about SEO?

Should you still redirect HTTP to HTTPS if it hasn't been done yet?

John Mueller Apr 23, 2021 ★★

Implementing HTTP to HTTPS redirects is still recommended even if it wasn't done initially. It's good practice for users. The visible SEO effect will likely be minimal if the site is already well-established, but HSTS should also be configured.

HTTPS & Security AI & SEO Pagination & Structure Redirects

Why does Google crawl your image URLs without extensions twice before indexing them?

John Mueller Apr 23, 2021 ★★

If Google cannot recognize that a URL points to an image (due to the absence of an extension), it will first attempt to crawl it for traditional web search, fail, and then potentially treat it as an image. Using image extensions helps Google process ...

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Images & Videos Domain Name

Can a single page site really rank on Google?

John Mueller Apr 23, 2021 ★★

A single page site can indeed appear in search results and rank well. Google recommends building a solid site and gradually expanding it rather than creating multiple disconnected one-page sites.

Domain Age & History

Does the number of pages in Search Console's Core Web Vitals reports fluctuate for no apparent reason?

John Mueller Apr 23, 2021 ★★

The aggregated Core Web Vitals reports in Search Console show a significant sample of pages that can vary over time. The total number of pages displayed might fluctuate even if performance remains unchanged. Focus should be on the identified errors r...

Domain Age & History AI & SEO Web Performance Search Console

Should you really disregard laboratory data to optimize your Core Web Vitals?

John Mueller Apr 23, 2021 ★★

Laboratory data is an approximation of what users might experience, but it can be inaccurate as it does not account for the real location and devices of users. Google recommends using field data as the absolute reference and laboratory data for gradu...

AI & SEO Local Search International SEO

Should you really avoid frequently updating your site to maintain your rankings?

John Mueller Apr 23, 2021 ★★★

Making frequent changes to a site does not automatically lower its ranking. Google evaluates whether the changes improve or degrade the site. Internal structural modifications (links) can have a visible effect. Simply adding keywords can be interpret...

Content AI & SEO Links & Backlinks Pagination & Structure Penalties & Spam

Does Google rewrite your title and meta description tags with every query?

John Mueller Apr 23, 2021 ★★★

Google may display different titles and descriptions based on the user's query. Titles are always used for ranking even if they are modified for display. Descriptions are not used for ranking, only for display. Avoiding keyword stuffing and clickbait...

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Penalties & Spam Local Search

How can canonicalization ruin your visibility on long-tail queries?

John Mueller Apr 23, 2021 ★★★

If variant pages (e.g., products with different capacities) are canonicalized to a master page, only the canonical page will be indexed and ranked. If specific terms (e.g., 'blue iPhone') only appear on the variants and not on the master page, Google...

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing E-commerce AI & SEO

Does the number of noindex pages really impact SEO rankings?

Google Apr 22, 2021 ★★★

The number of noindex tags on a site has no impact on rankings in search results. There are no limits or penalties related to the number of noindex pages.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing

Should you really remove all URL parameters from your pages?

Google Apr 22, 2021 ★★

It is recommended to minimize the use of unnecessary URL parameters and adopt a clear URL structure. Unused parameters should not remain in the URL to improve crawl management.

Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Domain Name Pagination & Structure

Should you really declare a canonical tag on all your pages?

Google Apr 22, 2021 ★★★

Even without any apparent issues, it is recommended to explicitly specify canonical tags to avoid Google selecting an incorrect URL as the canonical version.

Crawl & Indexing Domain Name

Is it really necessary to standardize final slashes in your URLs?

Google Apr 22, 2021 ★★

Google can choose different canonical versions (with or without final slash) if they are not explicitly specified. It is recommended to establish a consistent rule and indicate it through the canonical tag.

Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Domain Name Pagination & Structure

Can too many noindex pages really hurt your ranking?

Google Apr 22, 2021 ★★★

The number of pages with noindex on a site does not impact ranking in search results. There is no limit or penalty related to the number of noindex pages.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing

Does technical compliance really ensure good SEO?

Google Apr 22, 2021 ★★

Even if a practice is technically compliant, one must ask whether it is really useful for the user. If multiple identical sites appear, the user might confuse them with phishing and refrain from clicking.

Content AI & SEO

Does submitting an URL in Search Console really speed up indexing?

Google Apr 22, 2021 ★★★

The URL submission feature in Search Console is not designed to speed up indexing. It simply notifies Google of the URL but does not guarantee a rapid indexing.

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

Geographical Targeting vs Hreflang: Do You Really Need to Choose Between the Two?

Google Apr 22, 2021 ★★★

Geographical targeting in Search Console applies at the entire site level and only for Google. Hreflang works page by page, combines language and region, and is recognized by other search engines.

Domain Age & History Search Console International SEO

Do 404 Pages in Your Structure Really Kill Your Crawl Budget?

Google Apr 22, 2021 ★★

Having empty pages (404) in a directory structure does not directly affect crawlability. The important thing is to avoid errors in internal links pointing to these empty pages.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing Links & Backlinks Pagination & Structure

Should you really be worried about having multiple sites with similar content?

Google Apr 22, 2021 ★★★

Having multiple sites with similar content is not automatically viewed as spam. What is important is to adhere to webmaster guidelines. Sites should be assessed individually for guideline violations.

Content AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Penalties & Spam

How does redirecting from HTTPS to HTTP potentially derail your indexing?

Google Apr 22, 2021 ★★★

An incorrect redirect from HTTPS to HTTP (instead of HTTP to HTTPS) can prevent indexing problem resolution and slow down the implementation of fixes.

Crawl & Indexing HTTPS & Security Redirects

Is Google really struggling to differentiate between subdomains and main domains?

Google Apr 22, 2021 ★★

Google may have trouble distinguishing whether a subdomain is a separate site or part of the main domain. It's advisable to clarify the structure and use canonical tags if necessary to indicate the relationship between sites.

Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Domain Name Pagination & Structure