What does Google say about SEO?

Do 301 redirects really transfer all ranking signals without any loss?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

With a 301 redirect, Google groups the old and new URLs together and transfers all signals (links, etc.) to the canonical URL (usually the destination). It's also necessary to update internal and external links to point to the new URL for Google to s...

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing Links & Backlinks Domain Name Local Search Redirects

Is the text/HTML ratio really useless for SEO?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

Google does not consider text/HTML ratio for SEO. It is not a ranking factor. It can play a minor role for speed, or in extreme cases of huge pages (hundreds of MB) exceeding download limits, but this is very rare.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Web Performance

Core Web Vitals: Why Do Only Real User Data Matter for Ranking?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

For the Core Web Vitals ranking signal, Google uses real user data (field data) from actual users, not lab data. Lab testing tools are helpful for identifying issues and testing fixes, but only real user data counts for ranking.

AI & SEO Web Performance

Does variable content on e-commerce pages harm SEO?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

For e-commerce pages with products that change regularly (inventory addition/removal), it's completely normal and acceptable. Google recognizes the specific content for this topic on this page and will try to direct queries to the page that correspon...

Domain Age & History Content E-commerce AI & SEO Pagination & Structure

Is it true that Google penalizes category pages lacking strict thematic consistency?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

If a category page displays random products without cohesion (e.g., a 'blue' category featuring mixed socks and jackets), Google will struggle to recognize the page as a landing page. All products need to align with the search intent (e.g., 'blue jac...

Domain Age & History E-commerce Local Search International SEO

Is machine learning for images truly a secondary SEO factor?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★

While Google uses machine learning to understand the content of images, it is more of an auxiliary factor than a primary one. Determining the relevance of an image solely based on its content is challenging (e.g., a photo of a beach for hotel search)...

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Images & Videos

Does Google really impose page-by-page granular penalties instead of site-wide ones?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

Google does not have different levels of demotion at the site level (either everything gets demoted or nothing). The approach is as granular as possible, page by page. There is a smooth transition rather than fixed categories. Trust is not binary but...

Domain Age & History AI & SEO

Why does Google omit certain unique sites in its results?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★

Two different sites with unique content, even on the same topic (e.g., two astrology sites), should be ranked individually. If Google treats them as identical and omits one, it's potentially a problem to report through help forums.

Content AI & SEO

Does Google really track Core Web Vitals for AMP and non-AMP pages separately?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

Google tracks CWV data for both AMP and non-AMP versions separately based on actual user data. If users go directly to the non-AMP URLs and use Search to access the AMP URLs, both versions will have distinct data in Search Console.

AI & SEO Mobile SEO Domain Name Web Performance Search Console

Core Web Vitals: Which version truly impacts your ranking when Google shows the AMP?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

When Google has data for both AMP and non-AMP versions and displays the AMP version in the results, it is the data from the AMP version that is used for ranking. This principle also applies to international sites with different URLs by country.

Mobile SEO Domain Name Web Performance Local Search

Should you choose an exact match title or a user-optimized title?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★

There is no definitive answer as to whether an exact match title or a user-optimized title ranks better. Google understands synonyms and context. It's essential to test both approaches to see which attracts the most clicks and aligns better with user...

Content

Are intrusive interstitials really a negative ranking factor?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

Intrusive interstitials that prevent users from interacting with the page content are considered a negative ranking factor. If the page takes a moment and then displays the full content, it is not an interstitial in the SEO sense.

Domain Age & History Content Local Search

Should you really use rel=canonical for syndicated content?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

For syndicated content, Google recommends using rel=canonical to point to the original source. If that's not possible, Google will try to recognize the syndicated content and rank the original source. The site hosting the syndicated content will typi...

Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO

Should you create related content to boost your topical authority?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

Creating content on topics related to your main field (e.g., laptop reviews if you sell laptops) helps build a reputation for knowledge in this area for both Google and users. This strengthens trust and allows Google to show the site for broad querie...

Content AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Domain Name Local Search

Why can manual link actions take several months to get a response?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★

Manual link actions can take several months to be reviewed. Resubmitting a reconsideration request does not have negative effects, but duplicates are ignored. If it takes a long time, consult the help forums to verify that everything has been done co...

AI & SEO Links & Backlinks

Is it true that your PageSpeed Insights tests don't accurately reflect what Google really measures regarding Core Web Vitals?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

For ranking with Core Web Vitals, Google uses what real users see (field data), not the renders from Googlebot or PageSpeed Insights. Lab tools (controlled environment) provide predictions, not actual measurements. Field data reflects real-world perf...

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Web Performance Search Console

Do you really need to wait 30 days to see the impact of your Core Web Vitals optimizations in PageSpeed Insights?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★

Field data in PageSpeed Insights is delayed by about 30 days. To quickly verify if changes are improving performance, use lab data from testing tools, then wait 30 days to see the actual impact in the field data.

Domain Age & History AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Web Performance Search Console

Why does Google overlook your Lighthouse scores when ranking your site?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

For the Core Web Vitals ranking signal, it is the field data that is taken into account, not lab data.

AI & SEO Web Performance

How does Google group your pages to measure Core Web Vitals?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★★

Google does not have CWV data for every individual page. Pages are grouped according to the available data: at the domain/origin level if there is little data, or by groups of similar pages if there is more data. Noindex pages may be included in the ...

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Domain Name Web Performance

Why does Google keep crawling outdated 404 URLs on your site?

John Mueller Feb 05, 2021 ★★

It is normal for Google to check old URLs that return 404 from time to time, even after years. This is not a sign of a problem, just the systems ensuring nothing is missed. Old sites naturally accumulate more 404s over time. No need to worry.

Domain Age & History Domain Name