What does Google say about SEO?

Should you worry that Googlebot doesn't support WebSockets?

Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020 ★★★

Googlebot currently does not support WebSockets, and there are no imminent plans to do so. However, Google may consider support if the trend of websites significantly shifts towards this technology.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO

Does image lazy loading really impact Google indexing?

Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020 ★★★

For lazy-loaded images, if the testing tools show that the rendered HTML contains high-quality versions, then they will be indexed. Using native lazy loading attributes is recommended to ensure that the content is properly seen by Googlebot.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing Images & Videos Web Performance

Does Google really index notifications that load on onload?

Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020 ★★

Notifications that load during the onload event can be indexed by Google. To prevent indexing, either hide the notification from users identified as Googlebot or require user interaction to display it.

Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Web Performance

What really defines cloaking according to Google?

Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020 ★★★

Cloaking is defined as presenting different content to users compared to Googlebot with the intent to deceive. Minor differences, such as adjustments for rendering or mobile, are not considered cloaking as long as they do not mislead the user.

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

Does client-side rendering (CSR) really hurt an Angular site's SEO?

Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020 ★★★

An Angular site where content is rendered client-side does not present ranking issues as long as the content is visible to Googlebot and the site is not too slow.

Content Crawl & Indexing JavaScript & Technical SEO Links & Backlinks

Do Google's SEO statements have an expiration date?

Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020 ★★

Statements made by Google employees can evolve over time with updates in technology and algorithms.

Algorithms Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO

Is dynamic rendering in JavaScript really a dead end for your SEO?

Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020 ★★★

Dynamic rendering is seen as a temporary solution for sites that heavily use JavaScript. The preferred solution is server-side rendering with hydration for increased efficiency.

AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO

Is client-side routing really compatible with Google indexing?

Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020 ★★★

Client-side routing is compatible with Googlebot, just like isomorphic pages and rehydration. Use testing tools to verify that the content is correctly visible and indexed.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing Links & Backlinks

Does hidden content in the DOM really get indexed by Google?

Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020 ★★★

Hidden content present in the DOM is taken into account by Google for indexing, unless it is deemed irrelevant or misleading.

Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Web Performance

Should you really use the canonical tag on product listings with long and identical descriptions?

John Mueller Apr 09, 2020 ★★★

Using the canonical tag to designate a preferred version of a product is a good practice when alternative versions share a similar or identical description. This helps Google focus on the primary version for indexing.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing E-commerce AI & SEO Images & Videos Social Media

Can Google really interpret what it can't see in the DOM when it comes to JavaScript and structured data?

Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020 ★★★

Google can interpret structured data added via JavaScript, but it must be visible in the rendered HTML. Tools like the Rich Results Test can help verify this.

Structured Data Featured Snippets & SERP AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO

Should you really rely on Search Console's temporary removal tool for 6 months?

Daniel Waisberg Apr 07, 2020 ★★★

A temporary removal request with Search Console is valid for about six months. This allows for a solution to make the content visible again or to permanently remove it.

Content AI & SEO Search Console

Is it really necessary to clear Google’s cache to remove an outdated snippet?

Daniel Waisberg Apr 07, 2020 ★★

By removing the URL from the cache, the page's snippet in search results will be deleted until a new pass from the bot updates the content. Use this option after removing sensitive information from the page.

Domain Age & History Content Featured Snippets & SERP AI & SEO Domain Name Web Performance

Why is the Search Console removal tool never enough to fully deindex content?

Daniel Waisberg Apr 07, 2020 ★★★

The Search Console removal tool should only be used for temporary removal requests. Additional steps are needed to permanently remove your content from Google's search results.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Search Console

How can you permanently delete content from Google results without getting penalized?

Daniel Waisberg Apr 07, 2020 ★★★

To permanently remove content from Google search, you need to either delete or update the content by returning a 404 or 410 code, block access with a password, or use the noindex tag.

Content Crawl & Indexing

Why isn't a 301 redirect enough to remove content from Google's index?

Daniel Waisberg Apr 07, 2020 ★★★

A 301 redirect is not enough to remove content from Google’s search results. Similarly, a directive in the robots.txt file will not block indexing.

Content Crawl & Indexing PDF & Files Redirects

Should You Worry About External Resources (JS/CSS) Blocking for SEO?

Martin Splitt Apr 06, 2020 ★★★

Martin Splitt indicated during a hangout that it generally does not pose major SEO problems if external resources (JavaScript or CSS files) that are hosted elsewhere than on the site using them are blocked, for example by the robots.txt file. However...

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO PDF & Files

Does Google Really Index Content Hidden in Tabs and Accordions?

John Mueller Apr 06, 2020 ★★★

John Mueller reiterated in a Hangout that if content was available and displayable in a tab or in an accordion (visible by default or by clicking somewhere on the page), this content was taken into account by the search engine, with the same weight a...

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Pagination & Structure

Are nofollow links really ignored by Google for SEO?

John Mueller Apr 03, 2020 ★★★

According to Google, nofollow links are not completely ignored. They are used as a signal and can be crawled in certain cases, especially when a site is primarily linked with nofollow links.

AI & SEO Links & Backlinks

Should you really place your key pages in the main navigation to rank better?

John Mueller Apr 03, 2020 ★★★

Placing a product directly in the navigation can increase its visibility in search. It is important to establish a priority and hierarchy of pages to clearly indicate to Google which pages are most important on a site.

Domain Age & History E-commerce AI & SEO Links & Backlinks Pagination & Structure