What does Google say about SEO?

How does Googlebot really leverage Chrome to index your JavaScript pages?

Google Mar 31, 2020 ★★★

Googlebot uses Chrome to render pages. When a page is crawled by Googlebot, the content is fetched and given to Chrome, which executes all scripts and loads additional content. Then, a snapshot of the page is taken and that is what gets indexed.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing

Can robots.txt truly sabotage the rendering of your pages in Google?

Google Mar 31, 2020 ★★★

Robots.txt determines what Googlebot can fetch. Blocking necessary content with robots.txt will prevent Googlebot from retrieving it, which can impact the visibility of this content during rendering.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO

Why does Googlebot cut off the execution of your JavaScript scripts?

Google Mar 31, 2020 ★★★

JavaScript scripts that consume too many resources can render pages impossible to render correctly. Googlebot may interrupt the execution of scripts in case of CPU resource overload, which may prevent indexing if nothing can be loaded reasonably.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO

Can JavaScript error loops sabotage your crawl and rendering?

Google Mar 31, 2020 ★★

JavaScript error loops, where a script fails and constantly retries, can cause rendering issues. This often occurs when a script attempts to access content blocked by robots.txt, leading to ineffective script execution.

Content Crawl & Indexing E-commerce AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO

Why are redirects absolutely essential during a website redesign?

Google Mar 31, 2020 ★★★

Google strongly recommends using redirects when redesigning a site to indicate the new pages that correspond to the old ones. This allows for the correct transfer of SEO signals to the new URLs.

Domain Age & History Domain Name Redirects

Is hidden content in mobile-first really taken into account by Google for indexing?

John Mueller Mar 31, 2020 ★★★

Hidden content behind tabs on mobile is not devalued; Google takes into account all content present in the HTML during indexing in the mobile-first context.

Content Crawl & Indexing Mobile SEO Pagination & Structure

Do structured data truly benefit SEO even without visible rich snippets?

John Mueller Mar 31, 2020 ★★

Structured data helps Google understand the content of a page, even without an immediate visible effect like rich snippets. This remains beneficial for the overall context of the page.

Domain Age & History Content Featured Snippets & SERP AI & SEO

Is HTTP caching truly crucial for Googlebot's crawling and indexing?

Google Mar 31, 2020 ★★

HTTP caching is essential for reducing the retrieval volume during page rendering. Many webmasters mark their content as non-cacheable, but Googlebot uses aggressive caching to minimize the necessary resources.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing HTTPS & Security AI & SEO Web Performance

Does Using AMP Really Help You Rank Better on Google?

Martin Splitt Mar 30, 2020 ★★★

Martin Splitt indicated on Twitter that content available in AMP format was not given more prominence on Google than non-AMP content. In short, the AMP format is not a relevance criterion for the search engine's algorithm.

Algorithms Content AI & SEO Mobile SEO Social Media

How Does Google Actually Analyze Your Site's Infinite Scroll?

Martin Splitt Mar 30, 2020 ★★★

The same Martin Splitt explained during a developers' hangout that any infinite scroll systems potentially implemented on a website should be tested "with Google tools" (presumably the mobile-friendly test tool) to see how Google and its "rendering" ...

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Mobile SEO Domain Name Search Console

Does blocked JavaScript really make your content invisible to Google?

Martin Splitt Mar 26, 2020 ★★★

If the content is loaded via JavaScript and that JavaScript is blocked, we won't see it, which can be problematic. If the JavaScript only adds enhancements without affecting the main content, it doesn't pose an issue.

Content AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO

Does infinite scroll really pose an indexing problem for Google?

Martin Splitt Mar 26, 2020 ★★★

The indexing of content loaded via infinite scroll depends on its implementation. It is recommended to use testing tools to verify how the content appears in the rendered HTML. If the content appears in the rendered HTML, it will be indexed. If not, ...

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

Do third-party fonts really hinder your SEO?

Martin Splitt Mar 26, 2020 ★★★

Third-party fonts can slow down websites. It is suggested to cache them locally or use the CSS 'font-display' property for asynchronous loading. Another solution is to reduce the weight of font files and use font subsets.

PDF & Files Web Performance Local Search Search Console

How can you effectively test image lazy loading for SEO?

Martin Splitt Mar 26, 2020 ★★

To test lazy loading, you can use development tools to check that images only load when necessary. Using testing tools or Puppeteer can be a solution for large-scale verification, although it is complex.

Domain Age & History AI & SEO Images & Videos Web Performance

Does lazy loading really undermine the indexing of your images?

Martin Splitt Mar 26, 2020 ★★★

To ensure the indexing of images with lazy loading, they must be visible in the rendered HTML after JavaScript has loaded the sources. Using the 'loading' attribute in HTML can be helpful, or checking through testing tools like the mobile-friendly te...

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Images & Videos JavaScript & Technical SEO Mobile SEO Web Performance

Should you isolate a domain change from any other technical modifications?

John Mueller Mar 26, 2020 ★★★

When changing a domain, it is advisable to separate it from other site modifications to facilitate tracking and correction of potential errors. Google can quickly process a domain change if it is done in isolation, while maintaining the URL structure...

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

How does Google determine which image to display in local search results?

John Mueller Mar 26, 2020 ★★

Google uses the main image identified on a page to display in local results sliders. This image is automatically determined by analyzing structured data and accessible visual content from the page.

Domain Age & History Content Images & Videos Local Search

Is Infinite Scrolling Really a Hindrance to Google's Indexing?

John Mueller Mar 26, 2020 ★★★

For sites using infinite scrolling, it is crucial that links to articles or products are explicitly available for Google to index. A paginated structure or interlinks between articles allows Google to properly access and index the content.

Content Crawl & Indexing Discover & News E-commerce Links & Backlinks Pagination & Structure

How does Google really detect duplicate content beyond layout differences?

John Mueller Mar 26, 2020 ★★★

Google primarily detects duplicate content by comparing the main sections of pages, even if their layout or menus differ. Identical content will be treated as a duplicate, affecting its potential visibility in search results.

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

Why do PDFs slow down a site migration?

John Mueller Mar 26, 2020 ★★

Google may take longer to process PDF files during a site migration, especially if they are large. This is because PDFs are updated less often and, therefore, crawled less frequently.

AI & SEO PDF & Files Redirects