What does Google say about SEO?

Are JavaScript redirects really treated like standard redirects by Google?

John Mueller Jan 22, 2020 ★★★

JavaScript redirects are treated like standard redirects but may be slower to process. They are suitable if configured properly.

AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Redirects

Can SEO changes really guarantee a measurable increase in traffic?

John Mueller Jan 22, 2020 ★★

SEO improvements do not guarantee precise traffic increases. Analyzing historical data from Search Console can help estimate the potential impact.

Domain Age & History AI & SEO Search Console

Should you really implement hreflang on all translated pages of your site?

John Mueller Jan 22, 2020 ★★★

When several search elements on a site remain the same despite translations, hreflang is appropriate but not always necessary to distinguish language versions.

AI & SEO International SEO

Does thematic content really help avoid unwanted rankings in SEO?

John Mueller Jan 22, 2020 ★★★

A page's content influences its ranking in SEO. Focusing on relevant themes is crucial to avoid unnecessary rankings for unrelated terms.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Search Console

Does Safe Search really filter out sites without harming their overall ranking?

John Mueller Jan 22, 2020 ★★

Safe Search is binary and does not alter the overall ranking quality of a site. No private method to request reconsideration outside of forums.

AI & SEO

How long does it really take for Google to reassess your brand signals after a merger?

John Mueller Jan 22, 2020 ★★

During a brand merger involving multiple sites, it takes time for titles and brand name signals to be properly reassessed. Several months may be necessary.

Content AI & SEO

Can redirects really be indexed in just a few days?

John Mueller Jan 22, 2020 ★★★

Redirects can be taken into account within a few days if all SEO signals are aligned. This depends on the frequency of page recrawls.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing Redirects

Does mobile-first indexing work without a responsive site?

John Mueller Jan 22, 2020 ★★★

Transitioning to mobile-first indexing does not require having an adaptive site, yet mobile-friendliness influences mobile ranking. The content must be accessible even if it is not responsive.

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

Does Google Really Treat HTTP Links Differently Than HTTPS Links?

John Mueller Jan 20, 2020 ★★★

John Mueller indicated on Twitter that HTTP links were treated by Google in exactly the same way as HTTPS links.

Content HTTPS & Security AI & SEO Links & Backlinks Social Media

Are Cookie Banners Really Safe for Your SEO?

John Mueller Jan 20, 2020 ★★★

John Mueller reminded us on Twitter that banners (completely useless in themselves, let's remember, but mandatory) indicating that the site you are visiting uses cookies do not pose problems for SEO, as long as it is not an interstitial purely and si...

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Local Search Social Media

Are Structured Data Tags Really a Google Ranking Factor?

Danny Sullivan Jan 20, 2020 ★★

Danny Sullivan explained on Twitter that using structured data markup in HTML code is not a relevance criterion for Google, as has been explained many times before.

Content Structured Data AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Social Media

Does Reporting a Spam Site to Google Actually Get It Penalized?

Danny Sullivan Jan 20, 2020 ★★

Danny Sullivan also explained on Twitter that when spam reports are well-crafted, they often enable Google's anti-spam teams to conduct in-depth research and investigations, sometimes leading to broader actions beyond just the reported site.

Algorithms AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Penalties & Spam Social Media

Does high-quality imagery alone rank well in Google Images?

John Mueller Jan 20, 2020 ★★★

To optimize images for Google Search, use high-quality images placed relevantly and visibly on your pages, ensure you have effective titles on those pages, provide useful alt attributes for the images, potentially add captions, choose good file names...

Domain Age & History Content Images & Videos JavaScript & Technical SEO PDF & Files

Is Google Search Console truly essential for managing your organic visibility?

Google Jan 15, 2020 ★★★

Google Search Console is a free tool that helps website owners understand how their site is perceived and displayed in Google Search. It provides insights into the number of visitors coming from Google search, the queries that bring visitors, and the...

AI & SEO Mobile SEO Web Performance Search Console

Is Google Search Console really enough to monitor the complete health of your website?

Google Jan 15, 2020 ★★★

Search Console allows you to monitor the health of your site by alerting you if your site is infected with malware or has spam issues. This is essential for ensuring a positive online presence.

JavaScript & Technical SEO Penalties & Spam Search Console

Is Google Search Console really enough to ensure a site's SEO health?

Google Jan 15, 2020 ★★★

Google recommends using Search Console to monitor website activity, submit and remove content from search results, and check the site's health for potential security issues such as malware and spam.

Content JavaScript & Technical SEO Penalties & Spam Search Console

Could incorrect semantic markup really lead to a manual penalty?

Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020 ★★

If markup is technically correct but logically incorrect, a manual action may be needed to correct it. A message will be sent in the search account to report the issue.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Penalties & Spam

How can you effectively manage Soft 404 pages without hurting your crawl budget?

Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

Pages returning Soft 404 indicate a state of non-existence of content. For better management, it's preferable to return a clear 404 status or a noindex for these pages.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO

Are descriptive URLs really irrelevant to SEO?

Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

Descriptive URLs have a very limited impact on rankings. More importance is placed on the content of the pages rather than the structure of the URLs.

Domain Age & History Content Domain Name Pagination & Structure

Should you really avoid changing your URL structure multiple times?

Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

When changing your URL structure, ensure that it is a unique and permanent transition to avoid negative repercussions on indexing and to improve crawl efficiency.

Crawl & Indexing Domain Name Pagination & Structure