What does Google say about SEO?

Are product structured data useless without internal linking?

Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020 ★★

For Google to connect structured data with its index, product URLs must be linked on the site; otherwise, they may not be followed.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing E-commerce Links & Backlinks Domain Name

Does the length of URLs really impact SEO ranking or just canonicalization?

Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

URL length mainly matters for determining the canonical URL, not for ranking. Shorter URLs are favored when choosing between multiple potential canonicals.

Crawl & Indexing Domain Name

Does site structure really matter more than URL depth?

Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

A good site structure helps Google understand the context of pages. Structuring internal links from main pages is more crucial than the number of subdirectories.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Links & Backlinks Pagination & Structure

Has search intent officially replaced exact keyword matching?

Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

Algorithm changes aim to better understand the intention behind search terms. Thus, a word can change ranking based on Google's contextual understanding.

Algorithms AI & SEO

Do Google’s algorithms really differ by country?

Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020 ★★

Google generally uses the same algorithms in all countries, but variations exist based on language understanding and the need for local experimentation.

Algorithms AI & SEO Local Search

Why don't Course rich snippets work on my European site?

John Mueller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

The 'Course' rich snippet may not yet be available for European sites. These features are sometimes launched first in the United States before being extended to other regions.

Featured Snippets & SERP AI & SEO

Should you really set widget links to nofollow?

John Mueller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

If you create widgets with backlinks to your site, it's advised to use nofollow links. This prevents the links from being perceived as an exchange for SEO benefits.

Links & Backlinks

Are tag pages really safe for SEO?

John Mueller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

Tag pages are generally not considered spam by Google if they are used to add context. However, avoid automating the creation of each word combination as a unique page.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Penalties & Spam

Is it really necessary to redirect everything during a website migration?

John Mueller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

When migrating a website, it is essential that all pages are redirected to the new domain. Do not keep any pages on the old domain to avoid complicating the migration process.

Domain Age & History AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Domain Name Redirects

Should you really combine 'unavailable_after' with a noindex or a 404?

John Mueller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

Google respects the 'unavailable after' attribute to indicate that a page will no longer be available after a certain date. Be sure to accompany this attribute with a 'no index' or a 404 response to confirm the page's inaccessibility.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO

Should you really stop optimizing your keywords for BERT?

John Mueller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

To optimize for BERT, write natural and fluid texts. BERT helps Google better understand textual content, so avoid excessively forcing keywords.

Algorithms Content AI & SEO

How does Google really choose the site links displayed in the SERPs?

John Mueller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

Site links are influenced by a clear site structure and explicit titles on the pages. This helps Google understand which pages are relevant to each other on the same site.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Links & Backlinks Pagination & Structure Search Console

Is it really necessary to have a price to benefit from product rich snippets?

John Mueller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

For products without a price on your site, use structured data for other elements like reviews. Without a price or reviews, Google will not show the product enrichment in the results.

E-commerce

Does mobile-first indexing really decrease your website's traffic?

John Mueller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

The switch to mobile-first indexing should not affect a site's traffic. A traffic loss may result from other factors like algorithm changes or shifts in user behaviors.

Algorithms Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Mobile SEO

How does Google combine structured event data from multiple sources?

John Mueller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

Google uses structured event data to display event cards and often combines information from different sources for the same event.

AI & SEO Local Search

How do hackers gain access to your Search Console, and what can you do about it?

John Mueller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

When hackers gain access to Search Console, the issue arises from a vulnerability on the site itself that allowed them to verify the site. Securing your site to prevent this is crucial.

AI & SEO Search Console

How can you properly tag your recipe carousels without risking a spam penalty?

Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

It is recommended to use the appropriate tag to indicate the presence of multiple recipes on a page so that it is correctly interpreted by Google and avoids being considered as spam.

Domain Age & History JavaScript & Technical SEO Penalties & Spam

How does the visibility of a publication date affect your Google ranking for news content?

Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

For Google, a date is useful to determine when news content was published so it can be correctly included in search results. Ensuring that the date is prominently visible on the page can help avoid errors.

Domain Age & History Content

Does the consistency of structured data really affect Google's crawling?

John Mueller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

Ensure consistency in the types of structured data on your site. Variations could make your site's analysis less reliable for Google.

AI & SEO

Mobile-First Indexing vs Mobile Compatibility: Do You Really Know the Difference?

John Mueller Jan 10, 2020 ★★★

Mobile compatibility ensures a smooth user experience, while mobile-first indexing ensures that Google accurately indexes the mobile version of the site with content equivalent to that of the desktop version.

Content Crawl & Indexing Mobile SEO