What does Google say about SEO?

Do nofollow internal links really dilute the PageRank of your pages?

John Mueller Jun 25, 2019 ★★★

Nofollow internal links tell Google not to pass signals to the linked page. This does not directly affect the 'strength' of the originating page.

Domain Age & History Links & Backlinks

Are URLs with non-Latin characters really crawled by Google without issues?

John Mueller Jun 25, 2019 ★★★

Google can crawl URLs containing non-Latin characters without any issues. We've been doing this for a long time.

Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Domain Name

Should you really be concerned about the length of meta descriptions?

John Mueller Jun 25, 2019 ★★★

There is no recommended ideal length for meta descriptions. Google does not penalize pages with long meta descriptions, and these do not directly affect ranking.

Domain Age & History Content

Do rich results really depend on the overall quality of your site?

John Mueller Jun 25, 2019 ★★★

For rich results to be displayed, the overall quality of the site must be high, in addition to correct technical aspects and compliance with policies.

Content Structured Data Featured Snippets & SERP Local Search

Does the XML sitemap and lastmod field really speed up the indexing of your content?

John Mueller Jun 25, 2019 ★★★

An XML sitemap file will help facilitate the discovery and quick indexing of new pages. The lastmod field is particularly useful for indicating that the page has been modified.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing JavaScript & Technical SEO Mobile SEO PDF & Files Search Console

Do illustrative images really affect your SEO ranking?

John Mueller Jun 25, 2019 ★★★

Illustrative photos are acceptable but do not affect rankings in standard web searches. They are less effective for image searches because Google prefers originality.

Domain Age & History AI & SEO Images & Videos Pagination & Structure

Is it true that HTML/CSS validation is completely pointless for SEO?

John Mueller Jun 25, 2019 ★★

The HTML/CSS validity of a document is not a ranking signal. Most web pages have HTML errors but are not penalized by Google if they function well for users.

Domain Age & History AI & SEO PDF & Files

Should you still optimize infinite scroll for Google indexing?

John Mueller Jun 25, 2019 ★★★

Recommendations for infinite scroll remain valid, except for rel-next and rel-previous. It is crucial to have updated URLs during scrolling to facilitate indexing.

Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Domain Name

Is it true that Google penalizes sites older than 10 years in its results?

Google Jun 19, 2019 ★★★

Google does not stop displaying sites older than 10 years, unless the content is deemed irrelevant for modern queries.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing Local Search

Why does Google enforce ultra-minimalist titles for job listings?

Google Jun 19, 2019 ★★★

Job posting titles must only include the job name, without extra information such as location or enticing terms.

Content AI & SEO

Can you post job offers without mentioning the company's name without harming your SEO?

Google Jun 19, 2019 ★★★

It is acceptable to mask the company's name when posting a job offer if necessary for privacy reasons.

AI & SEO Pagination & Structure Web Performance

Are AMP pages sabotaging your job postings on Google?

Google Jun 19, 2019 ★★

AMP configurations can interfere with standard URLs in job search results, requiring a review of implementation settings.

Domain Age & History Mobile SEO Domain Name

Why does Google de-index your content without warning?

Google Jun 19, 2019 ★★

If a page is not intentionally indexed, check that its quality and usefulness for users are sufficiently high.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing

Should you really address false information at the source instead of just managing it in the SERPs?

Google Jun 19, 2019 ★★★

Removing inaccurate information from a Google search does not delete it from the internet. It is important to address defamatory content at the source and legally if necessary.

Content Featured Snippets & SERP AI & SEO

What happens when you migrate your site, and why does it cause ranking fluctuations that might surprise you?

Google Jun 19, 2019 ★★

Site migrations require time for rankings to stabilize. It's essential to manage redirects properly and anticipate temporary fluctuations.

AI & SEO Pagination & Structure Redirects

Do spam reports for paid backlinks really work?

Google Jun 19, 2019 ★★★

Spam reports allow Google to reduce the impact of paid backlinks, but do not necessarily lead to the immediate removal of the links.

AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Links & Backlinks Penalties & Spam Search Console

Are SEO myths really holding you back from ranking?

Martin Splitt Jun 19, 2019 ★★

There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding search engine optimization (SEO).

Are Sitemaps Truly Essential or Just a Safety Net?

John Mueller Jun 14, 2019 ★★★

It is advisable to use both sitemap files and internal links to facilitate Google's crawling, but not to rely solely on sitemaps. Internal links aid in the discovery of pages by Google.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Links & Backlinks PDF & Files Search Console

Can hreflang really be used to connect different brands across countries?

John Mueller Jun 14, 2019 ★★★

When you rebrand in different countries, you can use hreflang to link pages of different brands and languages to show the correct version to the right users based on their location.

Domain Age & History International SEO

Does Google really ignore inline SVGs for Google Images?

John Mueller Jun 14, 2019 ★★★

Google does not index inline SVGs for Google Images. It is advisable to think about how users visually search for your content and not to focus on indexing every graphic element.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing Images & Videos