What does Google say about SEO?

Why do review stars take so long to show up on Google?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★★

For review stars to appear in search results, the structured data must be technically and logically correct, and the site must meet Google's quality thresholds.

Content AI & SEO Local Search

Should you really index your robots.txt file in Google?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★

It is not necessary for the robots.txt file to be indexed in Google. Its role is to control the crawling of search engines rather than to be listed in search results.

Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO PDF & Files

How can you uncover hidden SEO problems in a domain using Google Search Console?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★★

If you're wondering whether a domain has inherent problems, use Search Console. You can also check for current manual actions, but not for past issues without write access.

AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Domain Name Search Console

How should you handle duplicate content when managing multiple distinct entities?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★★

To avoid duplicate content, make sure each page has unique and relevant content, especially if they relate to distinct businesses. Otherwise, consider a single powerful page that consolidates all the information.

Domain Age & History Content

Can mass DMCA takedowns really harm a site's ranking?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★

A large number of pages taken down for DMCA violations can cause problems for our quality algorithms in understanding the rest of the site's content.

Algorithms Domain Age & History Content Links & Backlinks

Should you favor a subdomain or a subdirectory for hosting your AMP pages?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★

We do not have a strict preference for the URL structure of AMP pages. Use what works for you, whether it's a subdomain, a subdirectory, or a query parameter.

Domain Age & History AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Mobile SEO Domain Name Pagination & Structure

Should you really remove rel=canonical from your paginated pages?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★★

The rel=canonical requires us to understand that the pages are equivalent. For pagination, rel=next/prev or noindex for certain pages can be used.

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

Does the server's IP address still influence local search rankings?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★★

Today, the server's IP address is no longer an important factor for local SEO. Instead, use geographic TLDs or Search Console parameters for targeted localization.

Domain Name Local Search Search Console

Can a link without an <a> tag pass on PageRank?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★★

A link is defined by an element with an href. An image alone without an is not considered a link by Google.

Domain Age & History Images & Videos Links & Backlinks

Does a noindex tag on an HTML page really prevent the indexing of its associated AMP version?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★★

If a traditional page is set to noindex, we do not follow the link to the AMP page. For a standalone AMP, it can be indexed independently if linked correctly.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing Links & Backlinks Mobile SEO

How long does it take to recover from a Google manual action?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★★

The recovery from a manual action depends on the cause. If the entire site is removed, it takes time to be reindexed after unblocking.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing Penalties & Spam

Is your server holding back Google’s crawl more than you realize?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★

Our crawl speed is limited by your server's ability to handle traffic. You can set your own limits in Search Console.

Crawl & Indexing Pagination & Structure Web Performance Search Console

Do social profiles really improve Google rankings?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★

Having multiple social profiles will not improve your ranking, as we do not consider social signals for ranking in search.

AI & SEO

Are directory links really ignored by Google?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★★

Links from directories where you submit your own content are ignored because they do not constitute true recommendations.

Content AI & SEO Links & Backlinks Pagination & Structure

Should you enable HSTS immediately when migrating a domain to HTTPS?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★

When changing domains, set up HSTS only after ensuring that everything works well on HTTPS.

HTTPS & Security AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Domain Name Redirects

Does stock level really influence the ranking of your product listings?

John Mueller Jul 27, 2018 ★★

We do not consider stock levels to influence the ranking in search.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing E-commerce

Does Pogosticking Really Impact Your Google Rankings?

John Mueller Jul 23, 2018 ★★

John Mueller explained in a hangout that pogosticking, or the measurement of user behavior in the SERPs, is not a relevance criterion in terms of page ranking and that the potential back-and-forth movements of a search engine user between the SERP an...

Algorithms Domain Age & History Content Featured Snippets & SERP AI & SEO Links & Backlinks

Should You Notify Google About Site Migrations or Redesigns for Better Crawling?

John Mueller Jul 23, 2018 ★★★

John Mueller, this time on Twitter, explained that Google does not need a tool allowing webmasters to inform the search engine of major changes to a site, such as during a migration or massive redesign. John explained that Google already notices this...

Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Penalties & Spam Redirects Social Media

Should You Really Avoid Combining Noindex, Canonical, and Disallow on the Same Page?

John Mueller Jul 23, 2018 ★★★

John Mueller, on Reddit this time, indicated that Canonical tags and meta robots "noindex" (just like Disallow: in the robots.txt file) should not be used at the same time because they are contradictory signals, which leads to signals that can someti...

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

Why Hasn't Google's Mobile First Index Been Fully Rolled Out After All These Years?

John Mueller Jul 23, 2018 ★★★

Again John Mueller, on Twitter, explained that the Mobile First Index was still being rolled out (we periodically see messages about this appearing in Search Console) and that there was still a lot of work to be done before the search engine's index ...

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Mobile SEO Penalties & Spam Social Media Search Console