What does Google say about SEO?

How does Google's AI really transform SEO query processing?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★★

RankBrain is a machine learning system used to understand user queries. It helps Google comprehend and provide relevant content, especially for new queries.

Algorithms Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO

Should you really optimize loading speed for SEO, or is it just a myth?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★★

Google uses a variety of factors to assess speed, including calculated metrics and real-time data from users. Instead of focusing on a single number, utilize tools to identify and fix performance issues.

Web Performance Search Console

How can you reduce signal transfer time during a site migration?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★★

During site migrations, make sure that all URLs clearly redirect to the new version. Avoid crawl errors and eliminate unnecessary blocks in robots.txt to facilitate signal transfer.

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

Does automatically generated content really pass Google's filter?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★

Automatically generated content is not bad by default. What matters is its quality and added value. The generation should aim to create readable, relevant, and high-quality content.

Content AI & SEO

Should you really use noindex in JavaScript for out-of-stock pages?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★

A noindex tag added via JavaScript is recognized by Google, but the processing may be delayed because JavaScript rendering takes longer. This differs if the noindex tag is present from the initial loading.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing E-commerce AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO

Do UTM parameters really harm your crawl budget?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★

Links containing UTM parameters are generally ignored when indexing main URLs, but Google treats them as regular links and can manage them through the parameter management tool in Search Console.

Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Links & Backlinks Domain Name Search Console

Should you re-upload your disavow file after a domain migration?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★★

During a domain migration, it is crucial to re-upload the disavow file; otherwise, disavowed links could be included in Google's link graph when they are recrawled.

Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Links & Backlinks Domain Name PDF & Files Redirects

Should you really disavow all the spammy links pointing to your site?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★

Sites that generate spammy or comment links are generally ignored by Google. Only the links you specifically suspect of causing harm require disavowing.

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

Why don't Google's live testing tools always reflect actual indexing?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★

Testing tools like Fetch and Render are more patient and reliable for seeing how Google views a page compared to live testing tools that have strict time limits to obtain quick results.

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

Should You Really Worry About Pages That Are Crawled but Not Indexed?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★

Having pages listed as 'Crawled but Not Indexed' in Search Console can be normal. It may also indicate that these pages are deemed to be of low value. Improving their quality can encourage indexing.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Search Console

Does the file name of an image really impact its ranking in Google Images?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★

The file name of an image can help Google understand the subject of the image, but Google primarily relies on the context of the page for image ranking. Copying images with file names in different languages is optional.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Images & Videos PDF & Files International SEO

Does image search ranking really affect your web SEO?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★★

Image search rankings and web search rankings are independent. Performing well in one does not directly influence the other.

Domain Age & History Images & Videos

Is it true that Google rewrites your meta descriptions at will?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★★

Google may choose to modify or ignore the meta description you provided when it deems it more relevant to the user's query.

Content

Why does Google refuse to index pages with no visible content in the body?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★★

If a page does not display its main content in the body for Google (such as content hidden behind a login), Google considers this page empty and will not index it.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing Local Search

Does duplicate content across multiple domains really hurt your SEO?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★

Publishing the same content across multiple domains can cause that content to compete against itself in search results. This can dilute its ranking potential if both versions face competition from other sites.

Content AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Domain Name

Does Google Cache Really Require Your Active Management?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★

Google's cache is built automatically when Google indexes pages. No specific action from the webmaster is required to manage it.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing Web Performance

Are single-page applications really compatible with organic search?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★★

Single-page applications (SPAs) can rank well if properly configured, but they add complexity. It is crucial that they are designed for Googlebot to execute JavaScript and access all content.

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

Why is your SEO traffic plummeting suddenly without any action from you?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★★

If a sudden loss of visibility occurs, it is often due to changes in Google’s quality algorithms. It is recommended to examine the quality and relevance of the site’s content to understand possible causes.

Algorithms Content E-commerce AI & SEO

Do JSON-LD structured data really influence how your rich results are displayed?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★

Google uses data structures like JSON-LD to enrich search results. If this data is complete and well-structured, it can improve the site's representation in rich results.

Structured Data JavaScript & Technical SEO Pagination & Structure

Should you really use 404s instead of redirecting your out-of-stock products?

John Mueller Jul 20, 2018 ★★★

It is generally better to use a 404 status code for out-of-stock product pages rather than redirecting them to category pages, as redirects do not pass on the relevance of the old content.

Domain Age & History Content E-commerce Redirects