What does Google say about SEO?

What are the risks of blocking images in robots.txt for your SEO?

Google May 30, 2024 ★★★

Blocking the indexing of images via robots.txt or HTTP headers stops Google from crawling the site and accessing structured data. This prevents the display of images in image search AND thumbnails in regular web results.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing HTTPS & Security AI & SEO Images & Videos

Can we really count on the lastmod field in sitemaps again?

Google May 30, 2024 ★★

If Google stops trusting the lastmod field of a sitemap due to inaccurate use, it can start trusting it again if the site uses it correctly afterward. The loss of trust is not permanent.

Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Mobile SEO Search Console

Why does Google separate web indexing and image indexing?

Google May 30, 2024 ★★

Google has separate indexes for web search and image search, which is why an image can appear in image search while being reported as unindexed in Search Console.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing Images & Videos Search Console

Does cutting content actually help you rank better?

Lizzi Sassman May 23, 2024 ★★★

Google reduced its SEO Starter Guide by 53% by removing outdated or obvious content. Despite internal concerns about a ranking drop, the page became the site's number one page, even surpassing the homepage. This demonstrates that reducing content to ...

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Web Performance Search Console

Does content length really impact your Google rankings?

Lizzi Sassman May 23, 2024 ★★★

The 53% reduction of the SEO Starter Guide does not suggest a preference for shorter content. The goal was to remove outdated and obvious information to better meet the needs of beginner users. The guide remains Google's longest document despite the ...

Content AI & SEO PDF & Files

Should the SEO Starter Guide Really Remain a Minimalist Document for Beginners?

Lizzi Sassman May 23, 2024 ★★

The SEO Starter Guide is designed as a document for beginners presenting high-level concepts. It should not include all technical details (such as complete robots.txt rules) but rather introduce concepts and direct users toward in-depth resources.

Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO PDF & Files

Does community engagement really boost your search rankings?

John Mueller May 23, 2024 ★★

Google's SEO Starter Guide mentions that community engagement is beneficial for SEO. Participating in communities, creating regular content, and building your brand indirectly help search rankings by strengthening brand awareness and authority.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO

Does Google Really Want You to Bloat Your Pages for the Helpful Content Update?

Lizzi Sassman May 23, 2024 ★★★

With the Helpful Content Update, website owners are sometimes torn between deleting a page or expanding it. For unhelpful blog content, it's often preferable to reduce it significantly rather than expand it, especially when the answer is simply 'no' ...

Algorithms Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO

Should you really tailor content depth to match your user's profile?

Lizzi Sassman May 23, 2024 ★★

Content must match the user's objective for that particular document. Including too much detailed information in a document intended for beginners can be an obstacle to learning rather than a help.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO PDF & Files

What Happens to Your SEO Data When Your Pages Get Deindexed by Google?

Gary Illyes May 21, 2024 ★★★

On LinkedIn, Gary Illyes stated that Google Search Console retains almost no data on non-indexed/deindexed sites, though he specified that one element remains "if the URL comes back." This statement was in response to a post by Adam Gent who pointed ...

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Links & Backlinks Domain Name Social Media Search Console

How can you tell if Google rolled out an algorithm update or just refreshed its data?

Danny Sullivan May 21, 2024 ★★★

On X, Danny Sullivan clarified the fundamental difference between algorithm updates and data refreshes. In the first case, updates introduce notable changes to one or more core systems. Data refreshes, on the other hand, concern the data that enters ...

Algorithms AI & SEO Pagination & Structure

Should You Still Be Using the Link Disavow Tool in 2024?

John Mueller May 14, 2024 ★★★

On X, John Mueller stated that Google plans to gradually phase out the link disavow tool. As he also noted: "most spam, paid, placed, exchanged links are simply ignored these days. It's rare that you need it."

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

Should You Worry About Google's Lack of Transparency on Algorithm Updates?

Google May 14, 2024 ★★

Google has defended itself against criticism regarding the lack of transparency surrounding algorithm updates. The Mountain View company responded to critics by explaining that updates are often minor adjustments that don't require specific communica...

Algorithms E-commerce AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO

Should you avoid the word "news" in your domain name to prevent SEO penalties?

John Mueller May 14, 2024 ★★★

On Google Webmaster Help, John Mueller responded to a question from a webmaster wondering whether using the word "news" in their site name could be detrimental in terms of SEO and rankings. Answer: "from a Google Search perspective, there's no proble...

Content Discover & News AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO

Does Google's Reputation Abuse Policy Actually Target Links or Just Content?

Danny Sullivan May 14, 2024 ★★★

In a post on X, Danny Sullivan indicated that the site reputation abuse policy had nothing to do with created links, but concerned only content: "it's about content that abuses a site's reputation."

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

Is old content really killing your search rankings?

John Mueller May 09, 2024 ★★★

Google does not penalize old content. Traffic decline on older pages is not a signal that Google considers your site low-quality. It's more of a strategic issue than a direct SEO factor.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO

Can old content still rank well despite its age?

John Mueller May 09, 2024 ★★

Reference or academic content is by nature old because it is based on long-term studies. This does not mean it is less true or less useful for users.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO

Should you really fix broken links in your older content?

Lizzi Sassman May 09, 2024 ★★

Google recommends fixing broken links in old content even if it dates back several years. This improves user experience by allowing visitors to find where resources have been moved.

Domain Age & History Content Links & Backlinks

Should you really update all your old content for SEO?

Lizzi Sassman May 09, 2024 ★★★

You shouldn't automatically update all your old content. Some older blog pages still contain valid best practices, and modifying them could render the information factually incorrect.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO

Why does Google discourage crypto-redirects for your site migrations?

John Mueller May 09, 2024 ★★

Crypto-redirects (banners indicating that a page has moved) should only be used as a last resort, when it is technically impossible to implement a proper 301 redirect from your content management system.

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO Redirects