What does Google say about SEO?

Should you still report bad backlinks to Google in 2024?

Gary Illyes Dec 18, 2023 ★★★

Bad link reports submitted to Google are used to improve algorithms overall. Google does not take individual actions on each report. This information is available on Google's official blog.

Algorithms AI & SEO Links & Backlinks Search Console

Why does blocking crawl via robots.txt prevent Google from seeing your noindex directive?

Martin Splitt Dec 18, 2023 ★★★

If you block the crawling of URLs via robots.txt, Googlebot cannot make a request to those URLs and therefore does not see the noindex directive. To prevent indexation, you must allow crawling so that Googlebot can see that the pages should not be in...

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

Is Google really rejecting the idea of a magic formula to rank higher?

Google Dec 18, 2023 ★★★

There is more to succeeding online than simply adding pages. The content you add must bring new and unique value to the web. The site as a whole must be unique, convincing, high-quality, and deliver value that users recognize. There is no simple secr...

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO

Why is Google displaying your special characters as gibberish in search results?

Gary Illyes Dec 18, 2023 ★★

If special characters aren't displaying correctly in search results, it's likely due to a mismatch between the encoding Google detects and the one you intended. You must specify the encoding in your HTML using the meta element and its charset attribu...

Domain Age & History AI & SEO Local Search

Should you really be chasing perfect SEO?

Google Dec 18, 2023 ★★★

No SEO is perfect. The internet, search engines, and the way users search are constantly evolving, so SEO evolves over time as well. This includes technical elements like structured data as well as quality considerations. The fact that you can't achi...

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO

Is blocking crawl via robots.txt really the miracle solution against toxic links?

Martin Splitt Dec 18, 2023 ★★★

To prevent Googlebot from crawling URLs you don't want explored, use the robots.txt file to block them. If Googlebot doesn't make a request to these URLs, it won't see the content or the URLs it might consider crawling afterwards.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Links & Backlinks Domain Name PDF & Files

Does Googlebot really ignore the meta prerender-status-code 404 tag in JavaScript applications?

Martin Splitt Dec 18, 2023 ★★★

Googlebot currently ignores the 'prerender-status-code content 404' meta tag. To avoid soft 404s in client-side rendered single-page applications, use a meta robots noindex tag instead or redirect to a page where the server responds with a real 404 s...

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing Links & Backlinks

Why do site migrations fail so often even with careful SEO preparation?

Google Dec 18, 2023 ★★★

A site migration can mean many different things. It is essential to document all changes and identify their SEO implications. Fixing a failed migration takes far more time and effort than proper preparation. Even with good preparation, migrations are...

PDF & Files Redirects

Why are the data discrepancies between Google Analytics and Search Console causing so much confusion for SEO professionals?

Google Dec 18, 2023 ★★

Google Analytics and Search Console both provide information about users, but they are collected in very different ways. It is worthwhile to consult both independently. The Search Console Help Center contains more information about these specific dif...

AI & SEO Search Console

Are Google's new structured data types really worth implementing for your SEO strategy?

John Mueller Dec 15, 2023 ★★★

Google launched several new structured data types in December 2023, notably for discussion forums, profile pages, and vehicle listings. These new options allow webmasters to enhance their semantic markup.

Domain Age & History

Why is Google removing the crawl rate tool from Search Console?

John Mueller Dec 15, 2023 ★★★

Google has announced the removal of the crawl rate tool in Search Console. This tool will no longer be available to webmasters.

Crawl & Indexing Search Console

Are you missing the critical Search Console features that could transform your SEO strategy?

John Mueller Dec 15, 2023 ★★

Google deployed several Search Console updates in December 2023, including modifications to tools and features for webmasters.

Search Console

Why is Google now publishing dedicated resources on local SEO for businesses?

John Mueller Dec 15, 2023 ★★

Google has highlighted important resources for local businesses, underscoring the importance of local search optimization in their visibility strategy.

Local Search

Is Google finally releasing clear documentation on LLMs and their SEO impact?

John Mueller Dec 15, 2023 ★★

Google has published educational resources on large language models (LLMs) and their impact on search, helping SEO professionals understand these technologies.

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

Should you still optimize meta tags and heading tags in SEO?

John Mueller Dec 14, 2023 ★★

Google considers certain elements to be less of a priority in SEO, namely: meta tags, keywords in headings (Hn), and word count. These factors are not the most important for determining ranking in search results.

Content AI & SEO

What does Google's removal of the crawl rate limiting tool mean for your SEO strategy?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★★

The crawl rate limiting tool in Search Console will be removed on January 8, 2024. This tool, used for over 10 years, is no longer necessary as Google's crawling logic and other available tools have improved.

Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Search Console

How Does Googlebot Adapt Its Crawling to Server Responses?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★★

Googlebot automatically modifies its crawl frequency based on the HTTP responses from the site. For instance, if the server continuously returns HTTP 500 codes or if response times significantly increase, crawling is automatically reduced.

Crawl & Indexing HTTPS & Security

How can you optimize your profiles and discussion forums with Google's new structured data?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★★

Google Search now supports structured data for profile pages and discussion forums. These markups allow for the display of author information and insights on social platforms and forums, along with new reports available in Search Console.

Domain Age & History AI & SEO Local Search Social Media Search Console

How does the Organization structured data extension impact your SEO strategy?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★

Google is expanding the support for Organization markup beyond the existing logo and URL, which have been in place since 2013, by adding new fields such as name, contact details, and business ID. Existing logo markups will continue to function withou...

AI & SEO Mobile SEO Domain Name

Why is the new markup for vacation rentals a game changer for your SEO?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★

Google now supports structured data markup for vacation rentals. Partners can implement this markup to display their information in enriched results, but this requires meeting specific criteria and going through additional integration steps.

AI & SEO Web Performance Local Search