What does Google say about SEO?

Does responsive design using display:none really affect SEO?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★

For responsive design, having the same HTML content twice with display:block on one device and display:none on another is usually acceptable, even though it may seem inefficient. Caution: all structured data elements must be visible.

Content Mobile SEO Pagination & Structure

Is it advisable to skip the noscript tag for lazy-loading images?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★

When it comes to lazy-loading images, even though it still works, Google recommends avoiding the noscript tag for fallback if a cleaner code implementation is possible. This is not an official solution, and it is better to steer clear of it, even tho...

Domain Age & History Images & Videos Web Performance

Why does Google limit video thumbnails to pages with main content?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★★

Google has extended the change in video mode to video tabs (not just the main results). Only pages where the video is the main content will now display a video thumbnail, making it easier to search for video content. This may impact the video indexin...

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Pagination & Structure Local Search Search Console

Why do internal link metrics fluctuate in Search Console?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★★

The number of internal links shown in Search Console can differ from the actual number of links on the site. Tools use different indicators and measurement methods, which explains these discrepancies. There is no absolute and objective method for cou...

Links & Backlinks Local Search Search Console

Why doesn't Google follow a fixed time frame for page rendering?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★★

There is no fixed waiting period for page rendering. Although the URL Inspection and Rich Results tools stop at 5 seconds, the actual crawling to indexing process may take longer. Rendering utilizes various optimizations and caching, and does not alw...

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing Structured Data Featured Snippets & SERP JavaScript & Technical SEO Domain Name Web Performance Search Console

Is it safe to ignore the sitemap error in robots.txt according to Google?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★★

The 'invalid sitemap detected in robots.txt' error is a known bug in the Search Console tool. It is safe to ignore this error. The product team is aware and is working on a fix. Declaring a sitemap in robots.txt remains valid.

Crawl & Indexing E-commerce AI & SEO Search Console

How can you ensure that your images are truly recognized by Google?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★

There is no foolproof method to confirm that images are recognized by Google, but the URL Inspection tool is the closest and most reliable method. If the images appear in the tool's screenshot, they are likely recognized.

Domain Age & History AI & SEO Images & Videos Domain Name Local Search Search Console

Why does Google index URLs with parameters even when a canonical tag is present?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★★

A page might show as 'Crawled - not indexed' in Search Console but can still be indexed during a URL inspection. If a URL with parameters has a rel=canonical tag pointing to the parameterless version, Google may still index the version with parameter...

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

Why are structured course data currently restricted to English only?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★

The new structured data for courses (Course) currently only supports courses in English. Other languages may be supported soon. This information will be added to the official documentation.

AI & SEO PDF & Files International SEO

Why should you leverage ProfilePage markup for your content creators?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★

ProfilePage markup is suitable for any profile page of a content creator. Whether it's an expert or a publisher, if the individual is considered a content creator, their profile can be marked up. Multiple profiles on the same page can be marked.

Domain Age & History Content

Why can't we ensure that SEO snippets will show up?

Google Dec 14, 2023 ★★

It is not possible to guarantee what will be displayed in search result snippets. Experimentation on pages is encouraged, but snippets can change over time. For snippets deemed suboptimal, it is recommended to post in the help forum to assist the pro...

Domain Age & History E-commerce AI & SEO

Should You Really Invest in an Aged Domain to Boost Your SEO?

John Mueller Dec 12, 2023 ★★★

On the social network X, a user asked whether the age of a domain name had any impact on its ranking in search results. John Mueller responded with a clearly sarcastic tone: "Mainly those who want to sell you aged domains," directly referencing the b...

Domain Age & History Content AI & SEO JavaScript & Technical SEO Domain Name Social Media

Does Google really index HTML and PDF content independently, even when the text is identical?

John Mueller Dec 12, 2023 ★★★

Google's systems can index web pages and PDFs separately, even if their textual content is technically duplicated. These two versions can appear independently in search results.

Domain Age & History Content Crawl & Indexing PDF & Files

Does Google Really Favor HTML Over PDF When Duplicate Content Is Detected?

John Mueller Dec 12, 2023 ★★★

When Google's systems detect duplicate content between HTML and PDF, they generally prioritize the HTML version of the page.

Domain Age & History Content PDF & Files

Should you really include a link to your website in every PDF you publish?

John Mueller Dec 12, 2023 ★★

For PDF files, it is recommended to include a link to your website within the PDF document so that users can easily find their way back to your site.

Links & Backlinks PDF & Files

Should you really choose between HTML and PDF based on how your audience consumes content?

John Mueller Dec 12, 2023 ★★

In practice, content is often available in only one format because that's what the audience prefers. HTML works better for content viewed on mobile (restaurant menu), while PDF is suited for content meant to be printed (forms).

Content AI & SEO Mobile SEO Pagination & Structure PDF & Files

Is it safe to publish the same content in both HTML and PDF without triggering duplicate content penalties?

John Mueller Dec 12, 2023 ★★★

It is perfectly acceptable to publish the same content twice: once in HTML and once as a downloadable PDF. Google can find and index both formats separately.

Content Crawl & Indexing AI & SEO Pagination & Structure PDF & Files

How can you effectively control which version of duplicate HTML and PDF content Google indexes?

John Mueller Dec 12, 2023 ★★★

You have controls available to manage indexing: use an HTTP noindex header or a meta robots tag to block indexing of one version, or use the link rel=canonical element to indicate your preference to Google.

Content Crawl & Indexing HTTPS & Security Links & Backlinks PDF & Files

Is the URL Inspection Tool really the ultimate weapon for debugging your indexing problems?

Martin Splitt Dec 07, 2023 ★★★

In Google Search Console, use the URL Inspection tool on the problematic URL to debug indexing issues. This is the recommended tool to quickly verify why a URL isn't displaying as intended.

Domain Age & History Crawl & Indexing JavaScript & Technical SEO Domain Name Local Search Search Console

Can the URL inspection tool really diagnose all your indexation problems?

Martin Splitt Dec 07, 2023 ★★★

The URL inspection tool allows you to see if a page is indexed and indexable, if and when it was last crawled. If it has never been crawled, it will not be indexed and will not appear in search results.

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