What does Google say about SEO? /
This category compiles all official Google statements regarding its ranking algorithms and their successive updates. Algorithms form the foundation of the search engine and determine website visibility in search results. Here you'll find Google communications about Core Updates, those major algorithm refreshes deployed several times yearly, alongside historical algorithms such as Panda (content quality), Penguin (link spam), Hummingbird (semantic understanding), and artificial intelligence innovations like RankBrain and BERT. SEO professionals will discover official positions on recent thematic updates including the Helpful Content Update, designed to reward genuinely useful content for users, and Spam Updates targeting manipulative practices. Understanding Google's official statements about these algorithms is crucial for anticipating ranking fluctuations, adapting SEO strategies to search engine evolution, and aligning practices with official recommendations rather than relying on speculation or misinformation. This resource helps practitioners distinguish between confirmed algorithmic factors and industry myths, enabling data-driven optimization decisions. Whether responding to sudden traffic changes or planning long-term SEO strategies, these official declarations provide the authoritative foundation needed for effective search engine optimization in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
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★★★ Does the Google Sandbox Really Exist or Is It Just an SEO Myth?
John Mueller himself indicated on Twitter that the notion of the Sandbox (the idea that a site, when it is created, is put "in quarantine" by the search engine before achieving the positions it aspire...
John Mueller Aug 26, 2019
★★★ Do Nofollow Links Really Show Up in Search Console and Pass PageRank?
In a new video on the #AskGoogleWebmasters YouTube channel, John Mueller explains that "nofollow" links do not transmit any signals (and particularly no PageRank) to Google, but that they do appear in...
John Mueller Aug 19, 2019
★★★ Does Amazon's Alexa Rank Actually Influence Google Rankings?
Some questions asked to Google spokespeople are truly bizarre... For instance, a user asked John Mueller on Twitter whether Amazon's Alexa Rank played a role in Google's relevance algorithm. John's an...
John Mueller Aug 19, 2019
★★★ Should you really avoid adding distinctive text on coupon pages?
Adding long, irrelevant text to differentiate coupon pages could lead to algorithmic confusion or keyword stuffing; avoid this practice....
John Mueller Jul 23, 2019
★★ Is it really true that structured data alone can secure a carousel spot in the SERPs?
Carousels in search results are algorithmically generated and using structured data does not guarantee their display....
John Mueller Jul 23, 2019
★★ Is PageRank Really Dead Since 2006, or Has It Simply Evolved?
Jonathan Tang, a former Google engineer (between 2009 and 2014) explained on a forum that Google no longer used the notion of PageRank in its algorithm since 2006. He actually clarified later that the...
Google Jul 22, 2019
★★★ Can Google Actually Identify the Real Author Behind a Pseudonym or Avatar?
A user asked John Mueller on Twitter about whether Google can (or cannot) determine who the real author of content is when an avatar (pseudonym) is used. John's response: "I doubt Google's algorithms ...
John Mueller Jul 22, 2019
★★★ Are systematic link exchanges really detected by Google's algorithms?
In cases of exchanged links, if it appears to be a systematic pattern, it may attract the attention of the algorithms. Organic mentions should not pose problems....
John Mueller Jul 11, 2019
★★ Why are your rich snippets disappearing without affecting your domain trust?
Domain trust is assessed at the site level. Some pages may not display rich snippets due to algorithmic limitations or errors without affecting the entire domain....
John Mueller Jul 11, 2019
★★★ What does it take to get featured in the Top Stories carousel?
No specific parameters are required to appear in the Top Stories news carousel; it’s an organic and algorithmic feature of search results....
John Mueller Jul 09, 2019
★★★ Are New Web Technologies (Web Components, Virtual Scroller) Really SEO Safe?
Google ensures that its search algorithms are compatible with new web technologies like Web Components and the 'virtual scroller', so developers don’t have to worry about potential negative impacts on...
Martin Splitt Jul 03, 2019
★★★ Does site speed really affect Google’s algorithm updates?
During updates, Google did not specifically target performance in June, but speed is an important factor, especially for mobile devices. The emphasis on performance could increase in the future....
John Mueller Jun 27, 2019
★★★ Do the medical certifications of authors really influence the ranking of health content?
Adding information about authors' qualifications, such as medical certifications, can enhance user trust and help Google's algorithms recognize the reliability of health information....
John Mueller Jun 27, 2019
★★★ Do Quality Raters really influence your site's ranking?
Search Quality Raters do not directly influence rankings but assist Google in improving its algorithms....
Google Jun 25, 2019
★★★ Should you still buy expired domains to boost your SEO?
Buying expired domains to redirect to your site is an outdated technique often ignored by Google and could trigger algorithmic filters for manipulating results....
John Mueller Jun 14, 2019
★★ Is it really necessary to create dedicated author pages to enhance your website's EAT?
Author pages are not explicitly necessary for EAT, but it is important to show users that authors are experts. This can be done within the article itself or via links to a biography. Quality raters do...
John Mueller Jun 11, 2019
★★★ Can sensitive images really block the indexing of your pages?
Pages that contain images that might be considered inappropriate can be excluded from the SafeSearch index. Google selects these pages based on a sensitive content filter algorithm, which can affect t...
John Mueller May 31, 2019
★★★ Why is your SEO traffic dropping even when you haven't changed anything on your site?
Traffic fluctuations on a website can result from changes in Google's algorithms. Some website models become less relevant over time as their need diminishes or as other platforms emerge. Additionally...
John Mueller May 31, 2019
★★★ Do privacy policies really impact your Google ranking?
Google's Quality Raters review aspects like privacy policies during algorithm testing, but their reviews are not used to evaluate individual websites. Changes on a website are taken into account autom...
John Mueller May 31, 2019
★★ Are non-compliant favicons really algorithmically processed by Google?
John Mueller prefers that the handling of non-compliant favicons be managed algorithmically to avoid manual actions. If a favicon is updated according to the guidelines, it could be automatically appr...
John Mueller May 28, 2019
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