What does Google say about SEO? /
The Content category compiles all official Google statements regarding textual content creation, optimization, and evaluation in the context of search engine optimization. It encompasses fundamental aspects such as editorial quality, E-E-A-T criteria (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), duplicate content issues, and thin content concerns. Google's positions on these topics are critical for understanding how algorithms assess the relevance and added value of web pages. This category also includes recommendations on structural elements like headings (H1, H2, Hn tags), meta descriptions, and semantic optimization. With the introduction of the Helpful Content system, Google has reinforced the importance of a user-first approach rather than a search engine-first methodology. SEO professionals will find here official guidance for creating content that meets algorithmic expectations while delivering genuine value to users, a balance that has become essential for achieving and maintaining strong rankings in search results. These declarations provide clarity on content strategies that align with Google's evolving quality standards and ranking factors.
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★★★ Is Infinite Scroll Secretly Killing Your Organic Rankings?
Martin Splitt explained during a hangout that certain infinite scroll systems on websites could cause SEO damage. For example, when part of the content isn't loaded until the user scrolls down their s...
Martin Splitt Apr 27, 2020
★★★ Do Google's Internal SEO Teams Really Have Access to Privileged Algorithm Information?
John Mueller explained in one of his "Ask Google Webmasters" video series that Google's SEO spokespeople and, more generally, the team managing the search engine don't provide any information to Googl...
John Mueller Apr 27, 2020
★★★ Why Does Google Sometimes Ignore Your Meta Description in Search Results?
John Mueller indicated in a webmaster hangout the various reasons why Google will not use the content of a page's meta "description" tag in its snippet (page summary in search results): 1. The meta de...
John Mueller Apr 20, 2020
★★★ Should You Still Optimize the Noscript Tag for SEO in 2024?
Martin Splitt explained during a hangout that Google no longer supports the "noscript" tag, except for images. But even this approach could soon be reconsidered by removing this support for images, if...
Martin Splitt Apr 20, 2020
★★★ How Does Google Handle Sudden Search Spikes and Fleeting Trends?
John Mueller explained during a hangout that Google's algorithm does not currently take into account changes in internet user behavior due to the coronavirus, for example: searches to buy toilet paper...
John Mueller Apr 20, 2020
★★★ Why Has Differentiation Become Essential for Ranking Well on Google?
John Mueller indicated in a hangout that it was very difficult to "stand out from the crowd" when you offer the same information on your site as dozens of other information sources on the Web (he was ...
John Mueller Apr 20, 2020
★★ Should you really be worried when you modify the anchor text of your main navigation?
Changing anchor text to be less specific without losing the overall context is feasible, but it may require relearning from Google....
John Mueller Apr 19, 2020
★★★ Are Doorway Pages Still Penalized by Google?
Creating pages solely for keyword variations and redirecting to the same content is considered doorway pages, which is discouraged by Google's Web Spam team....
John Mueller Apr 19, 2020
★★★ Does duplicate backend code really harm your SEO?
Using the same backend code and site structure generally does not cause duplication if the content and descriptions are different....
John Mueller Apr 19, 2020
★★★ Does hreflang really work between separate domains without shared geo-targeting?
For multilingual setups, hreflang allows the connection of pages across different domains without the content residing on the same principal domain. Each domain uses its own geo-targeting settings....
John Mueller Apr 15, 2020
★★★ Do machine translations really harm organic search rankings?
Machine translations are problematic when they produce low-quality content. Google may regard this content as irrelevant in search results if the text is difficult to understand....
John Mueller Apr 15, 2020
★★★ Do you really need to audit the history of an expired domain before buying it?
It is crucial to conduct preliminary research on a domain before purchasing it, especially if it has been used before. This includes checking for manual actions or problematic past content....
John Mueller Apr 15, 2020
★★★ Do H1 and H2 tags really influence Google rankings?
It's recommended to properly use heading level tags, like H1 and H2, so that Google can understand your page structure. This also aids user comprehension and is beneficial for accessibility....
John Mueller Apr 15, 2020
★★★ Should you really disregard meta tags on 404 pages?
When a page returns a 404 error, Google ignores all the content on the page, including tags like noindex. The page will only be considered non-indexed based on the 404 code....
John Mueller Apr 15, 2020
★★★ Should you worry that Googlebot doesn't support WebSockets?
Googlebot currently does not support WebSockets, and there are no imminent plans to do so. However, Google may consider support if the trend of websites significantly shifts towards this technology....
Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020
★★★ Does hidden content in the DOM really get indexed by Google?
Hidden content present in the DOM is taken into account by Google for indexing, unless it is deemed irrelevant or misleading....
Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020
★★★ What really defines cloaking according to Google?
Cloaking is defined as presenting different content to users compared to Googlebot with the intent to deceive. Minor differences, such as adjustments for rendering or mobile, are not considered cloaki...
Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020
★★★ Does image lazy loading really impact Google indexing?
For lazy-loaded images, if the testing tools show that the rendered HTML contains high-quality versions, then they will be indexed. Using native lazy loading attributes is recommended to ensure that t...
Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020
★★ Do Google's SEO statements have an expiration date?
Statements made by Google employees can evolve over time with updates in technology and algorithms....
Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020
★★★ Does client-side rendering (CSR) really hurt an Angular site's SEO?
An Angular site where content is rendered client-side does not present ranking issues as long as the content is visible to Googlebot and the site is not too slow....
Martin Splitt Apr 09, 2020
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