What does Google say about SEO? /
The Crawl & Indexing category compiles all official Google statements regarding how Googlebot discovers, crawls, and indexes web pages. These fundamental processes determine which pages from your website will be included in Google's index and potentially appear in search results. This section addresses critical technical mechanisms: crawl budget management to optimize allocated resources, strategic implementation of robots.txt files to control content access, noindex directives for page exclusion, XML sitemap configuration to enhance discoverability, along with JavaScript rendering challenges and canonical URL implementation. Google's official positions on these topics are essential for SEO professionals as they help avoid technical blocking issues, accelerate new content indexation, and prevent unintentional deindexing. Understanding Google's crawling and indexing processes forms the foundation of any effective search engine optimization strategy, directly impacting organic visibility and SERP performance. Whether troubleshooting indexation problems, optimizing crawl efficiency for large websites, or ensuring proper URL canonicalization, these official guidelines provide authoritative answers to complex technical SEO questions that shape modern web presence and discoverability.
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★★★ Why do indexing numbers vary between Search Console and mobile reports?
It is normal for total indexing reports and mobile usability reports to show differences, as the latter focuses on a specific part of the total indexed....
John Mueller Jan 24, 2020
★★★ Should you really worry if your archives are accessible only after 10 clicks?
It’s not a problem if old news is accessible after many clicks from the homepage because important pages are often recrawled....
John Mueller Jan 24, 2020
★★★ Do links really point to your canonical URLs instead of your actual pages?
Google sees links as existing between canonical pages. All link signals are combined and associated with the canonical page on both sides....
John Mueller Jan 24, 2020
★★★ Should you really replace underscores with dashes in your URLs?
There is no need to change all URLs containing underscores into dashes. The positive effect is minimal compared to the work required and the risks of site re-indexation....
John Mueller Jan 24, 2020
★★★ Is it really necessary to redirect HTTP to HTTPS, or is the preferred domain enough?
Using the preferred domain is sufficient when a website has similar content on HTTP and HTTPS. However, 301 redirects are recommended to ensure that only the correct versions are indexed....
John Mueller Jan 24, 2020
★★★ Should you really prefer banners over automatic redirects for geographic targeting?
Using a banner is a good way to guide users to the correct language or regional version of the site without automatically redirecting them, which also aids in indexing....
John Mueller Jan 24, 2020
★★★ Does the URL Inspection Tool really uncover all the indexing issues on your pages?
The URL Inspection Tool reveals if a URL can appear in Google search results, any potential issues related to structured data, and provides information on how the page was discovered. It also indicate...
Google Jan 23, 2020
★★★ How do live testing tools and reindexing requests really work in Google Search Console?
The tool allows you to live test a URL to see if any issues remain after correction and to submit a reindexing request to Google for a modified page. The conditions for indexing include compliance wit...
Google Jan 23, 2020
★★★ Does the Search Console URL Inspection Tool really solve your indexing issues?
The URL Inspection Tool in Google Search Console is essential for diagnosing why a page is not appearing as expected in search results. It allows you to check the current indexing status of pages, tes...
Google Jan 23, 2020
★★★ Should you really redirect unavailable product listings, or is it enough to just display an error message?
Redirecting to a replacement product is recommended to maintain SEO value. If there is no replacement, indicate unavailability or use noindex or 404 tags, depending on available resources....
John Mueller Jan 22, 2020
★★★ Can redirects really be indexed in just a few days?
Redirects can be taken into account within a few days if all SEO signals are aligned. This depends on the frequency of page recrawls....
John Mueller Jan 22, 2020
★★★ Does mobile-first indexing work without a responsive site?
Transitioning to mobile-first indexing does not require having an adaptive site, yet mobile-friendliness influences mobile ranking. The content must be accessible even if it is not responsive....
John Mueller Jan 22, 2020
★★★ Should you eliminate IP-based redirects for international SEO?
Avoid IP-based redirects as they stop Googlebot from seeing specific country versions. Prefer an informative banner to guide users to the appropriate version....
John Mueller Jan 22, 2020
★★★ Mobile-First Indexing vs Mobile Compatibility: Do You Really Know the Difference?
Mobile compatibility ensures a smooth user experience, while mobile-first indexing ensures that Google accurately indexes the mobile version of the site with content equivalent to that of the desktop ...
John Mueller Jan 10, 2020
★★★ How can you effectively manage Soft 404 pages without hurting your crawl budget?
Pages returning Soft 404 indicate a state of non-existence of content. For better management, it's preferable to return a clear 404 status or a noindex for these pages....
Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020
★★★ Should you really combine 'unavailable_after' with a noindex or a 404?
Google respects the 'unavailable after' attribute to indicate that a page will no longer be available after a certain date. Be sure to accompany this attribute with a 'no index' or a 404 response to c...
John Mueller Jan 10, 2020
★★★ Does the length of URLs really impact SEO ranking or just canonicalization?
URL length mainly matters for determining the canonical URL, not for ranking. Shorter URLs are favored when choosing between multiple potential canonicals....
Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020
★★★ Does mobile-first indexing really decrease your website's traffic?
The switch to mobile-first indexing should not affect a site's traffic. A traffic loss may result from other factors like algorithm changes or shifts in user behaviors....
John Mueller Jan 10, 2020
★★ Are product structured data useless without internal linking?
For Google to connect structured data with its index, product URLs must be linked on the site; otherwise, they may not be followed....
Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020
★★★ Should you really avoid changing your URL structure multiple times?
When changing your URL structure, ensure that it is a unique and permanent transition to avoid negative repercussions on indexing and to improve crawl efficiency....
Johannes Müller Jan 10, 2020
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