What does Google say about SEO? /
This category compiles official Google statements regarding featured snippets, optimized excerpts, and rich search result features displayed on search engine results pages (SERP). Featured snippets, often referred to as position zero, represent a critical strategic opportunity for SEO professionals as they provide maximum visibility by appearing above traditional organic results. Here you'll find Google's communications about Knowledge Graph functionality, rich results implementation, passage ranking technology, and "People Also Ask" features. Understanding the selection criteria for featured snippets, preferred formats (paragraphs, lists, tables), and content structuring best practices is essential for maximizing your chances of capturing these premium positions. Google's official positions on these topics help SEO practitioners separate myths from facts, effectively optimize structured content, and understand how algorithms select and display these enhanced elements that fundamentally transform user experience and organic click-through rates. This resource provides valuable insights into SERP evolution and how to adapt your optimization strategies accordingly for maximum search visibility and traffic potential.
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★★★ How does Google News display excerpts from French press under the neighboring rights directive?
In France, due to new laws, for sites listed on a press list, no text excerpts are shown by default unless actively chosen....
John Mueller Oct 16, 2019
★★★ Can meta tags really control how snippets appear in Google News?
European news publishers can control the display of text and image snippets in France with meta tags, particularly as a result of European legislative changes....
John Mueller Sep 26, 2019
★★★ How does Google actually determine the position displayed in the Search Console?
In the Search Console, Google takes into account the visible first position in real-time for search result rankings, counting the best ranking among the page’s appearances, including those from rich s...
John Mueller Sep 20, 2019
★★★ Do schema subtypes really affect how rich snippets are displayed?
The schema types used for rich snippets affect their display. The listed parent types often include subtypes such as 'hotel' under 'organization'....
John Mueller Sep 20, 2019
★★★ Is it true that Google is restricting review rich snippets? Which sites are now excluded from the SERP?
Google has limited review rich snippets to certain specific types and does not display reviews of entities hosted on the same website of the reviewed entity....
John Mueller Sep 20, 2019
★★★ Can You Actually Mix Different Structured Data Formats on the Same Page?
Google's Twitter account for webmasters indicated that it was entirely possible to use different structured data tags on the same page, or even different types (for example microdata and JSON-LD)....
Google Sep 09, 2019
★★★ Why aren’t your Google News impressions showing up in Search Console?
Impressions from Google News search are not counted in Search Console, unless they appear in standard search results as rich snippets....
John Mueller Aug 22, 2019
★★ Should you merge or separate pages that are competing for the same keywords?
It is important to consider whether multiple pages are competing for the same keywords. Pages can be merged or individualized depending on external competition and their performance in the SERPs....
John Mueller Jul 09, 2019
★★★ Do structured data really guarantee rich snippets for your recipes?
Correctly implementing structured data is essential for the appearance of rich snippets. Google also evaluates the overall quality of the site to determine the ability to display rich snippets....
John Mueller Jun 27, 2019
★★ Can Hidden Content in Accordions Really Appear as Featured Snippets?
John Mueller explained on Twitter that content present in an accordion or tab (and therefore potentially visible upon user action but hidden by default) could appear in featured snippets (whereas this...
John Mueller Jun 25, 2019
★★★ Do rich results really depend on the overall quality of your site?
For rich results to be displayed, the overall quality of the site must be high, in addition to correct technical aspects and compliance with policies....
John Mueller Jun 25, 2019
★★★ Should you really address false information at the source instead of just managing it in the SERPs?
Removing inaccurate information from a Google search does not delete it from the internet. It is important to address defamatory content at the source and legally if necessary....
Google Jun 19, 2019
★★★ Does Googlebot crawl your JavaScript links even before rendering the page?
Googlebot follows a series of actions, starting with fetching the raw HTML to detect the necessary CSS, JavaScript, and images. Links in the initial HTML are also extracted for crawling, even if rende...
Martin Splitt Jun 06, 2019
★★★ Do structured data testing tools really guarantee rich results display?
The Structured Data Testing Tool and the Rich Results Test allow you to test the validity of structured data. The Rich Results Test even provides a preview of how elements might appear in search resul...
Martin Splitt May 29, 2019
★★★ Are Meta Tags and Page Titles Really Crucial for SEO?
Meta tags and page titles are crucial for SEO as they provide snippets that capture users' attention in search results....
Martin Splitt May 15, 2019
★★★ How does Google decide between a homepage and an internal page in search results?
Google often seeks to strike a balance between displaying the homepage or a more targeted internal page for a specific query. The structure of the page and its integration into the site play a signifi...
John Mueller May 01, 2019
★★★ Should You Really Trust Google's Cache Date to Monitor Your Page Indexation?
When viewing a page in its "cached" version (via the appropriate link in the SERP or through the "cache:" query), Google displays a phrase like this: "This is a snapshot of the page as it appeared on ...
John Mueller Apr 15, 2019
★★★ Are rich snippets signaling the end of traditional organic traffic?
Google sees features like rich snippets as helping users access important information more directly. The role of SEO is evolving with this, focusing more on the value the site offers to users rather t...
John Mueller Apr 05, 2019
★★★ Are Schema.org Structured Data Really Useless for Featured Snippets?
John Mueller has once again reiterated on Twitter that displaying content in featured snippets is not linked to the presence of any particular Schema.org structured data markup.......
John Mueller Apr 02, 2019
★★★ How does JavaScript delay the indexing of your pages by Google?
Googlebot executes JavaScript when rendering pages, but it can take time before the content is indexed or updated in search results because rendering is resource-heavy. Thus, while Googlebot can handl...
Martin Splitt Feb 28, 2019
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