What does Google say about SEO? /
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping search engine optimization and Google's algorithms. This category compiles Google's official statements regarding AI usage in search, including machine learning technologies, large language models (LLMs), and new generative search experiences like SGE and AI Overview. SEO practitioners will find Google's positions on how AI-generated content (ChatGPT, Gemini, Bard) impacts website rankings and organic visibility. Google has clarified its guidelines concerning artificial intelligence for content creation, distinguishing acceptable practices from manipulative techniques that violate search quality standards. Understanding these official declarations is crucial for adapting SEO strategies to algorithmic evolutions, particularly with the increasing integration of machine learning into ranking systems. This category also covers the impact of AI-generated answers in SERPs, E-E-A-T quality criteria applied to AI-assisted content, and recommendations for maintaining organic search presence in the era of generative search. Essential insights include how Google evaluates content quality regardless of production method, focusing on helpfulness and user value rather than creation process. A must-follow resource for staying ahead in modern search engine optimization.
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★★ Should you include affiliate links in your product markup to enhance your SEO?
It is acceptable to use links to other sellers, such as Amazon affiliate links, in schema.org Product markup, as some sites operate on an affiliate basis or with separate cart systems....
John Mueller Sep 03, 2021
★★ Is it really necessary to enrich your category pages for SEO?
Having a bit of content on category pages is beneficial for providing context, but these pages shouldn't be transformed into Wikipedia articles. The goal is to offer context without diluting the page'...
John Mueller Sep 03, 2021
★★ Why is a sitemap crucial even for small sites?
Submitting a sitemap file is not mandatory, especially for very small sites, but it is highly recommended as it facilitates the discovery of new and updated content by Google....
John Mueller Sep 03, 2021
★★★ Should you avoid 'nofollow' attributes on your own sites?
For links between two sites owned by the same owner, use regular links without the sponsored or nofollow attributes. These links are not regarded as affiliate links by Google....
John Mueller Sep 03, 2021
★★ Does the placement of content on a category page really influence SEO?
Whether you place the content at the top or bottom of a category page likely makes little difference for SEO. Content at the top can slightly aid in understanding the context and headings....
John Mueller Sep 03, 2021
★★ Does using multiple CMS really affect your SEO?
Using multiple CMS on the same site does not affect SEO. Google does not take the type of CMS into account for ranking or indexing. Any potential issues are related to the CMS itself, not to having se...
John Mueller Sep 03, 2021
★★ Why should you keep the original URL for SEO after separating from PPC?
When separating a URL used for SEO and PPC, it is recommended to keep the original URL for SEO because many signals are tied to it, and creating a new SEO URL would mean starting from scratch....
John Mueller Sep 03, 2021
★★★ Why is having a single recipe per page essential for SEO?
The schema.org markup for recipes should only be used for a single item per page, not for lists of recipe ideas. Google is working to algorithmically detect these abuses rather than relying on manual ...
John Mueller Sep 03, 2021
★★★ Should you expect traffic drops when migrating from .com to .co.uk?
Migrating from a .com domain to a .co.uk involves automatic geotargeting towards the UK. Traffic fluctuations are normal during this change, particularly if the content is also altered. With a .co.uk,...
John Mueller Sep 03, 2021
★★ Is it wise to still use KGMID in schema.org sameAs?
Using Google's Knowledge Graph identifier in the sameAs property of schema.org is technically possible but not recommended because these identifiers can change. It is advisable to prefer stable URLs s...
John Mueller Sep 03, 2021
★★★ Do Mobile and Desktop Versions Really Need Identical Content for Mobile First Indexing?
John Mueller explained on Twitter that, to be acceptable in the Mobile First index, the desktop and mobile versions of a page do not need to offer exactly the same content, but must however "fulfill t...
John Mueller Aug 30, 2021
★★★ Should You Still Optimize Your Site for Google Search Result Personalization?
Danny Sullivan reiterated on Twitter that result personalization (i.e., taking into account search history and visited sites, user profile, etc.) was an extremely weak criterion in the algorithm and t...
Danny Sullivan Aug 30, 2021
★★★ Should you really use nofollow for promotional links in SEO?
For the initial promotion of content through guest posts or other means, links must be nofollow. This functions like advertising: users can click, but no ranking signals are passed on. If people enjoy...
John Mueller Aug 28, 2021
★★ Is it true that Google won’t allow a meta tag to prevent title rewrites?
Google does not plan to create a meta tag that would allow disabling title rewriting. The issue is expected to be resolved by improving algorithms, not by adding an extra setting, as this need did not...
John Mueller Aug 28, 2021
★★ Pagination or Infinite Scroll: Which One Should You Optimize for SEO?
The choice between pagination and infinite scroll primarily depends on the desired user experience. Both approaches can perform well for SEO if they are implemented correctly....
John Mueller Aug 28, 2021
★★ Are you really adding SEO value by linking to the same page twice?
Adding a second link to a page that is already linked in the main navigation generally does not provide any significant SEO benefit. The anchor text can offer more context if the first one is not desc...
John Mueller Aug 28, 2021
★★ Are post-interaction interstitials really considered acceptable for SEO?
An interstitial shown after significant user interaction (e.g., scrolling to the bottom) may be acceptable. However, a fixed banner is preferable. Watch out for the Cumulative Layout Shift that some i...
John Mueller Aug 28, 2021
★★★ Should you really optimize Core Web Vitals to rank at the top?
Core Web Vitals are part of the Page Experience ranking factor, but they don't replace everything. No site is perfect in all aspects. You can rank well by excelling in certain areas without being perf...
John Mueller Aug 28, 2021
★★★ Should you still optimize Core Web Vitals once they're in the green?
Once Core Web Vitals are in the green zone according to real user metrics, further improving the scores offers no additional SEO benefits. Being in the green simply ensures the stability of good perfo...
John Mueller Aug 28, 2021
★★★ Do old 404 errors still influence your SEO rankings?
404 errors on old URLs that Google is still trying to crawl do not affect ranking at all. It's perfectly normal for a site to generate many 404 errors on URLs that no longer exist....
John Mueller Aug 28, 2021
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