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.
Quick SEO Quiz

Test your SEO knowledge in 5 questions

Less than a minute. Find out how much you really know about Google search.

🕒 ~1 min 🎯 5 questions
★★★ Does structured data really impact Google rankings?
Using structured data helps Google better understand the entities and relationships on a page, thus improving search relevance. Including numerous types of structured data can be beneficial, but it wi...
John Mueller Jun 28, 2019
★★ Are new result formats really accessible everywhere?
Some search result formats, such as those for podcasts, may be geographically limited during their initial rollout phase and gradually expand....
John Mueller Jun 27, 2019
★★ Should you really disavow spam links, or is Google taking care of it for you?
Google is effective at ignoring spam links, and typically, there is no need to disavow them. However, for added security, using a disavow file can be considered....
John Mueller Jun 27, 2019
★★★ Does the number of HTTP requests really drain your crawl budget?
The number of requests needed to load a page can affect the crawl budget. Minimizing requests through server or hybrid rendering can improve crawl efficiency....
Martin Splitt Jun 27, 2019
★★ How many redirects does Google actually follow before giving up?
Google handles multiple redirects by following up to five redirects at once. Beyond this number, processing can be segmented to slowly check later redirects....
John Mueller Jun 27, 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
★★★ Why should every modal have its own URL to be indexed?
To make content discoverable by search engines, every relevant application state, such as modals with valuable content, should be accessible via a distinct URL....
Martin Splitt 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 new Internet protocols really boost your SEO?
Technologies like new Internet protocols can enhance site speed, which is a ranking factor for Google, especially on mobile. Google recommends adopting them if it improves user experience, but with ca...
John Mueller Jun 27, 2019
★★ Can a Page Rank Based on Image Alt Attributes Alone?
John Mueller indicated on Twitter that a page can definitely rank on the search engine with a keyword that is only displayed in the Alt attribute of an image within its source code......
John Mueller Jun 25, 2019
★★★ Should you still optimize infinite scroll for Google indexing?
Recommendations for infinite scroll remain valid, except for rel-next and rel-previous. It is crucial to have updated URLs during scrolling to facilitate indexing....
John Mueller Jun 25, 2019
★★★ Are URLs with non-Latin characters really crawled by Google without issues?
Google can crawl URLs containing non-Latin characters without any issues. We've been doing this for a long time....
John Mueller Jun 25, 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
★★★ Are new subdomains automatically eligible for mobile-first indexing?
For existing sites, subdomains created will not automatically transition to mobile-first indexing (MFI) after July....
Google Jun 25, 2019
★★★ Should Every Page Really Have a Canonical Tag, Even When It Points to Itself?
John Mueller indicated during a webmaster hangout that while the "self canonical" technique (implementing a "canonical" tag pointing to the page's own URL to avoid DUST) wasn't entirely mandatory, it ...
John Mueller Jun 25, 2019
★★ Is it true that HTML/CSS validation is completely pointless for SEO?
The HTML/CSS validity of a document is not a ranking signal. Most web pages have HTML errors but are not penalized by Google if they function well for users....
John Mueller Jun 25, 2019
★★ Should you set a default language on your homepage to boost your SEO ranking?
Choosing a default language for your homepage does not necessarily guarantee a better ranking in that language. However, the homepage often holds more weight due to its external links, which can indir...
John Mueller Jun 25, 2019
★★ Why does changing a title take weeks on a large site?
The time it takes for a page title change to propagate increases with the number of pages to be crawled, but can accelerate with an optimized crawl....
Google Jun 25, 2019
★★★ Does Googlebot really index images with native lazy-loading?
Googlebot supports lazy-loading implemented via attr='loading=lazy' without the need for additional scripts....
Google Jun 25, 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
🔔

Get real-time analysis of the latest Google SEO declarations

Be the first to know every time a new official Google statement drops — with full expert analysis.

No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.