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 really exclude prices from flight page title tags?
For pages concerning flights, you should not include prices in title tags. Titles are highly visible and prices can change rapidly, which would make the title become outdated....
Google Dec 19, 2023
★★ Is your video being penalized by Google for appearing below the fold, and how can you fix it?
The 'Video outside viewport' error means that a user searching for a video must scroll to find it after landing on your page. The simplest solution is to move the video to the top of the page so it's ...
Martin Splitt Dec 18, 2023
★★★ Should you really be chasing perfect SEO?
No SEO is perfect. The internet, search engines, and the way users search are constantly evolving, so SEO evolves over time as well. This includes technical elements like structured data as well as qu...
Google Dec 18, 2023
★★★ Does Google really index iframe content as part of the parent page — or treats it as completely separate?
Google attempts to associate content from a subpage embedded via iframe with the main page during indexing, but this is not guaranteed since both are normal HTML pages. To ensure a subpage is indexed ...
Google Dec 18, 2023
★★★ Is returning HTTP 200 on a 404 page really cloaking or just a soft 404?
Returning an HTTP 200 status code for pages that should be 404 is generally considered a soft 404, not cloaking, and doesn't lead to penalties. However, it's undesirable. Solutions: configure a proper...
Gary Illyes Dec 18, 2023
★★ Why is Google displaying your special characters as gibberish in search results?
If special characters aren't displaying correctly in search results, it's likely due to a mismatch between the encoding Google detects and the one you intended. You must specify the encoding in your H...
Gary Illyes Dec 18, 2023
★★ Should you translate your URLs to boost international SEO rankings?
Using the content language in URLs, including non-English characters like Chinese, has no major impact on SEO. However, using the content language in URLs can sometimes be useful for search and for us...
Gary Illyes Dec 18, 2023
★★★ Is web accessibility really a Google ranking factor or just a smoke screen?
Accessibility isn't exactly important for rankings, but it is for users. Some accessibility features like image alt attributes are useful for Googlebot. Generally speaking, building a useful website m...
Martin Splitt Dec 18, 2023
★★★ Should you still report bad backlinks to Google in 2024?
Bad link reports submitted to Google are used to improve algorithms overall. Google does not take individual actions on each report. This information is available on Google's official blog....
Gary Illyes Dec 18, 2023
★★★ Should you really prioritize a hierarchical structure for large websites?
For large websites, a hierarchical structure is generally preferable. It allows different sections to be treated differently, particularly for crawling. For example, having a 'news' directory for news...
Gary Illyes Dec 18, 2023
★★ Should you force your sitemap file indexation in Google?
A sitemap file can be indexed, but forcing its indexation is pointless. This doesn't harm your site but brings no benefit either. If you want to prevent its indexation or effectively remove it from se...
Gary Illyes Dec 18, 2023
★★ Are double slashes in URLs really hurting your SEO performance?
From a technical standpoint (RFC 3986), double slashes in URLs don't pose a problem because the slash is a valid separator that can appear multiple times. However, from a usability perspective, it's n...
Gary Illyes Dec 18, 2023
★★★ Should you really worry about 404 errors on your website?
404 errors are part of the web and are normal on a website. You shouldn't fear them. The only thing to monitor is whether a page considered important suddenly becomes a 404, in which case you need to ...
Martin Splitt Dec 18, 2023
★★★ Is Google really rejecting the idea of a magic formula to rank higher?
There is more to succeeding online than simply adding pages. The content you add must bring new and unique value to the web. The site as a whole must be unique, convincing, high-quality, and deliver v...
Google Dec 18, 2023
★★★ How can you successfully transfer your image rankings to new URLs without losing search visibility?
To transfer image rankings to new URLs, update the img elements to point to the new URLs and redirect the old image URLs to the new ones. Since images are crawled less frequently, reprocessing across ...
Google Dec 18, 2023
★★★ Is blocking crawl via robots.txt really the miracle solution against toxic links?
To prevent Googlebot from crawling URLs you don't want explored, use the robots.txt file to block them. If Googlebot doesn't make a request to these URLs, it won't see the content or the URLs it might...
Martin Splitt Dec 18, 2023
★★★ Why does blocking crawl via robots.txt prevent Google from seeing your noindex directive?
If you block the crawling of URLs via robots.txt, Googlebot cannot make a request to those URLs and therefore does not see the noindex directive. To prevent indexation, you must allow crawling so that...
Martin Splitt Dec 18, 2023
★★ Why are the data discrepancies between Google Analytics and Search Console causing so much confusion for SEO professionals?
Google Analytics and Search Console both provide information about users, but they are collected in very different ways. It is worthwhile to consult both independently. The Search Console Help Center ...
Google Dec 18, 2023
★★ Is Google finally releasing clear documentation on LLMs and their SEO impact?
Google has published educational resources on large language models (LLMs) and their impact on search, helping SEO professionals understand these technologies....
John Mueller Dec 15, 2023
★★★ Is it safe to ignore the sitemap error in robots.txt according to Google?
The 'invalid sitemap detected in robots.txt' error is a known bug in the Search Console tool. It is safe to ignore this error. The product team is aware and is working on a fix. Declaring a sitemap in...
Google Dec 14, 2023
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