What does Google say about SEO? /
This category compiles all official Google statements regarding links and their role in search engine optimization. Backlinks have always been a cornerstone of Google's ranking algorithm, though guidelines continue to evolve. Here you'll find Google's positions on link building strategies, acceptable practices versus manipulative techniques, proper use of nofollow and dofollow attributes, and official guidance on private blog networks (PBN) and guest blogging approaches. SEO practitioners will discover authoritative recommendations on anchor text optimization, toxic link management through the disavow tool, and the significance of internal linking for site architecture. Google regularly communicates about backlink quality, emphasizing relevance and natural link profiles over sheer volume. Understanding these official declarations is crucial for developing compliant netlinking strategies, avoiding algorithmic or manual penalties, and effectively optimizing PageRank flow throughout your website. This documentation helps search marketers separate myths from facts regarding outbound links impact, various link types, and acquisition techniques endorsed by the search engine. Whether you're addressing linkspam concerns or building sustainable link equity, these official statements provide the authoritative foundation for modern link-based SEO strategies.
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★★★ How can you effectively control which version of duplicate HTML and PDF content Google indexes?
You have controls available to manage indexing: use an HTTP noindex header or a meta robots tag to block indexing of one version, or use the link rel=canonical element to indicate your preference to G...
John Mueller Dec 12, 2023
★★ Should You Really Fix All Your 404 Errors for SEO?
On Reddit, John Mueller stated that there's relatively little value in attempting to restore broken links displaying a 404 error, at least from an SEO perspective: "Keep in mind that it's not necessar...
John Mueller Dec 05, 2023
★★ Should You Really Worry About 404 Errors from Phone Links?
404 errors caused by phone links (href='tel:...') can be safely ignored or blocked via robots.txt. Their presence in Search Console does not negatively impact SEO....
Google Nov 30, 2023
★★★ Why doesn't Google automatically index your site?
Websites (Google Sites or others) are not automatically indexed. You need to make your site discoverable to search engines, particularly by obtaining links from other sites. Submission via Search Cons...
Google Nov 30, 2023
★★★ Should You Really Trust Your SEO Tools' Recommendations?
John Mueller answered a question on Reddit from a user wondering whether or not to use accents for Vietnamese words, as these would surely not be used by the American and Australian tourists that his ...
John Mueller Nov 28, 2023
★★★ Should You Really Fix All 404 Errors Reported in Search Console?
On Reddit, John Mueller clarified how to approach Search Console reports showing a significant number of 404 errors related to URLs that don't exist. The culprit: spam sites creating links to imaginar...
John Mueller Nov 07, 2023
★★ How does SafeSearch actually filter explicit content from your search results?
SafeSearch relies on automated machine learning systems and various other signals to identify explicit content, including words on the hosting web page and those contained in links pointing to it....
Google Nov 01, 2023
★★ Should You Really Shorten Your Recipe Pages to Rank Better on Google?
On X, a user complained about recipe sites that publish overly long recipes where information is difficult to find, solely to rank well. In response, Danny Sullivan stated that he is well aware of thi...
Danny Sullivan Oct 31, 2023
★★ Are Backlinks Really No Longer Among Google's Priority SEO Signals?
At PubCon 2023, Gary Illyes stated that backlinks weren't even among the top three ranking signals used by Google. He also declared that this had been the case for quite some time, and that there wasn...
Gary Illyes Sep 26, 2023
★★★ Why Can Your Indexed URL Count Suddenly Skyrocket in Search Console?
In the September SEO Office Hours, Gary Illyes explained why it's sometimes possible to observe a sudden spike in indexed URLs in Google Search. There are multiple reasons that can explain this, but G...
Gary Illyes Sep 19, 2023
★★★ Why does Google rely on links from 'normal websites' to evaluate your site's authority?
Links from normal websites (not profile pages or suspicious sites) are very useful for estimating a site's importance for indexation. The more natural links a site receives from legitimate websites, t...
Gary Illyes Sep 19, 2023
★★★ Can affiliate links coexist with a high-quality SEO strategy?
Affiliate links are not a problem if you create useful and original content, such as a genuine product review. Simply copy-pasting the description provided by the affiliate without added value is not ...
Gary Illyes Sep 19, 2023
★★★ Why does Googlebot ignore your buttons and how can you work around this limitation?
Generally speaking, Googlebot does not click on buttons. Links must be accessible via standard HTML elements rather than requiring user interaction....
Gary Illyes Sep 06, 2023
★★★ Does mobile-first indexing really force you to prioritize the mobile version above all else?
With mobile-first indexing, Google uses the mobile version of a page as the basis for indexing and discovering links. If the mobile version contains the complete content, that's sufficient....
Google Sep 06, 2023
★★★ Are guest posts really banned by Google for building backlinks?
Using guest posts to obtain backlinks violates Google's anti-spam policies. These links must be marked with the rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored" attribute to signal that they do not affect search res...
Google Sep 06, 2023
★★★ Should You Slow Down Your Page Load Time to Boost Your SEO?
On LinkedIn, Liam Fallen published a joke about a myth that Google has debunked numerous times: "If your site loads too fast... consider slowing it down. Why? Users will have to wait longer for your p...
John Mueller Sep 05, 2023
★★★ Do 301 and 302 redirects really transmit the same amount of PageRank?
There is no difference between 301 and 302 redirects in terms of PageRank transmission. Both types of redirects are treated the same way by Google regarding PageRank, so you shouldn't worry about the ...
John Mueller Aug 31, 2023
★★★ Should you really choose redirects based on SEO impact or technical logic?
Google recommends using the type of redirect that is technically correct for your use case, rather than choosing based on supposed SEO impact. The choice should be based on technical criteria and not ...
John Mueller Aug 31, 2023
★★★ Should You Create Internal Links Pointing to the Page Itself to Boost SEO?
On Mastodon, Sina Afkham asked whether internal links on a page pointing to itself carried more weight or provided additional context to the page. John Mueller responded that he didn't think this adde...
John Mueller Aug 29, 2023
★★★ Should You Temporarily Deindex a Page to Remove Its Sitelinks from SERPs?
On Reddit, John Mueller shared his perspective on using noindex to modify link appearances. A user asked him whether it was possible to temporarily deindex a specific page to prevent it from appearing...
John Mueller Aug 22, 2023
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