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.
Quick SEO Quiz

Test your SEO knowledge in 3 questions

Less than 30 seconds. Find out how much you really know about Google search.

🕒 ~30s 🎯 3 questions 📚 SEO Google
★★★ Do Dwell Time and Pogosticking Really Influence SEO Rankings in Google?
John Mueller reminded us on Twitter for the 4,765th time 🙂 that clicking on your link (or another one) in the SERPs will have no influence on the future ranking of that page in the SERP, neither posit...
John Mueller Aug 16, 2022
★★★ Do skip links really improve your SEO, or are they just an accessibility checkbox?
Accessible websites should offer a skip link menu on the first Tab press, allowing users to jump directly to main content and avoid repetitive navigation. This is a recommended practice for web access...
Danny Farra Aug 11, 2022
★★★ Do Age Verification Pop-ups Really Prevent Your Content from Appearing in Google Discover?
Danny Sullivan explained that if a website displays an age verification request (particularly for sites accessible only to adult users via a pop-up) before accessing its content, this can prevent it f...
Danny Sullivan Aug 01, 2022
★★★ Should You Really Focus on Backlink Numbers to Improve Your SEO?
John Mueller indicated on Twitter that there is no objective and exhaustive way to count the links pointing to a web page (backlinks): "Don't focus on the number of links a particular tool indicates, ...
John Mueller Aug 01, 2022
★★★ Does Google really rewrite your title tags however it wants?
Google normally extracts title links from the HTML title element. If Google believes a title is incomplete or does not match the actual content of the page, it may use other sources such as the main v...
Alan Kent Jul 28, 2022
★★ Is your title tag really showing up the way you think it is in Google's search results?
To verify how your titles appear in search results, perform a site search by specifying the URL in the Google search bar (site:URL). It is recommended to check several pages to ensure that the title l...
Alan Kent Jul 28, 2022
★★★ Should you really remove prices and stock levels from your title tags?
It is not recommended to include dynamic information such as stock levels or prices in title links because there can be a delay of several days before an update on your site becomes visible in search ...
Alan Kent Jul 28, 2022
★★★ How can the Search Console transform your SEO strategy?
Search Console allows you to understand how potential customers use Google Search to find you, which queries generate the most traffic, and which sites mention and link to your website....
Google Jul 20, 2022
★★★ Why is it essential to understand SEO performance for your marketing decisions?
Understanding how your site performs in search results can help you make informed business decisions and better understand how to use search as a channel to communicate with your potential and existin...
Google Jul 20, 2022
★★★ How does Google really navigate links to uncover new content?
Google discovers new content by following links from one page to another. The exploration process is called crawling, and Google continuously scans the web to find new content and add it to its catalo...
Google Jul 20, 2022
★★★ Why does Google rely on external links to find new websites?
Typically, Google discovers your site naturally when someone links to it from another website....
Google Jul 20, 2022
★★★ Does Linking to HTTP Pages Really Hurt Your SEO?
John Mueller explained in a webmaster hangout that there is no problem linking to a page whose URL is HTTP rather than HTTPS. This does not impact the SEO of the linking site, either positively or neg...
John Mueller Jul 18, 2022
★★★ Why is understanding user behavior crucial for enhancing your SEO?
Google advises using Google Analytics to understand how users navigate between pages (regional vs local), whether new visitors easily find what they're looking for, and if returning visitors utilize s...
Google Jul 14, 2022
★★★ Why Should You Prioritize User Experience Instead of SEO Ranking?
For sites where a regional page displays instead of a specific local page, Google recommends focusing on enhancing user experience after the click rather than trying to alter the ranking. If users fin...
Google Jul 14, 2022
★★★ Should You Really Monitor Your Follow/Nofollow Link Ratio for SEO?
John Mueller explained on Reddit that Google's algorithm absolutely does not take into account any ratio of "follow" and "nofollow" links and that this is a myth. Google's algorithm does not work that...
John Mueller Jul 11, 2022
★★★ Should You Really Delete Your Link Disavow File in 2024?
John Mueller stated in a webmaster hangout that there's probably no risk in completely deleting your link disavow file if you haven't had any manual actions before and/or if you don't have a history o...
John Mueller Jul 11, 2022
★★ Is the HSTS preload list really a game-changer for your SEO rankings?
The HSTS preload list has no effect on Google's canonical URL selection. For SEO, what counts is the HTTP to HTTPS redirect and confirmation via sitemap and internal links that the HTTPS version shoul...
John Mueller Jul 04, 2022
★★★ Is Googlebot Really Ignoring Your JavaScript Links If You're Not Using <a> Tags?
Googlebot doesn't click on every element to see what happens. Google searches for normal HTML links (traditional <a> tags) to recognize pages to crawl. JavaScript frameworks must generate these normal...
John Mueller Jul 04, 2022
★★★ Should you really delete your disavow file?
Google is actively working to exclude links from hacked sites or auto-generated spam content. If you haven't had a manual action to resolve, you can delete your disavow file and move on to something e...
John Mueller Jul 04, 2022
★★ Can you safely link to HTTP websites without hurting your SEO rankings?
It is perfectly acceptable to create links to HTTP pages rather than HTTPS. There is no SEO disadvantage for your site in linking to HTTP pages. Google does not penalize these unsecured external links...
John Mueller Jul 04, 2022
🔔

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.