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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★★★ Do advertisers really have an SEO advantage with Google?
Being an advertising client with Google or having a manager account provides absolutely no advantage in natural search results. Reaching out to your Google Ads manager for SEO issues could even slow d...
Google Sep 29, 2022
★★ What's the real reason Google created XML Sitemaps in the first place?
XML Sitemaps were created in early 2005 to allow website owners to provide Google with a list of URLs to crawl and index. Back then, page discovery was difficult because many sites had no incoming lin...
Vanessa Fox Sep 22, 2022
★★★ Should you really eliminate all internal links pointing to your deleted pages?
It is recommended to remove all references to the deleted page from your website, including internal links and sitemap files....
John Mueller Sep 14, 2022
★★ Can you really get JSON and plain text files indexed in Google search results without metadata?
JSON and text files can be indexed and served in search results if Google has enough context. The lack of internal titles and metadata makes these files difficult to rank, but external links with desc...
Gary Illyes Sep 08, 2022
★★ Why must your JavaScript links absolutely use A tags with valid href attributes?
For JavaScript links, you must use a real HTML A tag with an href attribute containing a resolvable URL, not a JavaScript URL like 'javascript:'. Avoid anything that isn't an appropriate link....
Martin Splitt Sep 07, 2022
★★★ Have Links Become Secondary in Google's Ranking Algorithm?
John Mueller indicated on Twitter that to his knowledge, no recent update to the search engine's algorithm has focused on in-depth link analysis, aside from anti-spam algorithms, of course....
John Mueller Sep 05, 2022
★★★ How Does Google Crawl Your Site by Sections and Why Are Some Areas Explored More Often Than Others?
Gary Illyes explained during a recent "Search Off the Record" podcast that Google can analyze certain parts or sections of sites and thus crawl certain areas more frequently while visiting others less...
Gary Illyes Sep 05, 2022
★★★ Should You Index Comment Pages to Improve Your SEO Rankings?
John Mueller explained on Twitter that it's better not to index pages that would only contain comments, whether on a blog, product page, or elsewhere. However, high-quality comments beneath editorial ...
John Mueller Aug 29, 2022
★★★ Should You Cloak Your Affiliate Links to Improve Your SEO?
John Mueller responded on Twitter to a question about the merits of cloaked affiliate links. His answer: "I don't think you gain anything by masking affiliate links, it just adds complexity. You can a...
John Mueller Aug 29, 2022
★★★ Does a new section inherit its crawl budget from your main site's quality?
When you launch a new section (like /blog), Google infers initial crawl signals from the main site. If the main site has strong quality signals (backlinks, popularity), the new section will benefit fr...
Martin Splitt Aug 25, 2022
★★★ 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
★★★ 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
★★★ 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
★★ 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
★★★ 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
★★★ 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
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