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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★★★ Why does Google insist that links should remain real HTML links?
Some developers try to do clever things with other elements like spans, divs, or buttons. But fundamentally, if something behaves like a link, it should be a proper HTML link....
Martin Splitt Jul 23, 2024
★★★ Does Google really treat internal links as a UX signal for Googlebot?
Internal links are important because they help users identify the next steps to follow and connect individual pages of a website together. Googlebot also uses these internal links in the same way user...
Martin Splitt Jul 23, 2024
★★ Why does Google keep displaying your old site name in search results long after a rebrand?
When Google continues to rank links or names from an old site after a rebrand, it's normal. People may call a product by its old name long after the change. Google Search is a reflection of what peopl...
Gary Illyes Jul 18, 2024
★★★ Do links on crawl-blocked pages really lose all their SEO value?
When a page is blocked from crawling or indexation, you must consider this from the user's perspective: if a page is not available, they cannot do anything with it, so links on that page become somewh...
Google Jul 18, 2024
★★ Does Google really use RSS feeds to discover and index new content on your site?
Google can use RSS feeds referenced on a site to discover new URLs or other URLs on other sites, similar to sitemaps. RSS feeds are mentioned in the official documentation on sitemaps....
Gary Illyes Jul 18, 2024
★★★ Should You Really Worry About Having a Massive Disavow List?
When asked about the potentially harmful impact of massive link disavow lists, John Mueller stated that there was no cause for concern regarding their existence or removal....
John Mueller Jul 16, 2024
★★ Is Negative SEO Really Ineffective Against Your Site?
During the latest SERP Conf, Gary Illyes explained that Negative SEO was an ineffective practice. He specifically stated that Google ignores links from thematically unrelated sites, such as spam or in...
Google Jul 09, 2024
★★★ Can Index Requests Actually Force Google to Change Your Page's Canonical URL?
On LinkedIn, in response to a question about speeding up the removal of a 301 redirected URL, John Mueller clarified that using the "Request Indexing" feature in Google Search Console does not modify ...
John Mueller Jul 09, 2024
★★★ Why Should a Sudden Spike in Googlebot Crawling Worry You Rather Than Please You?
In a LinkedIn post, Gary Illyes explained that sudden spikes in Googlebot activity could indicate a problem. The most common first reason is the presence of infinite spaces (calendar pages, infinitely...
Gary Illyes Jun 25, 2024
★★★ Should you really worry about toxic backlinks pointing to your site?
Google is very effective at ignoring irrelevant links pointing to a site. It is recommended to ignore these toxic links. If necessary, you can use the disavow tool or report spam....
Gary Illyes Jun 13, 2024
★★ Should you really fix every single broken backlink pointing to your site?
You should fix broken backlinks that would be useful for users. It's impossible to fix them all, especially for large sites....
Gary Illyes Jun 13, 2024
★★★ Do affiliate links actually hurt your page's search rankings?
Having affiliate links on a page doesn't automatically make pages useless or bad, nor automatically useful. Pages must be genuinely useful and provide real value within the context of the web and for ...
Google Jun 13, 2024
★★★ Can a Few Problematic Pages Really Penalize an Entire Website?
On Reddit, John Mueller clarified that it was unlikely that ten problematic pages (out of 20,000 pages), affected by the HCU or reputation abuse, could cause a ranking penalty across an entire site. A...
John Mueller Jun 11, 2024
★★ How can you effectively leverage Google's removal tool?
The URL must match exactly: uppercase/lowercase, with or without a trailing slash. Use the exact URL as it appears in search results. Tracking parameters should be removed, as well as anchors (#)....
Google May 30, 2024
★★★ What Happens to Your SEO Data When Your Pages Get Deindexed by Google?
On LinkedIn, Gary Illyes stated that Google Search Console retains almost no data on non-indexed/deindexed sites, though he specified that one element remains "if the URL comes back." This statement w...
Gary Illyes May 21, 2024
★★★ Does Google's Reputation Abuse Policy Actually Target Links or Just Content?
In a post on X, Danny Sullivan indicated that the site reputation abuse policy had nothing to do with created links, but concerned only content: "it's about content that abuses a site's reputation."...
Danny Sullivan May 14, 2024
★★★ Should You Still Be Using the Link Disavow Tool in 2024?
On X, John Mueller stated that Google plans to gradually phase out the link disavow tool. As he also noted: "most spam, paid, placed, exchanged links are simply ignored these days. It's rare that you ...
John Mueller May 14, 2024
★★ Is auditing your documentation regularly really essential to maintain strong SEO performance?
Implementing automatic reminder systems to periodically audit existing content allows you to verify that advice remains current and that links work properly....
Lizzi Sassman May 09, 2024
★★ Should you really add warning banners to your older content pieces?
Placing banners on old blog articles allows you to inform users that the content may be obsolete, that certain links may no longer work, or that more recent resources are available....
Lizzi Sassman May 09, 2024
★★ Should you really fix broken links in your older content?
Google recommends fixing broken links in old content even if it dates back several years. This improves user experience by allowing visitors to find where resources have been moved....
Lizzi Sassman May 09, 2024
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