What does Google say about SEO? /
Official Google statements come from various channels: official blogs (Google Search Central Blog), developer documentation, conference announcements, and responses on help forums. These institutional communications represent Google's official position on SEO matters and best practices to follow.
Quick SEO Quiz

Test your SEO knowledge in 5 questions

Less than a minute. Find out how much you really know about Google search.

🕒 ~1 min 🎯 5 questions
★★★ Do YouTube videos really enhance a web page's ranking?
Embedding YouTube videos or others on a website does not directly improve search results rankings. The positive effect comes from enhancing the user experience when the video genuinely helps in unders...
Nov 05, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does mobile-first indexing really mean your site has to be mobile-friendly?
Mobile-First Indexing means that Google uses the mobile crawler to index and rank sites, but this does not mean that a site must be mobile-friendly. These are two different aspects of SEO....
Nov 05, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Can a desktop-only site thrive under Mobile-First Indexing without a mobile version?
After the transition to Mobile-First Indexing, sites with only a desktop version continue to be indexed normally if the mobile crawler can explore them. They do not disappear from search results....
Nov 05, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should You Really Implement Hreflang for International SEO?
Fabrice Canal (Bing) explained on Twitter that Microsoft's search engine pays relatively little attention to the content of the Hreflang tag, which is less important in any case than language detectio...
Sep 14, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Do structured data really enhance your ranking in Google?
Structured data helps Google understand the content of a page, but it does not guarantee better positions in the SERP as seen with Top Stories....
Sep 03, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does Google really penalize sites with multiple URLs on the first page?
Google does not explicitly limit the number of results per site in the SERP but tries to diversify results as much as possible. However, some cases may still show multiple results from the same site....
Sep 03, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does Google detect coverage discrepancies between mobile and desktop in Search Console?
In the coverage reports from Google Search Console, if your site has distinct versions for desktop and mobile, ensure that both versions are properly crawled and indexed with the appropriate annotatio...
Sep 03, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How does Google really handle phishing pages in its search results?
Google is constantly working to identify and reduce the number of phishing sites in search results. However, given the volume, some may still appear....
Sep 03, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Should you really use the picture tag to serve your WebP images?
To implement WebP with a fallback, using the picture tag is recommended. This method is preferable to ensure compatibility with browsers that do not support WebP....
Sep 03, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really exclude mobile URLs from XML sitemaps?
For sites with distinct mobile and desktop versions, it is recommended to include only canonical URLs in the sitemaps and to have correct annotations for the mobile versions....
Sep 03, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why do Core Web Vitals tools yield conflicting results?
The differences in results across Core Web Vitals measurement tools may stem from the distinction between lab data and field data. The PageSpeed Insights tool, for instance, uses field data, which can...
Sep 03, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really let go of AMP for your SEO strategy?
To remove AMP while ensuring a smooth transition, refer to the dedicated guide on the Google Developers site. Properly managing changes is essential to avoid errors....
Sep 03, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why do the site: data and Search Console data never match?
The site: data and Google Search Console data may differ. For marketing analyses, it is advisable to use the more reliable Search Console data....
Sep 03, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ What makes Google refuse to index your pages even when you think the content is relevant?
If your URL is not indexed quickly, it is crucial to focus on creating quality content. Google does not guarantee the indexing of all pages, and indexing can be influenced by content quality and other...
Sep 03, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should You Include Category Pages in Your XML Sitemap?
In response to a tweet asking whether category page URLs - article or product listing pages - should be included in the XML Sitemap, Fabrice Canel (Bing) answered yes, this file should include all URL...
Aug 31, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Which Image Formats Should You Use in Structured Data to Optimize Your SEO?
Google has updated its online help regarding the image formats supported by structured data tags for this type of file. These are the following formats: BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, WebP and SVG......
Aug 17, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Can You Really Optimize Your Content for Google Discover?
In the new version of the help page about its Discover feature, Google explains that "there is no way to create content that explicitly aims to meet Discover's interests." In other words, you cannot o...
Jul 20, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How does Google Search Console now monitor your video structured data?
Google announced on Twitter a minor change in how video traffic data is displayed in Search Console: "if you're using structured video data, our report is now aligned with official documentation and w...
Jul 06, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How does Google really alert owners of hacked sites?
When Google detects a security issue on a website, verified owners in Search Console receive an email alerting them to the problem with a link to more information on how to resolve it. It's important ...
May 07, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why does Google emphasize the need to keep local information updated in Knowledge Panels?
Local businesses can update crucial elements such as hours and contact information in their Knowledge Panel, thereby enhancing visibility on Google Maps and other local Google search formats. This all...
Apr 02, 2020 ⚡ Analysis available
🔔

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.