What does Google say about SEO? /
John Mueller is one of Google's most active spokespeople on search engine optimization topics. As a Search Advocate, he regularly answers the SEO community's questions during Google Search Central sessions and on social media. His statements are a prime source of information for understanding how Google Search works and the best practices to follow.
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★★ Can reducing page size really enhance your crawl budget?
If you improve Core Web Vitals by reducing page size, it can enhance your crawl budget. If Google can access HTML pages faster and render them more quickly, it can crawl more of them. However, it also...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you block internal search pages to prevent indexing of infinite space?
The issue with internal search pages is that they often create an infinite space: any word can generate a page. While some may resemble useful category pages, the others should be blocked to prevent t...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really avoid creating multiple sites for the same content?
If you create a separate site for the same content, you will be competing against your existing site. Both versions will have shared signals and value in Google's eyes, making it harder for both to ra...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Can hreflang really be used across multiple distinct domains?
Hreflang should not be used solely within the same domain. It is possible to use hreflang across different domains to indicate language versions of content....
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does Page Experience really only matter for mobile SEO?
The ranking factor related to page experience and Core Web Vitals applies to mobile and not to desktop, at least initially. It is on mobile where the obstacles are greatest, with limited processors an...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really add structured data to embedded YouTube videos?
Google can understand certain information from a YouTube iframe and associate it with the page. However, it is highly recommended to use standard video structured data so that Google can properly disp...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Are keywords in the URL a ranking factor or just a temporary crutch?
Words in the URL are used as a very light factor. Google takes them into account mainly when it hasn't yet accessed the content for the first time. Once the content is crawled and indexed, the languag...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really delete or redirect expired content instead of keeping it indexable?
For classified sites with expired content, either redirect to the category page (soft 404) or return a 404 error. Both options remove the page from search results. Do not keep old pages labeled 'expir...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Do 301 redirects really transfer 100% of SEO juice without any loss?
When redirecting one URL to another, Google transfers all signals and links to the new URL. This also works if the old URL contains parameters....
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why do most websites never get sitelinks in Google?
Sitelinks are generated automatically. They mainly rely on the site's internal navigation. Improving the understanding of navigation increases the chances of display, but without guarantee. Most sites...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Can structured data really force the display of a knowledge panel?
There is no specific structured data that forces the appearance of a knowledge panel for a brand. You can provide general information such as the logo, address, and hours, but this does not guarantee ...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is it true that mobile hidden content is really indexed by Google?
If an element is in the DOM but hidden in mobile responsiveness, Google can still retrieve it for indexing. Google tries to determine which parts are visible for ranking but understands mobile interac...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why do your featured snippets disappear seemingly without a technical reason?
Featured snippets can fluctuate because teams are constantly refining the triggers to enhance relevance. It is not about a missing technical requirement, but rather about improving targeting and relev...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why does copied content sometimes outrank the original despite the DMCA?
For copied content, use the DMCA process to report duplicate content. If copied content regularly ranks above the original, it indicates that algorithms have concerns about the overall perceived quali...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is AMP really neutral for Google rankings, or does it hide an invisible visibility lever?
AMP is not a direct ranking factor. However, removing AMP can lead to a drop in traffic if the site benefits from search features like Top Stories that currently require AMP. This will change with the...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Is it necessary to redirect your AMP URLs during a change?
When changing AMP URLs, redirections are less critical than for standard URLs because Google refreshes the AMP cache quickly. The delay between discovery and update is a few days, but it is still reco...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How does Google actually segment your Core Web Vitals by groups of pages?
For Core Web Vitals, Google uses data from the Chrome User Experience Report and segments the site into groups. For specific URLs, Google finds the most appropriate group. If AMP pages have a separate...
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really be concerned about redirect chains for Google's crawl?
Google follows a small number of redirects immediately, about five consecutive redirects, and treats them as a single request. Beyond five steps, they are treated as separate requests....
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does the internal links report in Search Console truly reflect the state of your link structure?
The internal links report in Search Console is based on a sample of pages from the site, not all indexed pages. It is not on the same level as the index coverage report....
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Do Core Web Vitals Really Influence Google's Crawl Budget?
If Google can access HTML pages faster due to improved Core Web Vitals, it may potentially crawl more. This also depends on the site's capacity and Google's demand....
Mar 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
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