John Mueller

★★★ Are LSI keywords really beneficial for Google SEO?

Google does not have any concept of LSI keywords. It's an interesting theoretical topic in computer science regarding information retrieval, but SEOs do not need to concern themselves with it in their...

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Do headings really hold as much importance as Google thinks?

Title tags help Google understand what you consider important on the page, to some extent. The anchor text of links is the most important part, but the context surrounding images and links also matter...

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really count the number of H1 tags on a page?

There is no strict limit to the number of H1 tags on a page. With HTML5, having multiple H1s is compliant with the standard. Although having a clear focus is helpful, it does not necessarily require j...

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Is it really necessary to change the date of an article with every update?

Google does not have a specific guideline on when to change dates, but it is recommended to do so only for significant modifications to the main content, not for minor changes like replacing an advert...

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Do you really need to include dates in structured data?

It is not necessary to specify dates in structured data. Google attempts to choose a relevant date based on multiple sources: structured data, visible content, and dates mentioned in the text. Ensurin...

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ How can you effectively map URLs and verify redirects during migration to avoid losing rankings?

During a site migration, it is crucial to trace each old URL to its new destination, verify all redirects, and ensure that all internal signals (rel canonical, navigation, footer) point to the new URL...

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ How can you compel Google to refresh your JavaScript and CSS files during rendering?

To force Google to update JavaScript and CSS resources during rendering, use a content hash in the URL of the files. This way, Google will identify the new files, unlike persistent cache with identica...

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Why does Google refuse to provide Voice Search data in Search Console?

Currently, there is no information in Search Console that shows how speakable markup is used or when it is displayed in voice search. Testing oneself is necessary to assess its utility....

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Should you really regenerate your sitemaps to remove obsolete URLs?

If sitemap files point to non-existent pages or pages with an obsolete URL structure, they need to be regenerated to contain only current URLs. It's a matter of site hygiene rather than crawl budget....

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Should you really start small to unlock your crawl budget?

For sites with a lot of content, it is recommended to start with a limited set of quality pages. Google will learn that the content is good and gradually increase the crawl to 1000 and then 10000 page...

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Does the crawl budget really depend on your server speed?

The crawl budget includes two aspects: the technical limitations of the server and the demand from Google based on the perceived importance of the pages. Even with a fast server, Google may limit craw...

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Are city-specific pages really just doorway pages doomed by Google?

Creating pages for each city with largely identical content risks being viewed as doorway pages. Google's systems may become confused, and the webspam team could see this as excessive, especially if t...

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Will Core Web Vitals Change Again, and How Can You Prepare for Upcoming Updates?

Google plans to update Core Web Vitals metrics approximately once a year, notifying webmasters in advance. It's important to submit feedback to the Chrome team when calculations seem incorrect....

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Do CSS animations really hurt your Core Web Vitals?

CSS position animations can contribute to layout shift calculations, even for sticky menus that do not cause a visible shift. Using opacity instead of position for animations can improve Core Web Vita...

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Is it really necessary to test your Core Web Vitals in the lab to prevent regressions?

Google recommends running your own tests in parallel for important pages, using the Page Speed Insights API or third-party tools. Laboratory tests allow for the rapid detection of regressions, even if...

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Why does it take 28 days for your Core Web Vitals to update in Search Console?

The Core Web Vitals data displayed in Search Console is based on the Chrome User Experience Report, aggregated over 28 days. This delay is due to the method of data collection and aggregation, not a s...

Mar 05, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Do mailto: and tel: links actually affect your site's internal PageRank?

John Mueller explained on Twitter that Google does not read or follow links of type "mailto:" or "tel:" (email addresses and phone numbers)....

Mar 01, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Does URL Structure Really Impact Google Rankings?

John Mueller provided two examples on Twitter of websites where URL page structure can be important: on one hand, international sites with a directory (example: /fr/, /de/, etc.) on a generic extensio...

Mar 01, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Should new e-commerce sites prove their legitimacy outside of Google first?

For a new e-commerce site, limited indexing may indicate that Google lacks sufficient trust signals. Just like a new business, it is necessary to develop an external presence, promote, and build a use...

Feb 26, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Is it true that the length of title tags really impacts Google's rankings?

There is no fixed ideal length for title tags (like 72 characters). Google uses the title for ranking even if it's truncated with ellipses in the display. The important thing is to provide the necessa...

Feb 26, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available