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.
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
★★ Is it really essential to centralize all your content on a single platform to improve rankings?
It is recommended to centralize your main content on a single platform to concentrate associated signals and enhance authority on a specific topic....
Sep 27, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is it true that Google doesn't penalize duplicate content?
There is no penalty for having the same content on multiple platforms, but competing versions could impact the visibility of your content as they compete against each other....
Sep 27, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Are timed redirects reliable for SEO?
Googlebot may or may not capture timed redirects, like those that trigger after 30 seconds, which may not be seen as a reliable method....
Sep 27, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really limit keywords on category pages to avoid penalties?
Avoid overusing keywords on category pages so that Google's algorithms do not consider it as keyword stuffing, which could negatively affect rankings....
Sep 27, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Do Google Reviews on Your Site Really Influence Your SEO Performance?
Displaying Google reviews on a site will not affect its ranking. Using review markup on a company's homepage will not display rich results unless the content is unique and relevant to other parts of t...
Sep 27, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is it really necessary to use the exact keywords from user queries to rank?
To rank in search results, it is important to use words and phrases on your site that your users employ in their searches....
Sep 27, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really use multiple H1 tags on the same page?
It is possible to use multiple H1 tags on a web page. HTML5 allows it without negatively impacting rankings....
Sep 27, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Are backlinks to category pages really risk-free for rankings?
Backlinks to specific pages, such as category pages, are not an issue as long as they are obtained naturally....
Sep 27, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Is merging multiple pages into one a smart move for SEO?
When merging multiple pages into one, the new content will take time to stabilize regarding ranking. This practice is generally beneficial for creating a strong page on a given topic....
Sep 27, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Can Googlebot really crawl user-initiated events?
Googlebot generally cannot explore user-initiated events such as SQL events or JavaScript events. To show this content to Googlebot, it is recommended to use dynamic rendering or HTML snapshots....
Sep 27, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really differentiate between rel=sponsored and rel=ugc for your outbound links?
Google has introduced two new attributes for outbound links: rel=sponsored for advertisements and partnerships, and rel=ugc for user-generated content. These attributes are considered hints to help di...
Sep 26, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Should you really create dedicated pages for each video?
Creating a dedicated video page allows Google to clearly treat it as a video landing page, which can influence its specific display in video search results....
Sep 26, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does Google take so long to update logos in search results?
Logo changes can take time to be reflected in search results. Google generally takes longer to process these updates....
Sep 26, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Can subdirectories really target multiple countries effectively on a generic TLD?
To target specific countries with a generic domain (TLD .com), subdirectories can be configured in Search Console for precise geographic assignment....
Sep 26, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Is it true that including your brand name in title tags really matters?
Including the brand name in title tags can be beneficial, as Google attempts to automatically add it for context if it is not already present....
Sep 26, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Can Google really display snippets for press publishers in France without explicit permission?
For search results in France, Google does not show text or image previews for sites marked as press publishers unless explicitly allowed to do so via specific meta tags....
Sep 26, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How will the new Google Search Console interface impact your SEO strategies?
Google Search Console has recently taken a significant step forward with a new interface, replacing the old homepage and dashboard with new tools. This transition aims to allow the service to focus on...
Sep 26, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does robots.txt really block indexing in Google?
Google can still suggest URLs in search results even if they are blocked by robots.txt, mainly if they are important for users, as illustrated by the AdWords login page....
Sep 26, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does Google's removal of self-assessment stars change the game for rich snippets?
Rating stars for organizations evaluating their own sites no longer appear in search results. This policy applies regardless of the method used to integrate these evaluations....
Sep 26, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Is it true that your images are all indexable without a robots.txt file?
The absence of robots.txt files means Google can crawl images. An image redirection can lead to restrictions if the redirected destination is blocked....
Sep 26, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available
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