John Mueller

★★★ Why does the change of address tool block URLs with parameters?

The change of address tool in Search Console cannot be used if parameters are added to the URLs of the new site, as the tool explicitly checks that the homepage is redirected one-to-one....

Jun 13, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really redirect each URL individually when moving a site?

When relocating a site, it's recommended to redirect each URL individually, rather than using a redirect to the homepage. This helps preserve the relevance and ranking of the pages....

Jun 13, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really limit yourself to job postings and live videos with Google’s Indexing API?

Google's Indexing API is reserved for job postings and live videos, and using it for other types of content is not recommended. This will not affect ranking but may not offer the expected benefits for...

Jun 11, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should You Really Report Your Competitors' Rich Snippet Abuses?

If you notice competitors abusing rich snippets, you can report this using Google's rich snippets spam report form. Once confirmed, Google may remove a site's ability to display these snippets....

Jun 11, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really return a 404 error for expired job listing pages?

When a listing expires, it is appropriate to let the page return a 404 error. This signals to Google that the page is no longer available and prevents it from being indexed....

Jun 11, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really combine hreflang and self-referencing canonicals?

Hreflang tags can be used with self-referencing canonicals to indicate which page versions should be displayed. Canonicals help Google determine the primary version of a URL. This is not mandatory, bu...

Jun 11, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Why is cloaking an absolute red line for Google?

It is crucial that the main content is identical for both users and search engines to avoid cloaking. Consequently, the information displayed in search results must match what the user sees on the pag...

Jun 11, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Should you still enable server-side rendering for search engine bots?

Using server-side rendering for bots is acceptable, but it is often beneficial to consider doing so for users as well to enhance page loading speeds. Over time, fewer bots will require this type of re...

Jun 11, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ How many links can you place on a page without facing SEO penalties?

There is no strict limit to the number of links on a page, but in practice, a very high number can decrease the value of each link due to the dilution of PageRank. A reasonable number of links that be...

Jun 11, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Is it really necessary to create dedicated author pages to enhance your website's EAT?

Author pages are not explicitly necessary for EAT, but it is important to show users that authors are experts. This can be done within the article itself or via links to a biography. Quality raters do...

Jun 11, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really multiply Schema.org properties to boost your SEO?

Adding additional properties with schema.org can help Google better understand the content of pages, but it does not directly improve rankings. It is essential to first meet the requirements for the d...

Jun 11, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Is it true that Google penalizes duplicate content?

Duplicate content isn't necessarily bad if users find it interesting. However, Google may struggle to decide which page to show if a user specifically searches for that content. Generally, this doesn'...

Jun 11, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ How Does the Mobile First Index Transition Work Based on Your Site Architecture?

John Mueller indicated on Twitter that the transition to the Mobile First Index happens based on the domain name. So if a site uses addresses with subdomains (example: blog.example.com) and the addres...

Jun 11, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you block the crawl of URL parameters that don't affect the main content?

If the parameters do not affect the main content, they can be excluded from crawling. Otherwise, check content accessibility via these URLs....

Jun 06, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Do sitemaps really speed up the crawling of your pages?

The crawling speed via sitemaps depends on the reliability of the data provided, ranging from a few minutes to several hours....

Jun 06, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Does the Jobs API outperform sitemaps in indexing your job listings?

Using the API is more effective for managing frequently updated job listings, allowing for greater responsiveness compared to sitemaps....

Jun 06, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Are duplicates in Search Console really a concern for your SEO?

Google explains that duplicate reports in Search Console are often accurate but that the impact can vary based on the size and type of the site....

Jun 06, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Does Google really evaluate every article on your news site?

For news sites, Google mainly analyzes relevant and current sections to evaluate overall quality, not each article in isolation....

Jun 06, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really clean up all your URL parameters to improve crawling?

Google suggests examining the utility of URL parameters for crawling, excluding those that are unnecessary, and correctly defining canonicals when needed....

Jun 06, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Do backlinks to a noindex page really lose their value?

If a page is noindex, Google treats that page's backlinks as if they hold less value, especially if the page is seldom referenced....

Jun 06, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available