John Mueller

★★★ Can a domain with a dubious history really win back Google's favor?

A problematic age of the domain, such as a previous use for low-quality content, can have a lasting impact on ranking. However, with quality content and sound SEO practices, the site should be able to...

May 17, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Can you really control the sitelinks that appear in Google?

It is not really possible to directly control the sitelinks that appear in search results. These links are automatically determined by Google and are generally based on the structure of the site and i...

May 17, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Can link signals really influence Google's canonicalization?

The factors Google evaluates to determine the canonical page include internal links, external links, and HTTPS signals. It is important that these signals are consistent for Google to choose the page ...

May 16, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Why does Google sometimes ignore your canonical tags?

Google may not always follow the provided canonical tag if there are conflicting signals, such as internal and external links pointing to different pages, which can lead Google to assign a different p...

May 16, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Do RSS feeds really replace XML sitemaps for indexing in Google News?

Google uses RSS feeds for indexing in certain Google News products. This can be confusing for those who traditionally use XML sitemaps....

May 16, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Do Google Spam Reports Really Make a Difference?

Spam reports can be submitted to Google via a dedicated form, and although correcting these issues may be slow, Google regularly evaluates these reports to improve its algorithms and remove notorious ...

May 16, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Does the canonical tag really centralize PageRank as we think it does?

Using a canonical tag to consolidate similar content can help centralize PageRank on one page. However, if Google does not regard the designated page as the most relevant, it may choose another URL as...

May 16, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Does page speed really boost your Google ranking?

While page speed is a factor, it is not the only criterion for ranking. Sites can seriously slow down due to heavy advertising content, thereby affecting user experience and possibly indirectly influe...

May 16, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Should you isolate your forums on a subdomain to protect your SEO?

Forums can be integrated into a website if the content is well moderated, but in cases where comprehensive quality control is difficult, it might be wise to place them on a subdomain or separate domai...

May 16, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ How long does it take for Google to reassess the quality of a site after an update?

Significant updates to a site can be recognized quickly by Google, but for changes in overall quality, this can take several months. Major algorithm updates are not necessary for Google to reassess an...

May 16, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really disavow spammy links detected in Search Console?

It is generally unnecessary to take measures against spammy links that appear in Search Console. However, if you want to ensure that they have no impact, you can use the disavow file, ideally based on...

May 16, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Are poorly implemented canonicals really sabotaging your link equity?

Google tries to follow canonical tags when implemented, but this can vary depending on the similarity of the pages. Non-indexed pages with canonicals may potentially lose links or not be maintained in...

May 16, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should You Enter SEO Contests to Test Your Skills and Strategy?

John Mueller let loose on Twitter about SEO contests, which he doesn't seem particularly fond of: "SEO contests are rather useless. They never reflect real performance, they generate a ton of spam tha...

May 13, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Do links from spammy sites really hurt your SEO?

Links from spammy sites, which often include content related to popular sites, should not negatively affect SEO when they point to your site....

May 10, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Is Google Cache a Reliable Indicator of Actual Indexing?

The Google cached page does not always reflect the current indexing of a page. Cache latencies may not affect ranking....

May 10, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Why does Google still limit the Indexing API to job postings?

The Indexing API is currently limited to job postings. Google is gathering feedback to potentially extend it to other areas....

May 10, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Is hidden content under tabs really considered for ranking?

Content hidden under tabs is taken into account for ranking but may not be shown in the snippet....

May 10, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Should you reduce your page size to boost your crawl budget?

The size of responses influences the time it takes for Google to retrieve pages, but reducing page size does not significantly increase the number of pages crawled by Google....

May 10, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Are the speed reports in Search Console really reliable for optimizing your Core Web Vitals?

Google utilizes the Chrome User Experience Report to provide site speed data in Search Console, but the general availability of these features is still taking time to be deployed....

May 10, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Is structured data really a ranking booster or just a gimmick for Google?

Structured data helps Google better understand your site's content, particularly with markup for FAQs and practical guides....

May 10, 2019 ⚡ Analysis available