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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🕒 ~1 min 🎯 5 questions
★★★ Why is your SEO traffic plummeting suddenly without any action from you?
If a sudden loss of visibility occurs, it is often due to changes in Google’s quality algorithms. It is recommended to examine the quality and relevance of the site’s content to understand possible ca...
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Are single-page applications really compatible with organic search?
Single-page applications (SPAs) can rank well if properly configured, but they add complexity. It is crucial that they are designed for Googlebot to execute JavaScript and access all content....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does Google Cache Really Require Your Active Management?
Google's cache is built automatically when Google indexes pages. No specific action from the webmaster is required to manage it....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does duplicate content across multiple domains really hurt your SEO?
Publishing the same content across multiple domains can cause that content to compete against itself in search results. This can dilute its ranking potential if both versions face competition from oth...
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why does Google refuse to index pages with no visible content in the body?
If a page does not display its main content in the body for Google (such as content hidden behind a login), Google considers this page empty and will not index it....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is it true that Google rewrites your meta descriptions at will?
Google may choose to modify or ignore the meta description you provided when it deems it more relevant to the user's query....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does image search ranking really affect your web SEO?
Image search rankings and web search rankings are independent. Performing well in one does not directly influence the other....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does the file name of an image really impact its ranking in Google Images?
The file name of an image can help Google understand the subject of the image, but Google primarily relies on the context of the page for image ranking. Copying images with file names in different lan...
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Should You Really Worry About Pages That Are Crawled but Not Indexed?
Having pages listed as 'Crawled but Not Indexed' in Search Console can be normal. It may also indicate that these pages are deemed to be of low value. Improving their quality can encourage indexing....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why don't Google's live testing tools always reflect actual indexing?
Testing tools like Fetch and Render are more patient and reliable for seeing how Google views a page compared to live testing tools that have strict time limits to obtain quick results....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Should you really disavow all the spammy links pointing to your site?
Sites that generate spammy or comment links are generally ignored by Google. Only the links you specifically suspect of causing harm require disavowing....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you re-upload your disavow file after a domain migration?
During a domain migration, it is crucial to re-upload the disavow file; otherwise, disavowed links could be included in Google's link graph when they are recrawled....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Do UTM parameters really harm your crawl budget?
Links containing UTM parameters are generally ignored when indexing main URLs, but Google treats them as regular links and can manage them through the parameter management tool in Search Console....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Should you really use noindex in JavaScript for out-of-stock pages?
A noindex tag added via JavaScript is recognized by Google, but the processing may be delayed because JavaScript rendering takes longer. This differs if the noindex tag is present from the initial loa...
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does automatically generated content really pass Google's filter?
Automatically generated content is not bad by default. What matters is its quality and added value. The generation should aim to create readable, relevant, and high-quality content....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How can you reduce signal transfer time during a site migration?
During site migrations, make sure that all URLs clearly redirect to the new version. Avoid crawl errors and eliminate unnecessary blocks in robots.txt to facilitate signal transfer....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really optimize loading speed for SEO, or is it just a myth?
Google uses a variety of factors to assess speed, including calculated metrics and real-time data from users. Instead of focusing on a single number, utilize tools to identify and fix performance issu...
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How does Google's AI really transform SEO query processing?
RankBrain is a machine learning system used to understand user queries. It helps Google comprehend and provide relevant content, especially for new queries....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is it true that Google has a sandbox for new sites?
The idea that new sites are artificially limited (sandbox) is a myth. Google does not use a sandbox and does not affect the initial ranking for new pages....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Can a new page rank right after indexing?
Once a new page is indexed, it may be ranked immediately. However, the ranking improves as Google gathers signals indicating where this page fits in the context of the site and the rest of the web....
Jul 20, 2018 ⚡ Analysis available
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