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

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🕒 ~1 min 🎯 5 questions
★★★ Can manually selected customer reviews really generate rich snippets?
Customer reviews can enrich your pages by providing unique text. However, manually selected testimonials are not eligible for review rich snippets because they are not considered collections of review...
Oct 07, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Do HTML bugs really harm your page's SEO?
Most HTML bugs do not affect SEO as long as the page works for users. However, significant errors in the 'head' tag can impact essential meta tags like hreflang or robots tags....
Oct 07, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really block all internal search pages with noindex?
Internal search result pages should be configured with the noindex tag to prevent them from being indexed by Google, as they generally do not provide added value in search results....
Oct 07, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you create a unique URL for every color variation of a product?
For product variations (such as colors), it is advisable to concentrate information on a solid product page rather than create separate pages for each variant unless they have unique content....
Oct 07, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you register your domain for 10 years to rank better?
The duration of domain registration, whether for two years or twenty years, has no impact on SEO or Google’s trust....
Oct 07, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really avoid 301 redirects to the homepage?
301 redirects to the homepage are not recommended because Google often considers them as soft 404 errors. It is better to redirect old URLs to their new equivalent URL....
Oct 07, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ What happens when you change your template or migrate to HTTPS? Could it really hurt your Google News traffic?
Template changes and migrating to HTTPS can affect Google News traffic if the content is not read correctly by the algorithm. Contact the Google News team if issues arise....
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really keep all your old URLs accessible for SEO?
Old URLs should remain accessible, ideally via redirects, to transfer accumulated signals to their new versions without losing authority....
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is lazy loading sabotaging your image indexing on Google?
Image lazy loading can prevent proper indexing if Googlebot cannot see the images or links to them. Ensure that links to images are visible as soon as the page loads....
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Should you separate your testing subdomains onto a distinct hosting to safeguard your SEO?
It is beneficial to host test subdomains that are not under complete control on a separate server to avoid the risk of contaminating the main domain through improper practices....
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does Google really treat subdomains as separate sites?
Subdomains are treated as distinct unless integrated into a unique context with the main domain. Google attempts to determine if a subdomain is an integral part of the main domain or operates separate...
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does Real-Time Penguin Really Make Your Link Building Efforts Affect Rankings Faster?
Google's Penguin algorithm is now integrated in real-time, meaning link adjustments can be considered more quickly in rankings, enhancing responsiveness to new SEO actions....
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does using nofollow on internal links really enhance SEO?
Generally, using nofollow links on a site's internal links does not help positively influence a page's ranking. Normal internal link structures are usually sufficient for SEO....
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does Google really use separate algorithms for mobile and desktop?
Google's algorithms for mobile and desktop searches share a common core, but consider mobile-specific factors such as mobile page optimization....
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How does Google determine the canonical URL when multiple versions lead to the same content?
When multiple URLs lead to the same content, Google typically prefers the shortest and most aesthetically pleasing URL, unless there are redirects or strong internal links pointing to another version....
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really redirect every image with a 301 when switching to HTTPS?
When migrating a site to HTTPS, it's ideal to use 301 redirects for images. If images are no longer accessible via their old HTTP URLs, they risk being removed from the Google Images index....
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does mobile optimization really only impact mobile rankings?
A website's mobile optimization only affects rankings in mobile search results and not in desktop results....
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should You Still Use the Disavow File in SEO?
If a majority of links to a site are of low quality, it is recommended to use the Disavow file. For sites that do not have obvious problems with their links, regular checks with a Disavow file are unn...
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does HTTPS really enhance your Google rankings?
Starting in 2017, Google Chrome will mark HTTP sites as unsecured, but this should not negatively affect search rankings in Google by itself. However, it is advised to prepare for this transition to H...
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does an expired SSL certificate really harm your Google ranking?
It is crucial to maintain a valid SSL certificate at all times, as security warnings can discourage users from visiting the site, even though it does not directly affect rankings in Google....
Oct 06, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
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