John Mueller

★★★ Why does it take several weeks after deleting a page to see your Google index actually update?

It takes a few weeks for Google's systems to update after you delete a page. This delay is normal and predictable....

Sep 14, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really ensure that deleted pages return the correct HTTP status code?

You must ensure that the server returns the appropriate HTTP status code for a deleted page. Most websites do this automatically....

Sep 14, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really eliminate all internal links pointing to your deleted pages?

It is recommended to remove all references to the deleted page from your website, including internal links and sitemap files....

Sep 14, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Is Google's URL removal tool really necessary, or just another overrated feature you don't actually need?

If a page needs to be hidden faster than the natural timeline allows, you can use the urgent URL removal tool in Search Console. This tool is generally not necessary in most cases....

Sep 14, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Do deleted pages really disappear automatically from Google's index?

When a page is deleted from a website, it automatically disappears from Google's systems over time. No additional action is necessary in this case....

Sep 14, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Can you really launch two nearly identical websites without risking a Google penalty?

There is no penalty or manual action for having two nearly identical websites. However, if the URLs and content are identical, Google's systems may choose one page as canonical and focus on it for cra...

Sep 07, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Why does Google only communicate about a fraction of its algorithm updates?

Google made over 4,000 updates in 2021. Many of these changes are minor and are not announced. The most important ones, particularly those on which site owners can act, are announced and listed in the...

Sep 07, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Do keywords in URLs still have an impact on SEO?

Words in URLs play only a minor role for Google Search. Don't overthink it. Use URLs that are stable over time, avoid changing them too frequently, and make them useful for users. Whether or not to in...

Sep 07, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Is it really a mistake to combine noindex and canonical on the same page?

Using noindex and rel=canonical together creates an undefined situation because noindex asks to remove everything while canonical suggests that everything should be transferred. Google's systems will ...

Sep 07, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really do a 1:1 migration without changing anything during a domain switch?

For optimal domain migration, it is recommended to transfer your entire website (1 for 1) to the new domain and use permanent 301 redirects from the old to the new. This is the simplest method for Goo...

Sep 07, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Do you really need a meta tag to declare your site's language to Google?

There is no meta tag that you must use to tell search engines your language choice....

Sep 06, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ How should you structure a language learning website to maximize SEO performance and avoid Google's ranking confusion?

For a website that teaches another language, the recommendation is to have clearly one primary language for each page, while being able to create separate pages for other languages on the same site....

Sep 06, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Does declaring the primary language of each page really matter for SEO?

It is ideal that Google's systems can recognize the primary language of a page. This greatly facilitates the recommendation of the page to users who perform searches in that language....

Sep 06, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Can you really mix multiple languages on the same page without SEO penalties?

Having content in other languages on a page is acceptable. However, it is strongly recommended to have a clearly defined primary language for each page....

Sep 06, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Is the HTML lang attribute really useless for SEO?

The HTML lang attribute is recommended, primarily for screen readers, although it is not mandatory for SEO....

Sep 06, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Have Links Become Secondary in Google's Ranking Algorithm?

John Mueller indicated on Twitter that to his knowledge, no recent update to the search engine's algorithm has focused on in-depth link analysis, aside from anti-spam algorithms, of course....

Sep 05, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should You Index Comment Pages to Improve Your SEO Rankings?

John Mueller explained on Twitter that it's better not to index pages that would only contain comments, whether on a blog, product page, or elsewhere. However, high-quality comments beneath editorial ...

Aug 29, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should You Follow the Quality Raters Guide to Improve Your SEO Rankings?

John Mueller indicated on Twitter that the Quality Raters guidelines document was not a list of tips for ranking better on Google. However, reading it could provide insights into content quality and h...

Aug 29, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should You Cloak Your Affiliate Links to Improve Your SEO?

John Mueller responded on Twitter to a question about the merits of cloaked affiliate links. His answer: "I don't think you gain anything by masking affiliate links, it just adds complexity. You can a...

Aug 29, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Is HTTPS Really Mandatory to Rank Well on Google in 2024?

John Mueller reminded on Twitter that having a website in HTTPS is absolutely not a requirement to be (well) ranked in Google's search results. Many HTTP sites are well indexed and rank in the top res...

Aug 22, 2022 ⚡ Analysis available