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

Less than a minute. Find out how much you really know about Google search.

🕒 ~1 min 🎯 5 questions
★★★ Can Google really show multiple pages from the same site in its search results?
Google does not outright ban displaying multiple results from the same site or company for a given query. It can make sense to show several pages from the same site if it serves the user's intent....
Jun 17, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why does Google reject dynamic multilingual URLs for indexing?
To avoid indexing issues, create standalone pages for each language version of your content instead of dynamically changing the content on a single URL based on the user's language....
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does Google Analytics really impact your search rankings?
Google does not use click-through rates or bounce rates from Google Analytics as ranking factors. However, this data is considered in the evaluation of user experience during testing....
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does embedding the Google search field truly enhance your site's ranking?
Including a Google search field on your site does not constitute a ranking factor. Its usefulness is limited to enhancing user experience by facilitating internal search....
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Do Search Console's 'Properties Sets' really replace Google Analytics for analyzing your SEO data?
Search Console's 'Properties Sets' allow you to aggregate data from multiple properties but are still not directly connected to Google Analytics....
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Do canonical tags really provide enough control over your page indexing?
Canonical tags help indicate which version of a page should be indexed, especially in cases of indexing errors related to URL parameters. The URL in the sitemap should match the canonical URL....
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ What really happens when you relaunch a site without redirects?
A site 'relaunch' without appropriate redirects from old pages to new ones can result in a significant drop in rankings, as Google will take time to rediscover and comprehend the new structure....
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Can changing your URLs really cause a drop in your organic traffic?
Changing the URL structure can trigger a complete recrawl and reassessment of the site by Google, temporarily leading to fluctuations in the ranking of the affected pages....
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Are URLs with fragments (#) really invisible to Google?
Google does not treat URLs that only contain the '#' character as distinct pages. Use clean URLs or properly apply the Ajax crawling scheme to ensure indexing....
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does Google really prioritize mobile apps for indexing?
Google does not necessarily favor mobile apps or mobile sites. The choice depends on user preferences, which can differ from one country to another....
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really create a dedicated sitemap for 410 pages to speed up their deindexing?
It is possible to use a specific sitemap to speed up crawling and removal of pages returning a 410 code. However, it is recommended to redirect old pages to new ones rather than simply deleting them....
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does Googlebot ignore your JavaScript image galleries?
For Googlebot to follow links, the image URLs must be explicitly defined. Otherwise, it cannot follow links rendered dynamically by JavaScript....
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Do 302 redirects really pass PageRank?
302 redirects usually pass PageRank to the target version, even though their correct use should be for temporary redirects. Always use rel='alternate' to establish equivalence between different langua...
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How can you manage duplicate content across a franchise network without shooting yourself in the foot?
It is advisable to centralize common content in one place and create separate pages for information specific to the subsidiaries. This prevents unnecessary duplication of content for each subsidiary....
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is Google really planning to ditch desktop indexing for mobile?
Currently, Google uses the desktop version of a site for indexing, but this may change if the mobile version becomes more relevant. Ensure that the content of both versions is accurately represented....
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Hreflang: Why does Google show the wrong language version of your pages?
Hreflang tags indicate the different language versions of a site. If the content is identical, Google could confuse the versions and show the wrong one in search results. However, this should not affe...
Jun 16, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is AMP really suitable for e-commerce sites?
Currently, AMP may not be suitable for e-commerce sites because features like forms are not yet fully supported, which is essential for transactions....
Jun 15, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does AMP really boost SEO, or is that just a myth?
Although AMP is not a direct ranking factor, making users happier with faster pages can encourage them to recommend your site, which can indirectly affect your ranking....
Jun 15, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Do social signals really affect Google rankings?
Google does not use social signals for ranking due to restrictions on access to social media data and the volatile nature of social interactions....
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is the hidden text in dropdown menus considered by Google?
Google could ignore hidden text in dropdown menus if it is not visible by default, but this should not affect relevance if it’s secondary menu text....
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
🔔

Get real-time analysis of the latest Google SEO declarations

Be the first to know every time a new official Google statement drops — with full expert analysis.

No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.