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
★★★ Does URL structure really influence the flow of PageRank?
URL structure does not affect the flow of PageRank. Choose an effective long-term structure that works for you without needing frequent changes....
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really avoid republishing your content on other platforms?
Sharing your content on another platform can lead to duplication, and that content might be ranked on the other site. Weigh the benefits of reaching a broader audience against maintaining your site's ...
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does Google really use your video content for SEO ranking?
Google does not extract textual content from embedded videos like comments but uses titles and certain metadata for ranking in video search....
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why do some websites take months to recover after a Google update?
Some algorithmic updates require time to reassess and reflect the new status of a site after corrections, while others are more responsive....
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Do keywords in domain extensions really influence SEO?
Google does not consider keywords in TLDs as a ranking factor....
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does internal linking truly boost SEO or just enhance user experience?
Connecting internal content enhances context and helps users easily navigate different levels, improving user experience and SEO....
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really abandon the broad keyword harvesting strategy?
Google considers page content, internal and external anchors to determine context. Focus on excellence in a specific niche rather than wide but mediocre coverage....
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why is my site struggling to climb back up the rankings after an unnatural link penalty?
After a penalty for unnatural links, rankings may be affected if these links are removed. There are no long-term trust issues, but it may take time before rankings improve again....
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Do 301 redirects really cause a loss of PageRank?
301 redirects do not pose a problem for transferring PageRank as long as you keep redirect chains under five steps....
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really set all your outgoing links to nofollow?
If an outgoing link makes sense for the user and is not related to a commercial relationship, it does not need to be wrapped in a nofollow. A normal link is sufficient....
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How can you enhance your SEO now that the PageRank metric has disappeared?
With the disappearance of PageRank from the toolbar, focus on other metrics such as conversions, user experience on the site, and potential purchase intention....
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does Google really index all the JavaScript you serve it?
Google can see content rendered through JavaScript if it appears in the rendered view, but it may not always understand or extract that content. If the text is in the HTML view, Google should be able ...
Jun 14, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does Google really ignore bad backlinks without penalizing your site?
Google attempts to ignore links from suspicious schemes without directly penalizing sites unless the entire scheme is viewed as manipulative....
Jun 03, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Do AMP pages really boost your ranking on Google?
Currently, AMP pages use a rel=canonical tag pointing to the desktop version, which is the one directly taken into account for ranking by Google. Direct SEO improvements can be made on the desktop pag...
Jun 03, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really use NoFollow for all content partnerships?
For content partnerships that require links, Google recommends using NoFollow links to prevent relationships from artificially influencing ranking signals....
Jun 03, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does Google first test your new site with optimism before potentially downgrading it?
It takes time for a new site to establish itself in Google's search results. Google first tries to assume the best case, then adjusts based on the signals received from the site....
Jun 03, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does disavowing links really help you escape a Penguin penalty?
After disavowing links, a site should see improvement once Penguin is updated, although the exact ranking will depend on the absence of unnatural links....
Jun 03, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does Penguin really penalize an entire site or just certain pages?
Penguin is an algorithm that typically applies at the site level to address web spam. It can affect sites broadly and recognizes problematic link patterns to facilitate actions....
Jun 03, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does content length really affect Google rankings?
Google assesses the relevance of content based on what the user is searching for, without bias regarding the article's length. Search results can include both long and short articles, depending on the...
Jun 03, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really migrate your entire site to AMP?
AMP can be used for any type of site, including product and educational sites. Some sites have completely migrated to AMP models to benefit from speed and responsiveness....
Jun 03, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available
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