John Mueller

★★★ Can you really remove URLs in bulk using the Search Console's removal tool?

The URL removal tool in Search Console is not intended for mass deletions of groups of URLs using wildcards. It is meant for quick removals of individual content or entire sites in cases of error....

Apr 15, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Could your website's architecture be undermining your crawl budget?

For sites with heavy and complex architectures, it may be advisable to clean URLs by avoiding overly deep structures. Maintaining consistency in the internal schema and aligning it with sitemaps helps...

Apr 08, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ How does the consistency of GMB and website hours truly impact your local SEO?

The opening hours specified in Google My Business must be consistent with those displayed on the website. Inconsistent data can create credibility and perception issues, which is why consistency is es...

Apr 08, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really use 404s to clean up low-quality content?

It is possible to use 404 errors to remove low-quality content, thereby managing the overall perception of your site's quality. However, there is no limit to the number of 404s that your site can retu...

Apr 08, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ How does Google really adjust its crawl budget based on your updates?

Google adjusts the crawl budget based on server speed and the frequency of page changes. A site that updates frequently may be crawled more often, while Google also optimizes to identify global change...

Apr 08, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ How does Google test its algorithms without skewing the results?

Google conducts initial small-scale algorithm launches to gauge user reactions. Fixed test site sets are not used, as this could distort results; therefore, the range is broad enough to best simulate ...

Apr 08, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Is server speed truly a decisive ranking factor in SEO?

Server speed is a ranking factor, but not the most decisive. Google differentiates between very slow sites and normal sites. A faster server response also promotes more efficient crawling by Googlebot...

Apr 08, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Is the URL structure truly irrelevant for SEO?

URL structure does not provide a direct SEO advantage. Google treats URLs as unique identifiers and not as indicators of a site's structure. Therefore, URL structure should primarily be optimized to f...

Apr 08, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Does hreflang really matter if your whole site is in one language?

The hreflang tag helps Google understand which language version of a page should be served to users for the same content available in multiple languages. However, if all pages are in a single language...

Apr 08, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ How can creating content in certain languages provide a disproportionate SEO advantage?

Google makes considerable efforts to ensure that its algorithms work well across all languages. Sometimes, the quality of content in certain languages is low simply because there is little high-qualit...

Apr 08, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Is it really necessary to return a 404 for expired listings, or are there smarter alternatives?

For expired listings on a classified ad site, the best practice is to return a 404 code so that these pages naturally disappear from Google's index. Using a 301 redirect to a parent category can be pe...

Apr 08, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ How are optimized snippets actually selected by Google's algorithm?

Optimized snippets are chosen algorithmically to appear as featured answers in search results....

Apr 05, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ How should you handle indexing after a hack: is it necessary to remove all hacked pages?

After cleaning a hacked site, any added pages must be removed from search results. Cleaned pages should return to their pre-hack state....

Apr 05, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you still invest in AMP for your mobile strategy?

AMPs can be used for all mobile pages, but Google currently only displays news-type pages in the AMP carousel of searches....

Apr 05, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ How can unique content truly set an e-commerce site apart in the SERPs?

E-commerce sites must provide unique and engaging content to stand out, especially if they sell products available elsewhere on the internet....

Apr 05, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Does RankBrain really make keyword optimization obsolete?

RankBrain helps Google better understand user queries, especially when they are phrased in natural language, without requiring traditional keywords....

Apr 05, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Should you really mark the logo as H1 for SEO?

HTML structuring of the logo with an H1 tag is not required, but it is important to mark it correctly, especially on the homepage....

Apr 05, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really apply noindex + nofollow to all facet navigation URLs?

For facet navigation URLs, an effective approach is to use noindex, nofollow to prevent Google from getting bogged down in many URL variations....

Apr 05, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Do hreflang tags really affect the ranking of your international pages?

Hreflang tags do not improve ranking; they help Google show the page in the appropriate language and region if it exists....

Apr 05, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Can Google really ignore your canonical tags on faceted navigation?

It is possible to use canonical tags for faceted navigation pages. Google may ignore these tags if the pages differ too much....

Apr 05, 2016 ⚡ Analysis available