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
★★★ Is hidden text really ignored by Google for ranking?
Hidden text is generally not considered in Google’s ranking. This text should be visible by default if its content is important to the relevant page....
Dec 29, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is it true that you lose PageRank when moving your site from HTTP to HTTPS?
When you switch from HTTP to HTTPS, PageRank is not lost in the redirection. We view this as a protocol upgrade rather than a true domain change....
Dec 29, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is it really necessary to run HTTP and HTTPS in parallel before making the final switch?
When migrating to HTTPS, ensure that the site works correctly by first making it available under both versions (HTTP and HTTPS). Once the HTTPS version is confirmed to be functional, set up a 301 redi...
Dec 29, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why does traffic drop after a HTTPS migration and how long does recovery really take?
When migrating a site to HTTPS, it is normal to see initial traffic fluctuations. However, traffic should stabilize back to prior levels after a while, once the site is fully reindexed under HTTPS....
Dec 29, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Should you really invest in AMP to boost your SEO?
Google plans to launch AMP integration into search results by the end of February, thereby enhancing the promotion of the technology by then. Developers are encouraged to explore AMP to determine its ...
Dec 18, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you sacrifice CSS complexity to speed up mobile AMP?
AMP pages must encapsulate styles within the HTML file itself to allow for effective caching. This can be a challenge for sites with extensive stylesheets, but the main goal is to maximize loading spe...
Dec 18, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really implement AMP on an e-commerce site?
Although AMP is primarily used for published content, there are no restrictions preventing e-commerce sites from implementing it. This could potentially enhance the visibility of shared content on pla...
Dec 18, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is mobile loading speed really a critical ranking factor?
Page loading speed is essential on mobile, as users quickly leave slow sites. Google's AMP project aims to enhance the speed of mobile sites by using a limited HTML version and a CDN, which could impr...
Dec 18, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Is Google Now on Tap changing the SEO game for Android applications?
With Now on Tap, Android users can access installed apps directly with a long press of the home button, which can benefit apps whose content is often discussed or shared....
Dec 18, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Can installing a mobile app truly boost your Google ranking?
Having an installed app can serve as a ranking factor because it indicates user interest in the content provided by that app. However, this is applied only to users who have already installed the app....
Dec 18, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really have a web equivalent to index the content of a mobile app?
For the content of an app to be indexed, there must be direct links to the content within the app, known as 'app deep links'. Additionally, it is recommended that the app content has a web equivalent ...
Dec 18, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How should you correctly manage the canonical relationship between AMP and standard pages?
In the AMP setup, main web pages retain their priority for indexing and ranking. AMP pages must include a rel=canonical link to the standard page, allowing Google to show AMP pages in search results w...
Dec 18, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is AMP still relevant for boosting your mobile SEO?
The AMP project, backed by Google, aims to accelerate mobile page loading through a limited HTML version and a CDN, which could become a major topic in the future. While particularly suited for publis...
Dec 18, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why does Google require unrestricted access to JavaScript and CSS in your robots.txt?
Google needs to see web pages as a user would, which requires access to JavaScript and CSS from the robots.txt file. This allows Google to analyze the actual rendering of mobile pages....
Dec 18, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does the mobile compatibility test truly affect rankings on smartphones?
Google's "Mobile-Friendly Test" allows you to check how pages are perceived by Google's algorithms, analyzing elements such as text size and the compatibility of key page elements on mobile. The resul...
Dec 18, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is responsive design really THE solution for mobile-first indexing?
Google strongly recommends responsive design for mobile websites because it uses the same URL, which simplifies site structure and makes troubleshooting problems easier. Other methods, like dynamic se...
Dec 18, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does HTTP/2 really enhance SEO without manual intervention?
HTTP/2 activates automatically if both the server and client support it, all while maintaining backward compatibility with HTTP/1.x....
Dec 15, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Can duplicate reviews ruin your rich snippets?
For rich snippets, reviews must be relevant to the specific product on the page. General reviews across multiple pages can decrease their value....
Dec 15, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why does Google crawl certain pages more often than others?
Pages deemed important by Google are crawled more frequently, which is not a direct ranking factor but a symptom of their importance....
Dec 15, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really customize product reviews for each listing?
Structured data must be product-specific on the page for the reviews to be relevant. Using the same reviews for all products can be problematic....
Dec 15, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
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