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.
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🕒 ~1 min 🎯 5 questions
★★★ Does Google really apply the same algorithms to every industry?
Google generally applies the same algorithms across all industries to ensure uniformity and model billions of sites....
Dec 15, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ What must you know about AMP, JavaScript, and mobile optimization to boost your SEO?
In 2016, Google will emphasize the development of AMP and mobile improvements, alongside a better understanding of JavaScript sites....
Dec 15, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really optimize every meta description manually if Google rewrites them?
Title tags are partially used for ranking, but descriptions are not. Automatically generating these tags is acceptable as long as it remains useful for users....
Dec 15, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really block content with robots.txt to deindex it?
To remove already indexed pages, it is advisable to use the URL removal tools, especially if you cannot add a noindex directly due to the robots.txt block....
Dec 15, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does adding new products really dilute your SEO signals?
Adding quality products to an established site should not dilute SEO signals. If the quality is good, Google should adapt to it....
Dec 15, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is it really time to ditch subdomains for a single website?
Building a strong, single site is generally preferable to creating multiple subdomains, unless the target audience is very different....
Dec 15, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Does adding unrelated content to a website really hurt its ranking?
Adding sections unrelated to the main theme of a site, such as mixing automotive products with unrelated articles, should not negatively affect the ranking for the initial theme, unless the quality is...
Dec 15, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does Google only index a fraction of the images listed in your sitemap?
If a low percentage of images is indexed despite a sitemap file, send the details to the Google team for verification. Image indexing can vary according to perceived importance or quality....
Dec 11, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really stop blocking duplicate content in robots.txt?
Instead of blocking duplicate or thin content using robots.txt, it is better to manage it through re-indexing to retain important signals and strengthen the right pages....
Dec 11, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why does Google block geotargeting on ccTLDs and how can you adapt?
Country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) cannot define specific geotargeting through Search Console, unlike generic domains, as they are already presumed to target the country of the code....
Dec 11, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Should you really archive your old URLs to prevent cannibalization?
It is recommended to move old content to an archived URL while keeping the current content on the main URL to avoid cannibalization. This helps maintain the current content's relevance and accessibili...
Dec 11, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Is it really necessary to split your sitemaps by category to enhance indexing?
Separating sitemaps by categories is beneficial for obtaining more accurate indexing statistics in the Search Console. It helps to better understand which sections are well indexed and which ones need...
Dec 11, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why doesn't rel=canonical guarantee the canonicalization you expect?
Rel canonical is seen as a signal and not an absolute directive. Google must first index both versions to understand their relationship before deciding which one to prioritize. Direct redirects are cl...
Dec 11, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Did Google roll out an algorithm update on November 19 without announcing it?
Although not officially mentioned, Google frequently performs updates to its algorithm, some more noticeable than others. November 19 might correspond to one of them, but without confirmation of a spe...
Dec 11, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really switch from HTTP to HTTPS all at once to speed up indexing?
Rather than performing a step-by-step migration, it is advisable to fully redirect HTTP to HTTPS so that Google can process the change more quickly. This allows for faster recognition of the full migr...
Dec 11, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is thin content really a concern for Google or is it all about user experience?
Thin or duplicate content can be problematic, but Google recommends focusing on user experience to determine its value. Use noindex, redirects, or canonicalization to manage these pages, but always pr...
Dec 11, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why does Google ignore your language variants with hreflang and canonical?
Google tries to understand what the webmaster wants to achieve with hreflang. If the canonical tag points to a specific language, make sure it properly reflects localization intents. Otherwise, Google...
Dec 11, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why does hreflang only work on canonical pages?
hreflang can be used to target multiple countries with the same content, but the tag must be applied to the canonical versions of each page to be effective....
Dec 08, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really redirect all outdated pages after a redesign?
Outdated pages can simply return a 404 status. If a similar product exists, a redirect can be created, but a 404 remains technically correct....
Dec 08, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Can Google really remove search features without notifying SEOs?
Google can remove certain interface features if they believe the automatic estimation is precise enough, such as location detection....
Dec 08, 2015 ⚡ Analysis available
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