John Mueller

★★★ Should you still care about modified titles in search results?

Google continues to use the content of the HTML title tag for ranking, even though the title displayed in search results may be modified by algorithms. Webmasters should not alter their titles to matc...

Sep 03, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Why is having a single recipe per page essential for SEO?

The schema.org markup for recipes should only be used for a single item per page, not for lists of recipe ideas. Google is working to algorithmically detect these abuses rather than relying on manual ...

Sep 03, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Why is a sitemap crucial even for small sites?

Submitting a sitemap file is not mandatory, especially for very small sites, but it is highly recommended as it facilitates the discovery of new and updated content by Google....

Sep 03, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Should you include affiliate links in your product markup to enhance your SEO?

It is acceptable to use links to other sellers, such as Amazon affiliate links, in schema.org Product markup, as some sites operate on an affiliate basis or with separate cart systems....

Sep 03, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Could avoiding unique downloads actually enhance your SEO?

Creating unique download files for each user hinders Google's ability to proactively scan them, potentially triggering unusual download warnings. Supplying original files allows Google to recognize th...

Sep 03, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Is your news site really optimized for Google's algorithm?

Inclusion in Google News has become primarily algorithmic. Registering with the Google News Publisher Center does not guarantee visibility everywhere; it requires convincing the algorithms of the qual...

Sep 03, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Do Mobile and Desktop Versions Really Need Identical Content for Mobile First Indexing?

John Mueller explained on Twitter that, to be acceptable in the Mobile First index, the desktop and mobile versions of a page do not need to offer exactly the same content, but must however "fulfill t...

Aug 30, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Why does Google consider platform issues as site problems?

When a technical issue occurs on a hosting platform (Wix, Shopify, etc.), Google views it as a problem with the site itself, not with the platform. Technical problems are generally resolved quickly on...

Aug 28, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Is it true that GA4 makes verification in Search Console more complicated?

With the new version of Google Analytics (GA4), Google no longer automatically recognizes this method for verification in Search Console. An alternative method like the meta tag or the HTML file must ...

Aug 28, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Does preserving old content really affect your SEO?

Old content or content with less traffic isn't automatically deemed bad. If the content is reasonable and of high quality, there's no issue with keeping it. Only truly poor content should be removed....

Aug 28, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Can anchor links really harm your SEO?

Adding anchor links at the top of the page to navigate downwards does not have a negative impact from an SEO perspective. It makes content more accessible to users, which is a positive thing....

Aug 28, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Do blocked pages by robots.txt really impact your site's overall SEO quality?

Indexed but blocked pages by robots.txt are not considered for the overall quality of the site. Google does not know their content, and they do not appear in search results....

Aug 28, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Is manipulating the back button harmful to your SEO strategy?

Manipulating the browser's back button to prevent the user from returning to Google is a terrible practice. The WebSpam team can take action against sites that do this, as it is considered a sneaky re...

Aug 28, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you still optimize Core Web Vitals once they're in the green?

Once Core Web Vitals are in the green zone according to real user metrics, further improving the scores offers no additional SEO benefits. Being in the green simply ensures the stability of good perfo...

Aug 28, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ How does window.history.pushState affect SEO indexing?

When window.history.pushState occurs during page loading, Google treats it as a redirect. The modified URL is the one Google considers for indexing. However, server-side redirection remains preferable...

Aug 28, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Is it true that Google won’t allow a meta tag to prevent title rewrites?

Google does not plan to create a meta tag that would allow disabling title rewriting. The issue is expected to be resolved by improving algorithms, not by adding an extra setting, as this need did not...

Aug 28, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Is it true that large-scale guest posts are problematic for SEO?

Creating a large volume of similar content and widely distributing it through guest posts with links back to your site results in artificial links. Google wants websites to earn recognition naturally,...

Aug 28, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Do old 404 errors still influence your SEO rankings?

404 errors on old URLs that Google is still trying to crawl do not affect ranking at all. It's perfectly normal for a site to generate many 404 errors on URLs that no longer exist....

Aug 28, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★★ Should you really use nofollow for promotional links in SEO?

For the initial promotion of content through guest posts or other means, links must be nofollow. This functions like advertising: users can click, but no ranking signals are passed on. If people enjoy...

Aug 28, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available

★★ Are post-interaction interstitials really considered acceptable for SEO?

An interstitial shown after significant user interaction (e.g., scrolling to the bottom) may be acceptable. However, a fixed banner is preferable. Watch out for the Cumulative Layout Shift that some i...

Aug 28, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available