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
★★★ Can the noscript tag truly replace JavaScript for Google?
Adding noscript tags containing links to content similar to what is present in JavaScript is not considered cloaking by Google. It is an acceptable solution to make links crawlable....
Jul 19, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why are breadcrumb structured data essential for SEO?
Breadcrumb structured data is very useful because Google is displaying fewer raw URLs and favoring navigation links. Specifying these links via structured data ensures a better display....
Jul 19, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does Google tend to overlook NoScript tags in SEO?
Google generally attempts to ignore the content placed within NoScript tags. Therefore, it's essential to verify that this approach actually functions as intended for indexing....
Jul 19, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How should you handle canonicals for international versions?
Different country versions of a site should not use a canonical pointing to a single country version. Each version should be able to rank separately with its own canonical....
Jul 19, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Could using nofollow on internal links actually enhance your SEO strategy?
Using nofollow on internal links to pages with high link density or noindex pages can be tested to optimize the crawl budget. Google will not penalize this practice....
Jul 19, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does Google rewrite your meta descriptions to better match search queries?
Google does not guarantee that it will use the provided meta description, even if it is well-crafted. Google may adjust the displayed description based on the user's search query....
Jul 19, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why does Google take several months to reevaluate your site?
After improving a site's quality, Google typically requires several months, even up to six months, to reevaluate the overall quality of the site and adjust its ranking accordingly....
Jul 19, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Could empty content pages actually be hurting your SEO rankings?
Pages that contain text like 'no results found' may be classified as soft 404s by Google, especially if this text appears before JavaScript loads the real content....
Jul 19, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why is meaningful content essential for preventing soft 404s?
To prevent soft 404s, make sure that pages contain substantial content and use a clear URL structure that does not suggest error pages or empty search results....
Jul 19, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why should you avoid marking third-party reviews in structured data?
Reviews collected by third-party platforms should not be marked with structured data on your site. Only the platform that actually collects the reviews can mark them; otherwise, there is a risk of com...
Jul 19, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Is it worth using structured data without Rich Results for SEO?
Structured data that doesn't generate Rich Results has a minimal positive effect on the understanding of entities, but this effect is generally not measurable. Prioritize visible structured data in th...
Jul 19, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does Google recommend using a JavaScript banner instead of geographic redirections?
To let users know that a local version exists, Google recommends using a JavaScript banner instead of a redirection, as redirections complicate crawling from a single location....
Jul 19, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does Google simplify the canonicalization of queries in Search Console?
Queries in Google Search Console are slightly canonicalized (converted to lowercase, punctuation removed) but Google does not interpret or simplify the search intent....
Jul 19, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really be hiding your affiliate links for SEO?
There's no need to hide or obscure affiliate links for search engines. You shouldn't use complex JavaScript, automatic click management, or cloaking to conceal these links....
Jul 13, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ How can you enhance your affiliate product reviews using structured data?
When affiliate links are used in the context of product reviews, it is recommended to consult Google's documentation to check if appropriate structured data can be implemented....
Jul 13, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you add nofollow attributes to affiliate links in JavaScript?
If affiliate links are added via JavaScript, appropriate attributes (nofollow or sponsored) must also be included in the JavaScript code....
Jul 13, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why is unique content essential for affiliate sites?
A site using affiliate links must provide its own unique content and offer value. It shouldn't just republish generic or low-quality descriptions....
Jul 13, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really disclose all affiliate links for SEO benefits?
Affiliate links must be disclosed to both users and search engines. This is a fundamental requirement by Google....
Jul 13, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is it true that Google allows affiliate links for SEO benefits?
Affiliate links are acceptable and can be used to monetize a website. Google has no objection to their use as long as they are properly disclosed....
Jul 13, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really use rel='nofollow' for your affiliate links?
For search engines, affiliate links should use the rel='nofollow' or rel='sponsored' attribute to indicate that it's a paid link....
Jul 13, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
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