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
★★★ 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
★★★ Can You Use Multiple Structured Data Tags on a Single Page Without Being Penalized?
John Mueller also explained in the same webmaster hangout that in itself, using multiple structured data tags on the same page is not a problem, but it must be done with logic and discernment: if you ...
Jul 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should You Limit the Number of Internal Links on Each Page to Improve SEO?
John Mueller explained during a webmaster hangout that having too many internal links within each page of a site is detrimental. For example, having every page link to all others erases the notion of ...
Jul 12, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Could separate mobile sites be the reason your indexing is slowing down?
Having separate versions (desktop, mobile, app) of a site slows down indexing because Google has to crawl three versions instead of one. Switching to a responsive design accelerates the process by red...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is there really no delay between Google's crawling and indexing?
There is no queue or artificial delay between crawling and indexing at Google. If a page can be crawled, Google tries to index it as quickly as possible, except for JavaScript sites that require pre-r...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why are 1:1 redirects essential for a seamless domain migration?
For a domain migration, you need the simplest possible 1:1 redirects, without UTM parameters or anything else. This allows Google to properly recognize the migration and transfer all signals quickly. ...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ How does a clear HTML structure impact the display of sitelinks?
For Google to display links to specific sections of a long page, a clear HTML structure is required with distinct sections, ID anchors, and internal links to those sections. While this is not guarante...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How does Google change meta descriptions based on user queries?
Google frequently customizes the displayed meta description based on the user's query. If the provided meta description does not align well with the query, Google will instead pull relevant excerpts d...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Should You Always Optimize the Length of Titles and Descriptions?
Google does not provide a fixed optimal length for title and meta description tags as display varies based on queries and devices. The title and description should match the page content, whether they...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Could a product canonical to category be harming your product content?
When a canonical tag points from a product page to a category page, the signals (links) are transferred, but the content of the product page is completely ignored. Only the content of the category pag...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does geographic targeting take a week in Google Search Console?
Geographic targeting settings in Search Console take about a week to propagate to Google's various systems. The effect is first visible on new content and then gradually on existing content during the...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you rethink the use of structured data for SEO?
When it comes to structured data, you need to work backward: first, identify what display Google offers in the search results, and then implement only the necessary markup to achieve that display. Thi...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you really mark every product with structured data on category pages?
On a category page listing multiple products, you shouldn't mark each product individually with the Product structured data. Google prefers that the markup corresponds to the main element of the page,...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why should you prioritize HTML tables for indexing specific values?
If the goal is to index specific values from charts, it is better to present this data in the form of HTML tables. This way, Google can process them through normal crawling and potentially display the...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why is contextual text crucial for your graphs in SEO?
For graphs and visualizations, it's essential to provide enough contextual text around them, not just a title. This helps Google understand the topic and index the page, even if the graph itself is no...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How does Google really handle infographics for SEO?
Google does not break down charts, infographics, or data visualizations to extract individual values. These elements are treated like standard images, indexable for image search but without a detailed...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Is the author really that important for SEO of non-critical content?
Author information is less relevant for non-critical contents like movie descriptions. Google places more emphasis on expertise and authority for critical contents such as medical or financial informa...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ How does anchor text hold more weight than the number of internal links?
When it comes to internal linking, focusing on the anchor text and its relevance is far more crucial than the number of links or the distribution of PageRank. Anchor text helps Google clearly understa...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why are internal PageRank micro-optimizations ineffective for SEO?
Internal PageRank micro-optimizations generally have no visible impact in search results. Significant changes come from managing faceted navigation, filters, and sorting options, not from slight redis...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Are Navigation Links Really That Different for SEO?
Google does not make a major distinction between links in navigation and links in the main content. The primary difference concerns boilerplate content versus main content, but not specifically the li...
Jul 09, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
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