What does Google say about SEO? /
Martin Splitt is a Developer Advocate at Google, specializing in JavaScript rendering and modern web application indexing. He created the 'SEO Mythbusting' video series and regularly explains how Googlebot handles JavaScript frameworks. His statements are essential for developers looking to optimize the SEO of their applications.
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
★★★ Does AMP really affect your website's SEO?
AMP is not a ranking factor. AMP can be used on large dynamic sites, not just for news. If AMP makes the site faster, it can help through the page speed factor, but not directly through AMP....
May 26, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why is page speed essential for SEO rankings?
Page speed is one of many ranking factors. If a competing site is faster, all else being equal, it may gain a ranking advantage due to its speed, not because of the technology used....
May 26, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you standardize meta descriptions for users and Googlebot?
Serving a generic meta description to users while providing individual meta descriptions to Googlebot as part of dynamic rendering is not considered clear cloaking. However, it's preferable to serve t...
May 18, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Are absolute and relative URLs truly equivalent for pagination?
For JavaScript pagination, there is no difference for Google between using absolute URLs (\/topic?page=2) or relative ones (?page=2). Crawling issues related to parameters, such as infinite crawl spac...
May 18, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why does the lack of content after rendering lead to incorrect canonicalization?
When rendering fails and Googlebot encounters an empty page, it may incorrectly canonicalize it to other pages without content, including soft 404s. This occurs when critical resources do not load in ...
May 18, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why is it essential to inspect rendered HTML and unloaded resources?
In the URL inspection tool, examine the rendered HTML of the crawled page and check under 'More Info > Resources' for resources that haven’t loaded. Missing critical resources (JS, CSS, API) can preve...
May 18, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Should you prefer dynamic rendering to avoid indexing troubles?
When client-side rendering causes indexing issues (empty pages, incorrect canonicalization), one should consider dynamic rendering or even better, server-side rendering, depending on the technical sta...
May 18, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Could blocked resources by robots.txt be a nightmare for your SEO?
If critical resources like JavaScript files or API calls are blocked by robots.txt, Googlebot can’t access them or render the page, which means the content will never be seen. This manifests as missin...
May 18, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why is it crucial to test mobile compatibility before launching your website?
The Mobile-Friendly Test operates on the same infrastructure as the live test and the Rich Results Test. It allows you to test any URL (local with ngrok, staging) and provides access to blocked resour...
May 18, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why are generic button texts a concern for SEO?
Using the same button text ('Read More', 'Check Profile') isn't duplicate content but represents poor anchor text. Google might weigh these anchors less heavily. It's advisable to use descriptive text...
May 18, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ What are the key differences between live testing and Google indexing?
Two major differences between live testing and the indexing infrastructure are: (1) fetch deadlines are shorter in live tests, and (2) indexing uses a cache while live testing occurs in real-time. Cac...
May 18, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why is the 2.5-second LCP threshold still critical for SEO?
The threshold for Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) remains at 2.5 seconds. Faster is always better, but this threshold hasn't been adjusted recently....
May 18, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Does hidden code in React really affect SEO?
In a React application, having code that hides certain elements on mobile and others on desktop within the same code is not a crawlability concern, as Google can see both versions of the code....
May 18, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is measuring only the LCP a strategic mistake for your SEO?
A single speed metric like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is insufficient. Google needs to measure multiple aspects: content loading time, interactivity of clickable elements, and visual stability to ...
May 06, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does your Google ranking fluctuate so much based on the location of the query?
Different rankings by region are inevitable and necessary, especially due to linguistic and cultural differences. Getting results in an incomprehensible language just because they rank well elsewhere ...
May 06, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does Google crawl your site at a different speed than what your users experience?
The speed measured during crawling (server connection time, response time) is different from the speed perceived by the user. These are two distinct aspects that serve different purposes within Google...
May 06, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is it true that Google refuses to disclose the exact weights of its ranking factors?
Google communicates in general terms about what it looks for (relevant content, fast site), but does not disclose the exact factors and their weights, as this information is generally used to manipula...
May 06, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Is site speed really secondary to content relevance?
The user's primary goal is to get an answer to their search intent. This answer should be presented in a pleasant manner (not slow and tedious), but relevance remains a priority over pure speed....
May 06, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★★ Why is measuring only LCP no longer enough for Core Web Vitals?
A single speed metric like the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is insufficient. It is also essential to measure interactivity (to avoid unresponsive clicks) and visual stability (to prevent elements fr...
May 06, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
★★ Why does Google differentiate between crawl speed and user speed?
The speed measured for crawling (server connection and response time) is different from the speed perceived by the user. Crawling requires quick connections and fast server responses, while user exper...
May 06, 2021 ⚡ Analysis available
🔔

Get real-time analysis of the latest Google SEO declarations

Be the first to know every time a new official Google statement drops — with full expert analysis.

No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.