English Google Webmaster Central office-hours from May 29, 2020

TL;DR

John Mueller answers webmaster questions on indexing and site issues.

Transcript

JOHN MUELLER: All right, welcome everyone to today's Webmaster Central Office Hours Hangout. My name is John Mueller. I am a webmaster trends analyst here at Google in Switzerland. And part of what we do are these Office Hour Hangouts, where people can join in and ask any question around their website and web search. A bunch of stuff was submitted ... Read More

Key Insights

• Site queries in Google don't follow a defined order, so missing homepages aren't necessarily problematic if the site ranks normally.
• Adaptive content for mobile and desktop is fine, but Google will only index the mobile version.
• Cloaking isn't a concern if all users from a region see the same content as Googlebot.
• Redirecting users based on IP is possible, but ensure US-based Googlebot can access all content.
• Structured data markup changes, like Sitelinks Search Box, can take time to reflect in search results.
• Frequent content updates can cause fluctuations in search snippets and rankings.
• Back button hijacking is discouraged as it can annoy users, but there's no specific penalty.
• EAT and YMYL guidelines suggest having detailed author pages for trustworthiness, but it's not mandatory.

Questions & Answers

Q: What should I do if my homepage doesn't appear in site queries?

John Mueller explains that site queries don't have a defined order, so it's normal for a homepage to sometimes not appear. If the homepage ranks normally for competitive keywords, there's no need to worry. The site query is not a comprehensive list of indexed pages.

Q: How does Google handle adaptive content for mobile and desktop?

Mueller states that Google indexes the mobile version of a site. Adaptive content is fine as long as the mobile version contains the essential content. Any major content differences between mobile and desktop versions could affect what Google indexes and displays.

Q: Is redirecting users based on IP a problem for SEO?

Redirecting users by IP is possible, but ensure that Googlebot, which crawls from US IP addresses, can access all content. Use hreflang annotations to manage international content and consider the user experience when redirecting to avoid confusion.

Q: What is Google's stance on cloaking?

Cloaking is problematic if different content is served to search engines compared to users. However, serving different content to users from different regions is acceptable. Google uses sophisticated methods to detect cloaking, but normal regional content variations are not an issue.

Q: Why does my site's search snippet and ranking fluctuate?

Fluctuations can occur due to recent changes in titles, descriptions, or content. Mueller suggests providing specific examples for further analysis. Such changes can affect Google's understanding and indexing, leading to temporary ranking changes.

Q: Is back button hijacking penalized by Google?

Back button hijacking is not recommended as it can annoy users, but there is no specific penalty from Google. The practice may lead to poor user experience, which could indirectly affect site performance in search results.

Q: How important is author information for EAT and YMYL?

Mueller suggests that while detailed author pages with bios and social links can enhance trustworthiness, they are not mandatory. However, for content that requires high trust, such as news, providing author information can be beneficial.

Q: How does Google handle historic data in ranking decisions?

Google considers historic data, particularly for long-standing sites with established signals like backlinks. However, major site changes can take time for Google's algorithms to reassess, especially if the site previously provided adult content or had quality issues.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• John Mueller addresses various webmaster concerns during the Google Webmaster Central Office Hours. He discusses issues related to site indexing, adaptive content, cloaking, and redirects. He assures that missing homepages in site queries aren't necessarily problematic if the site ranks normally.

• Mueller advises that adaptive content for mobile and desktop is acceptable, but Google will index only the mobile version. He also emphasizes the importance of ensuring Googlebot can access all content when redirecting users based on IP.

• The session covers structured data changes, like Sitelinks Search Box, which can take time to reflect. Mueller discusses content updates causing search result fluctuations and discourages back button hijacking due to user annoyance.