What Are the Key SEO Insights from Google's Office Hours?

TL;DR

During Google's Office Hours, John Mueller highlighted that keywords in URLs are a minor ranking factor and changing URL structures can be counterproductive. He noted that moving to HTTPS is advisable for security but not yet a ranking signal, and duplicate content won't incur penalties. Both subdomains and subfolders are acceptable for content organization, and natural links should not be disavowed even if they include previously problematic keywords.

Transcript

JOHN MUELLER: OK, welcome everyone to today's Google Webmaster Central Office Hours Hangout. My name is John Mueller. I'm a webmaster trends analyst at Google in Switzerland and currently in the US. We have a bunch of questions that were submitted already. If you're watching this, you can add questions while we have the session as well. And if you'... Read More

Key Insights

• Keywords in URLs are a minor ranking factor, and changing URL structures for SEO purposes is not recommended as it may cause more harm than good.
• A change of address tool in Webmaster Tools requires root-to-root redirects, but clear redirects and rel=canonical tags can suffice for site moves.
• Natural links, even if they use previously problematic keywords, do not need to be disavowed.
• Algorithms like Penguin affect entire websites and not specific keywords; manual actions and algorithms work together to combat spam.
• Moving to HTTPS is encouraged, but it currently does not serve as a ranking signal.
• Duplicate content within a site does not lead to penalties; Google indexes both HTML and PDF versions of content.
• Subdomains and subfolders are equally viable for organizing content, with no SEO preference.
• Google News inclusion requires a manual review process, and guidelines for high-quality content should be followed.

Questions & Answers

Q: Are keywords in URLs used as a ranking signal?

Keywords in URLs are considered a minor ranking factor by Google. However, John Mueller emphasized that they are not significant enough to warrant changes to URL structures for SEO purposes alone. He advised against artificially rewriting URLs, as it may cause more issues than improvements.

Q: How should a site move to a new domain be handled?

John Mueller explained that Google's change of address tool requires root-to-root redirects for domain moves. However, using clear redirects and rel=canonical tags can effectively signal the move to Google. It is important to ensure that redirects are not blocked by robots.txt files.

Q: What is the impact of natural links using previously problematic keywords?

Mueller clarified that if a natural link uses a keyword that was previously associated with spammy practices, it does not need to be disavowed. Natural links, even with such keywords, are considered valuable and do not negatively impact the site.

Q: Does moving to HTTPS affect SEO rankings?

Currently, moving to HTTPS does not serve as a ranking signal. John Mueller mentioned that while HTTPS is encouraged for security reasons, it does not directly influence search rankings. However, Google may consider it as a factor in the future.

Q: How does Google handle duplicate content within a website?

Duplicate content within a website does not lead to penalties. Google indexes both HTML and PDF versions of content, showing the most relevant version based on user queries. Mueller advised against worrying about internal duplicate content as it does not negatively affect rankings.

Q: Is there a preference for using subdomains or subfolders?

John Mueller stated that Google does not have a preference between subdomains and subfolders for organizing content. Both are viable options, and the choice depends on technical considerations and the specific needs of the website.

Q: How can a website be included in Google News?

Inclusion in Google News requires a manual review process. Websites should follow the guidelines outlined in the Google News Publisher Help Center. Quality content and adherence to these guidelines are essential for being accepted into Google News.

Q: What should be done if a site experiences a drop in traffic due to Panda?

Mueller suggested reviewing the site's quality and referring to the blog post by Amit Singhal on high-quality content. Engaging with peers for feedback and ensuring the site meets quality standards can help recover from a Panda-related drop in traffic.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• John Mueller from Google addressed various SEO-related questions during the Webmaster Central office hours hangout. He clarified that while keywords in URLs might have a slight impact, they are not a major ranking factor. Changing URL structures solely for SEO purposes can lead to more problems.

• Mueller explained that Google's change of address tool requires root-to-root redirects, but clear redirects and rel=canonical tags are also effective for site moves. He also emphasized that natural links, even with previously problematic keywords, do not need to be disavowed.

• The discussion covered the importance of HTTPS, duplicate content, and site structure. Mueller noted that moving to HTTPS is recommended but not a ranking signal yet. Duplicate content within a site does not lead to penalties, and both subdomains and subfolders are viable for content organization.