English Google SEO office-hours from March 2023

TL;DR

When updating a website, make sure to redirect old URLs to new ones, improve title and description tags, and use hreflang annotations for multiple language versions.

Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING] JOHN: Bob asks us how to best update the SEO results. "I pointed a URL to a new WordPress site, but the search results are blending the previous site and the new site." Hi, Bob. There is nothing special that you need to do when updating a website. As Google reprocesses your current website, it will update automatically. There are, h... Read More

Key Insights

• 🔍 When updating a website, there is nothing special that needs to be done as Google will automatically update the search results. However, it is important to properly redirect old URLs to new ones and improve titles and descriptions for better recognition.
• 📷 Google recognizes WEBP images based on the content type header in the HTTP response, rather than the file extension. Other methods may also be used, but the content type header is usually sufficient.
• 📹 The "Google could not determine the prominent video on the page" error in Search Console can occur if the video is not within view when the page first loads. The video should be appropriately sized and placed above the fold.
• 🌍 Having one language on two markets may not be seen as duplicate content by Google, but it can cause some effects. Pages with the same content in the same language may be treated as duplicates, and only one page will be shown in search results. Using hreflang annotations can help with showing the appropriate version based on user location.
• 🆚 It is generally better for a Dutch website to use the .nl domain instead of the .com domain for better localization signals. However, if there are specific reasons to use the .com domain, it is possible but may not have the same benefits.
• 🔗 When moving a large number of indexed pages to another site, it is important to isolate the change and focus on moving the URLs only. Redirects should be set up, and a list of URLs should be created before and after the move to monitor traffic redirection.
• 🤖 The crawl requests in Search Console cover both Googlebot and AdsBot crawling. AdsBot uses the same infrastructure as search Google bots and is limited by the same crawl rate mechanisms. ⏳ Google updates indexed URLs once they are crawled and reprocessed. The time for this process may vary depending on the popularity of the URL, but Google eventually updates the indexed URL.

Questions & Answers

Q: How can I ensure a smooth transition when updating a website?

To ensure a smooth transition when updating a website, it is important to redirect old URLs to new ones. This helps users and search engines find the updated content without encountering errors.

Q: How can I improve the visibility of my website in search results?

One way to improve the visibility of your website in search results is by improving the title and description tags. Adding relevant keywords and information, such as location or specific details about the content, can make it easier for people to recognize and click on your website in the search results.

Q: What should I do if I have multiple language versions of my website?

If you have multiple language versions of your website, using hreflang annotations can help search engines understand and display the appropriate version to users. This ensures that users are directed to the correct language version based on their location and language preferences.

Q: Is it necessary to submit a website for reindexing after making changes?

In most cases, it is not necessary to manually request reindexing of a website after making changes. Google automatically reprocesses and updates websites over time. However, if there are specific pages that you need to have updated faster, you can use the URL Inspection tool in Search Console to request reindexing for those pages.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• When updating a website, it's important to redirect old URLs to new ones to ensure a smooth transition for users and search engines.

• Improving title and description tags can make it easier for people to recognize and understand the content of a website.

• When dealing with multiple language versions of a website, using hreflang annotations can help search engines understand and display the appropriate version to users.