English Google SEO office-hours from November 12, 2021

TL;DR

John Mueller addresses various SEO queries in a Google Office Hours session.

Transcript

JOHN MUELLER: All right. Welcome, everyone, to today's Google Search Central SEO Office Hours Hangouts. My name is John Mueller. I'm a search advocate here at Google in Switzerland. And part of what we do are these Office Hour Hangouts, where people can join in and ask their questions around their website and web search. Looks like a bunch of thing... Read More

Key Insights

• John Mueller discusses the importance of having a dedicated domain for a Chrome extension to maintain control over content and future growth.
• He advises against splitting backlink efforts across multiple URLs, emphasizing the need to focus on one to maximize link value.
• Mueller suggests using internal linking to highlight important pages and improve crawling frequency, especially after noindex tags are removed.
• He explains the role of canonical tags and alternate hreflang attributes, advising on their proper use in multilingual sites.
• Mueller clarifies that bolding text can help Google understand a page's emphasis but warns against overusing it, as it can dilute its effectiveness.
• The importance of response time in crawling is highlighted, with suggestions to improve server response times for better crawl rates.
• Mueller discusses the variability of Discover traffic and suggests focusing on quality and adherence to Discover policies for better visibility.
• He addresses the potential benefits of updating an old website to a modern framework, such as PWA, for improved SEO and user experience.

Questions & Answers

Q: How should I handle backlinks for multiple URLs related to my Chrome extension?

John Mueller advises against splitting backlinks across multiple URLs. Instead, focus on one URL to maximize the value of the backlinks. This approach helps consolidate link equity and improves the chances of ranking higher in search results.

Q: What should I do if my pages are still showing as noindexed in Search Console?

Mueller suggests using internal linking to highlight important pages, which can prompt Google to recrawl them. He also recommends checking the performance report in Search Console to ensure that important pages are indexed, even if some noindex pages are reported.

Q: Does bolding text in paragraphs help with SEO?

Yes, bolding important points in a paragraph can help Google understand the emphasis of the content. However, it's important not to overuse bolding, as it can dilute its effectiveness. Use it sparingly to highlight key information.

Q: How does Google handle canonical tags and hreflang attributes?

Canonical tags should not be used across languages. Each language version should be canonical to itself, with hreflang attributes linking them. This setup ensures that Google indexes the correct version for each language or region.

Q: What is a good response time for a large e-commerce site?

For a large e-commerce site with millions of pages, a response time of around 500 milliseconds is good. Faster response times can allow for more efficient crawling, especially for sites with a large number of URLs.

Q: Why did my Discover traffic suddenly drop?

Discover traffic can be variable and is often either very high or very low. Mueller suggests checking for quality issues or policy violations specific to Discover. It's also useful to look at external resources for insights on optimizing content for Discover.

Q: Should I update my old website to a PWA?

While updating to a PWA can offer benefits like improved user experience and additional features, it also requires careful consideration of JavaScript SEO challenges. Modernizing an old site can lead to improved rankings, but it's not necessary to switch to a PWA unless it aligns with business goals.

Q: Is it normal for Google to still crawl my old m-dot domain?

Yes, it's normal for Google to continue crawling an old m-dot domain even after redirection. It can take a long time for Google's systems to completely stop crawling a domain, sometimes even years.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• John Mueller answers various SEO questions during a Google Office Hours session, providing insights into crawling, indexing, and site optimization. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a dedicated domain for extensions and discusses strategies for improving site visibility.

• Mueller advises on the use of canonical tags and hreflang attributes, stressing the need for proper implementation to avoid confusion. He also highlights the role of internal linking in increasing crawl frequency and the significance of response times in determining crawl rates.

• The session covers the impact of website updates on SEO, with Mueller suggesting that modernizing an old site can lead to improved rankings. He also touches on Discover traffic variability, encouraging adherence to quality guidelines for better performance.