English Google Webmaster Central office-hours hangout

TL;DR

John Mueller addresses webmaster concerns on Google indexing and SEO.

Transcript

JOHN MUELLER:All right. Welcome, everyone, for today's Google Webmasters Central Office Hours Hangout. My name is John Mueller. I'm a webmaster trends analyst here with Google in Switzerland. And part of what we do is talk with webmasters and publishers like the ones here in the Hangout. If any of you newer folks in the Hangout have any questions t... Read More

Key Insights

• Google recrawls robots.txt files daily, but changes may not reflect immediately in search results. Using noindex is more effective for content removal.
• 404 pages do not require indexing or following by Googlebot. Google ignores content on 404 pages and drops them from the index.
• The canonical tag is a signal for preferred indexing but may be overridden by other factors like redirects and internal links.
• Search results may show multiple URLs from the same site if deemed relevant, with no absolute limit on the number of results.
• Negative SEO is generally handled by Google’s algorithms, but webmasters can use disavow files for link-based threats.
• A/B testing does not typically result in penalties, but significant content changes may affect indexing and ranking.
• RankBrain and machine learning are increasingly used to handle novel queries, though traditional algorithms still play a role.
• Noindex tags and robots.txt errors are common SEO mistakes that can significantly impact search visibility.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why might changes to robots.txt not reflect immediately in search results?

Google recrawls the robots.txt file daily, but changes may not instantly affect search results. This is because blocked URLs can still appear in search results without titles or snippets. To remove content quickly, using a noindex tag is more effective than relying on robots.txt.

Q: How does Google handle 404 pages?

Google does not index or follow 404 pages. The content on these pages is ignored, and Google drops them from its index. You can place any meta tags on 404 pages, but they will not affect Google's handling of these pages.

Q: What factors influence Google's choice of canonical URLs?

The canonical tag is a signal indicating a preferred URL for indexing. However, Google may override this if other signals, such as redirects, internal links, or sitemap entries, suggest a different canonical URL. Google processes the page to recognize the rel=canonical tag.

Q: Why might a site appear multiple times in search results?

Google does not impose an absolute limit on the number of results from a single site. In some cases, showing multiple results from one site is relevant, especially for brand-related queries. However, Google aims to balance search diversity and relevance.

Q: How does Google address negative SEO?

Google's algorithms are generally effective at identifying and mitigating negative SEO. If webmasters suspect negative SEO, they can report it in forums or contact Google directly. For link-based threats, using a disavow file can instruct Google to ignore harmful links.

Q: Can A/B testing lead to SEO penalties?

A/B testing itself does not typically result in penalties. However, if Googlebot is exposed to significantly different content during a test, it may affect indexing and ranking. Ensure Googlebot is treated like a normal user to avoid issues.

Q: What role does RankBrain play in search rankings?

RankBrain helps Google handle queries it has never seen before, which occur about 10% of the time daily. While RankBrain is increasingly used, traditional algorithms still play a significant role in determining search rankings.

Q: What are some common SEO mistakes?

Common SEO mistakes include using noindex tags inadvertently, misconfiguring robots.txt, and focusing excessively on technical tweaks rather than content quality. These errors can lead to significant drops in search visibility and should be carefully managed.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• John Mueller discusses various aspects of Google's indexing and ranking processes, emphasizing the importance of using noindex over robots.txt for content removal. He explains how Google handles 404 pages and the role of canonical tags in indexing.

• Mueller addresses concerns about negative SEO, reassuring that Google's algorithms are adept at managing such threats. He advises using disavow files for link-related issues and highlights common SEO mistakes such as noindex tags.

• The session covers Google's approach to search result ranking, including the use of RankBrain for new queries and the potential impact of A/B testing on indexing. Mueller also touches on the importance of focusing on content quality over technical tweaks.