English Google Webmaster Central office-hours from 23.08.2019

TL;DR

Discussion on indexing, ranking, and technical SEO issues.

Transcript

MARTIN SPLITT: The infinite spinner. JOHN MUELLER: Some people-- or are we on? OK. Welcome, everyone, to today's Webmaster Central office-hours Hangouts. My name is John Mueller. And with us is Martin Splitt. We're webmaster trends analysts at Google here in Switzerland. And part of what we do are these office-hours hangouts. We have a slightly dif... Read More

Key Insights

• Amazon's high ranking product pages often lack content but benefit from overall site quality and user engagement.
• Highlighting content reviewed by experts can enhance user trust, though it's not mandatory for SEO.
• Google's URL removal tool hides search results but doesn't affect crawling or indexing.
• AMP pages should be equivalent to desktop versions to ensure a good user experience.
• Structured data warnings don't necessarily impact indexing; unique IDs are recommended but not mandatory.
• Google's mobile-first indexing is gradually implemented, and there's no way to expedite the process.
• Duplicate content is managed by Google through indexing both entire pages and specific sections.
• JavaScript SEO is evolving, with Google improving its handling of JavaScript, but technical expertise remains crucial.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does Amazon rank highly with minimal content?

Amazon's high ranking is attributed to the overall quality and authority of the site, not just the content on individual pages. Google considers user engagement and the presence of relevant information, such as reviews and product details, which contribute to the site's credibility and ranking.

Q: Should medical content highlight expert reviews?

While not mandatory for SEO, highlighting that medical content is reviewed by experts can enhance user trust and credibility. It's beneficial to inform users about the quality and accuracy of the content, especially in fields requiring high expertise, like healthcare.

Q: What happens after using the URL removal tool?

The URL removal tool hides search results for 90 days but does not affect crawling or indexing. Google continues to crawl the page, and if it's blocked by noindex or robots.txt, it will eventually be dropped from the index. The tool is primarily for managing search result visibility.

Q: Does AMP need to match desktop content?

Yes, AMP pages should be equivalent to desktop versions in terms of content and navigation. This ensures a consistent user experience and prevents users from encountering stripped-down pages that don't meet their needs. Structured data differences are less critical but should still align with the overall content.

Q: Is a global identifier necessary for structured data?

While a global identifier like GTIN is recommended for structured data, it's not mandatory. Google issues warnings, not errors, for missing identifiers. These identifiers help Google group similar products across different sellers, but not having them won't prevent indexing.

Q: How does Google handle duplicate content?

Google identifies duplicate content at both page and section levels. It indexes all versions but selects one to display based on user queries. For e-commerce sites, unique value can be added through reviews, photos, and additional content to differentiate pages.

Q: What triggers mobile-first indexing?

Google's mobile-first indexing is a gradual process with no set timeline for each site. The decision to switch is based on the site's readiness, assessed through algorithms. Webmasters cannot expedite the process, as it's managed automatically by Google.

Q: Is JavaScript SEO becoming obsolete?

JavaScript SEO is evolving, not becoming obsolete. Google's ability to index JavaScript is improving, but technical expertise is still needed for troubleshooting and optimizing complex web technologies. As the web platform changes, JavaScript SEO will adapt to address new challenges and opportunities.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The session addressed various SEO concerns, focusing on indexing and ranking challenges faced by webmasters. John Mueller clarified that Amazon's top rankings are due to overall site quality, not secret algorithms. He also emphasized the importance of equivalent AMP and desktop versions for optimal user experience.

• Participants raised questions about structured data, URL removals, and the impact of duplicate content on search rankings. Google encourages highlighting content reviewed by experts to build user trust but doesn't require it for ranking purposes.

• JavaScript SEO remains a significant focus, as Google continues to improve its ability to index JavaScript-heavy sites. The session underscored the ongoing need for technical expertise in managing SEO for complex web technologies.