English Google Webmaster Central office-hours from February 7, 2020

TL;DR

John Mueller answers various webmaster questions.

Transcript

JOHN MUELLER: All right. Welcome, everyone, to another Webmaster Central Office Hour Hangouts. My name is John Mueller. I'm a webmaster trends analyst here at Google in Switzerland. And part of what we do are these office hour Hangouts, where people can join in and ask any question related to their website and related to web search, I guess. A bunc... Read More

Key Insights

• John Mueller emphasizes the importance of clear URL structures for international websites to aid in geotargeting and indexing.
• Manual actions for thin content can be resolved by deleting low-quality sites and improving high-value ones, but clarity in communication with Google is crucial.
• Structured data not listed in Google's documentation won't affect search visibility but can help Google understand page content better.
• Building links can accelerate a website's ranking process, but organic promotion and content quality are equally important.
• Internal linking is crucial for establishing page importance within a site, affecting how Google understands site structure and hierarchy.
• Dynamic rendering with JavaScript can complicate SEO efforts, requiring more monitoring and adjustments compared to static HTML.
• Google Discover visibility can be affected by core algorithm updates, and geotargeting settings should align with the target audience.
• Google uses the rendered version of a page for indexing, and conflicts between static and rendered content can lead to indexing issues.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does structured data not listed in Google's documentation affect search visibility?

Structured data types not listed in Google's documentation won't directly affect search visibility or result in rich results. However, they can help Google understand the entities on a page better, potentially influencing how the page is ranked in terms of relevance to search queries. It's beneficial to implement structured data that is documented by Google for clear results.

Q: Can building links from high-end websites reduce the time it takes for new sites to rank?

Building links can potentially reduce the time it takes for a website to rank, as links are one of many factors Google uses for crawling, indexing, and ranking. However, it's important to focus on promoting the site organically and ensuring high-quality content, as these strategies also contribute to better search performance and user engagement.

Q: What is the impact of internal linking on a website's SEO?

Internal linking is crucial for SEO as it helps establish the hierarchy and importance of pages within a site. A clear internal linking structure aids Google in understanding which pages are more important and how they relate to each other, which can influence how pages are ranked and displayed in search results. A lack of hierarchy can lead to less relevant site links being shown in search results.

Q: What are the potential SEO challenges of using React and dynamic rendering?

Using React and dynamic rendering can complicate SEO efforts as it requires more monitoring and adjustments compared to static HTML. While it allows for creating sophisticated user interfaces, it also necessitates ensuring that all SEO elements are correctly implemented and rendered. Pre-rendering content could be a solution to maintain SEO performance while using dynamic frameworks.

Q: How do core algorithm updates affect Google Discover visibility?

Core algorithm updates can impact Google Discover visibility, as they affect how content is ranked and surfaced across Google's platforms. A drop in Discover traffic following an update suggests that the changes may have influenced the factors that determine content visibility. Ensuring high-quality, relevant content is key to maintaining visibility in Discover.

Q: Does Google use the rendered version of a page for indexing?

Yes, Google uses the rendered version of a page for indexing. This means that any discrepancies between the static and rendered versions can lead to indexing issues. It's important to ensure that JavaScript-rendered content aligns with the static content to avoid conflicts that could affect how a page is indexed and ranked.

Q: How should a website handle URL canonicalization to ensure proper indexing?

For proper indexing, a website should ensure that all signals, such as internal links, sitemap files, and hreflang annotations, point to the canonical version of a URL. This helps Google understand which version to index and display in search results, reducing the likelihood of duplicate content issues and improving search performance.

Q: What should a website do if it's not appearing in search results despite being indexed?

If a website is indexed but not appearing in search results, it could be due to a manual action, URL removal, or algorithmic filtering. It's important to check for any manual actions or removal requests in Search Console. If none exist, it may simply take time for Google's algorithms to adjust and properly rank the site, especially if it's new or in a competitive niche.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• John Mueller discusses various webmaster concerns including URL structures for international sites, resolving manual actions, and the use of structured data. He advises clear URL patterns for geotargeting and emphasizes the importance of structured data for content understanding.

• The session highlights the importance of internal linking for site hierarchy, the complexities of dynamic rendering with JavaScript, and the impact of core algorithm updates on Google Discover visibility. Mueller suggests focusing on promotion and content quality to improve site rankings.

• Mueller addresses issues related to indexing, such as the effects of manual actions and URL removals, and the significance of clear site hierarchies. He also touches on the impact of site architecture and link structures on Google's understanding of a website.