Google is testing out a new format in the search results for their “People also ask” feature, which shows different popular questions and queries related to the current search. This one has the questions appearing in boxes and the searcher can side scroll to see more in a carousel style. TurtlePie Solutions spotted the Google […]
HTML5 is Not a Google Ranking Factor
In last week’s Google Webmaster hangout, the question was brought up about HTML5, the current version of HTML code standard and whether it benefits SEO in any way. Does HTML5 tags have a positive effect in SEO? John Mueller answered the question: No. HTML5 can be really useful for making a modern website, but it’s […]
Why Google Ignores HTML Lang Attribute for Indexing in Search Results
Usually when we talk about international SEO and languages, hreflang is the hot buzzword. But what about the older <html lang=”en-gb”> tag that was previously used? If you have been adding it to your pages, you can save that tiny bit of code… Google ignores that tag. John Mueller explained that one of the problems […]
Use Caution When Switching Between www & Non-www Preferred Domains
Usually when a site owner launches a website they pick and choose whether they want Google to index the www or the non-www version of the domain name, tell Google their preferred domain and then submit a sitemap or use fetch and submit for that variation. Sometimes when a site owner discovers that a site […]
Google AdWords Begins Restricting Keyword Planner Data for Non-Advertisers
Google AdWords has once again begun restricting access to the AdWords Keyword Planner tool for those who are not advertising. In June, Google AdWords turned off access to the Keyword Planner tool for those who did not have an active AdWords campaign running. However, they later backed away from this, and instead said it was […]
No Ranking Boost for AMP in Google Search Results
When Google announced that they were bringing AMP to the main organic search results – the “ten blue links” – they specifically said there would be no ranking boost associated with AMP. To clarify, this is not a ranking change for sites. However, many are still questioning whether there is or isn’t a boost for […]
Google Changes AMP Reporting in Search Console
If you have suddenly noticed a drop in the number of errors in Google Search Console for AMP, you didn’t accidentally change something. Google has updated the error reporting in Search Console to prepare for Google showing AMP in the main search results. The change in reporting is made with the upcoming addition of AMP […]
Google Bringing AMP to “Ten Blue Links” in Search Results
Are your sites AMP ready yet? If not, you will want to make it a priority as Google has announced they will be launching AMP in the mobile search results for the ten blue links. Since Google initially launched AMP, they have shown AMP results only in their news section of the search results, and […]
HTTPS Ranking Boost Does Not Vary Depending on the Site’s Industry
Someone raised an interesting question in last week’s Webmaster Office Hours… whether Google varies the amount of the HTTPS based on the industry the site is in. For example, would banking or ecommerce sites get a larger boost for being HTTPS than a regular blog or news site? John Mueller said that Google does not […]
How Google Reports Impressions, Positions & Clicks in Search Analytics
There has been a lot of confusion about Search Analytics, specifically what counts as clicks and how positioning is reported. When various search features are included in the search results, and when some sites may or may not show them, it can be hard for some site owners to figure out what some of the […]