A recent U.S. Justice Department deposition featuring a Google engineer has shed light on some of the inner workings of Google’s search ranking systems. Although much of the information is high-level and generalized, it offers valuable insights into how Google evaluates and ranks web pages. Hand-Crafted Signals in Google’s Algorithm One key takeaway is the…
In a recent episode of the “Search Off the Record” podcast, members of Google’s Search Relations team—Gary Illyes and Martin Splitt—shared insights into how Google handles various HTTP status codes. Their discussion clarified some common misconceptions among SEO professionals. Key Takeaways 1xx Status Codes: Not Important for SEO Google’s crawlers completely ignore all 1xx (informational)…
Referral traffic is often seen as a sign of success—proof that your brand is being recognized and shared by others. However, Mordy Oberstein, a respected figure in search marketing, has made the bold claim that referral traffic may actually be harmful to long-term brand growth. His argument? Over-reliance on referrals creates vulnerabilities that can undermine…
John Mueller from Google has confirmed that all URLs appearing within AI Overviews (AIOs) share the same position in Google Search Console. This clarification came after SEO expert Gianluca Fiorelli asked Mueller how position data is tracked for links featured in AI-generated answer boxes. Referring to Google’s official documentation, Mueller explained: “An AIO functions as…
The key takeaway from this update is how websites handle images shared on different pages. Google now advises webmasters to always use the same URL when referencing an image throughout the site. This helps improve crawl efficiency by allowing Google to cache and reuse the image instead of crawling it repeatedly. In other words, if…
A recent discussion between SEO expert Neil McCarthy and Google Search Advocate John Mueller has shed light on how Google interprets hreflang tags in international SEO strategies. McCarthy noticed that web pages intended for French-speaking users in Belgium (fr-be) were appearing in search results from France. He questioned whether this was due to Google ignoring…
There are growing signs that the search marketing industry is experiencing significant changes—not just in the skills employers are seeking but also in hiring practices that may be making it harder for experienced SEO professionals to land roles they’re well-qualified for. A Brief History of SEO Careers Twenty-five years ago, breaking into SEO and building…
Google has unveiled major updates to its security systems, emphasizing the growing role of artificial intelligence in shielding users from scams online. The company has also released a detailed report showing how effective AI has become in identifying and blocking fraudulent content in search results. AI Now Blocks Hundreds of Millions of Harmful Search Results…
Google has publicly refuted recent reports suggesting a drop in search engine usage due to the rise of AI-powered search tools and chatbots. This response directly challenges testimony provided by an Apple executive during the U.S. government’s antitrust case against Google, causing significant market reactions. Apple’s Testimony Sparks Market Turmoil The controversy began with Eddy…
According to recent reports, Apple is exploring the possibility of integrating AI-powered search engines into its Safari browser. This potential move comes as usage of Google’s search engine reportedly declines across Apple devices. Sources suggest that Apple is in early discussions with several AI search startups, signaling a possible shift away from its long-standing reliance…