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67 episodes with search off
2 episodes with search off
2 episodes with search off
Martin and John dive into the world of CSS and explore its connection to SEO. Discover why CSS files matter for SEO, how modern CSS frameworks impact pages, and the SEO implications of CSS class names and pseudo elements. Moreover, learn practical tips for ensuring your CSS enhances - rather than hinders - your website's search performance. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr096-transcript Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 0:56 - What is CSS? 1:37 - CSS file crawlability 3:52 - CSS flexibility and power 4:55 - Website and CSS growth 5:43 - CSS file size 9:15 - CSS class names and SEO 10:51 - Important CSS concepts 11:27 - CSS specificity 14:24 - Pseudo classes and pseudo elements 20:56 - Stop using before and after 22:47 - Viewport height 27:11 - Hiding things and background colours 28:05 - CSS images 35:55 - CSS for SEO 37:16 - Outro Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast #SEO Speaker: Martin Splitt, John Mueller Products Mentioned: Search Console
Thank you to Ahrefs Marketing Platform for sponsoring this episode. Learn about Ahrefs Webmaster Tools and get started for free https://ahrefs.com/webmaster-tools?utm_source=CarolynHolzman&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=partnerships&utm_content=Q2_2025Now that we're full on into the breakdown of the traditional model of SEO as a service, it got me to wondering WHY helpful content?What problem did HC rules solve?Multiple HCU updates could represent iterative cleaning passesThe "helpful" framing obscures the de-duplication benefitExplore with me some alternative explanations about what we're looking at and why!UPDATE: Companion article with infographic timeline https://www.americanwaymedia.com/gemini-and-helpful-content-timelines/Looking for a TOC wordpress plugin that does NOT "confuse" Googlebots. We're close. https://carolynholzman.com/fix-the-canonical-scoring-in-helpful-content/Last week's episode - https://www.confessionsofanseo.com/podcast/google-core-update-june-2025-dont-be-afraid-publish-now-season-5-ep-27/Mentioned in the show:https://zyppy.com/seo/google-index-size/https://thecapitolforum.com/google_antitrust_trial_2023/https://content.libsyn.com/p/4/2/a/42a258d2e8810356/Search_Off_the_Record_-_67th_episode.pdfhttps://www.confessionsofanseo.com/podcast/whats-mine-is-mine-season-5-episode-22/Indexation Research - Crawl Or No Crawl Tools that I use and recommend:Indexzilla -https://www.indexzilla.io (indexing technology)GSC Tool -https://bit.ly/gsctoolAhrefs Marketing Platform - https://ahrefs.com/webmaster-tools?utm_source=CarolynHolzman&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=partnerships&utm_content=Q2_2025Youtube Channel -Confessions of An SEO®https://g.co/kgs/xXDzBNf -------- Crawl or No Crawl Knowledge panelInterested in supporting this work and any seo testing?Subscribe to Confessions of an SEO® wherever you get your podcasts. Your subscribing and download sends the message that you appreciate what is being shared and helping others find Confessions of an SEO®An easy place to leave a reviewhttps://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/confessions-of-an-seo-1973881You can find me onCarolyn Holzman - LinkedinAmerican Way Media Google DirectlyAmericanWayMedia.com Consulting AgencyNeed Help With an Indexation Issue? - reach out Text me here - 512-222-3132Music from Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/doug-organ/fugue-stateLicense code: HESHAZ4ZOAUMWTUA
Are you a developer or small business owner struggling with Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? In this episode of Search Off the Record, Google Search Advocates John Mueller and Martin Splitt break down the essentials of SEO for small businesses. Learn practical tips for understanding your target audience, crafting a content strategy, and measuring your SEO efforts. They debunk SEO myths and explain when it's time to hire an SEO expert or agency. Get clarity on content strategy, technical SEO basics, the importance of relevant content and how to measure success. This video is perfect for developers who are curious about search and need a non-technical introduction to the SEO space, and small business owners who want to improve their website's visibility in Google Search. Resources: Episode transcript → Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction: The SEO Questions We All Get Asked 0:35 - SEO Starter Guide 0:58 - Defining Your Website Goals & Customer Focus 2:51 - Food Truck Example 4:20 - Understanding Your Customers & Search Intent 6:21- Content Strategy: What Should You Write About? 7:06 - Technical Foundation Check: Is Your Site Okay? 7:54 - Website Name Searching 9:46 - CMS 10:03- How to Approach Content Creation 11:52 - Getting Customer Feedback & Keyword Research 13:33 - How Serious Is My Goal 13:33: - How To Measure SEO Impact 14:30 - Monitoring Website Changes: Search Console & Analytics 16:03 - How Long Changes Take 17:41 - Staging Sites Vs Live Sites 18:44 - When to Hire an SEO Expert or Agency 21:14 - Red Flags SEO Promises 21:14 - Resources Mentioned 23:52 - How Long Does SEO Take 26:23 - AI and SEO 28:30 - Outro Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast #SEO Speaker: Martin Splitt, Gary Illyes Products Mentioned: Search Console,
Developers often have misconceptions about SEO. In this episode of Search Off the Record, John Mueller and Martin Splitt clarify what matters and what doesn't. They cover areas including: Optimizing themes for SEO, The indexing API, and common HTML mistakes. This podcast delivers essential knowledge for developers to enhance their SEO strategies and avoid common pitfalls. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr094-transcript Chapters: 0:00 - Intro to SEO misconceptions 0:15 - Why developers should care about SEO? 0:59 - Technical vs non-technical SEO 4:38 - The importance of naming things 6:03 - Title and Meta Description 7:31 - Is bad Html bad for SEO? 12:43 - Core Web Vitals 17:22 - Javascript SEO 27:00 - Google APIs and SEO 27:42 - Google Search algorithm 31:32 - What about Html comments? 31:58 - Themes and SEO 32:13 - How to reach out to Martin 32:57 - Wrap up Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast #SEO Speaker: Martin Splitt, Gary Illyes Products Mentioned: Search Console,
In this episode, Andrew Claudio aka GMAC is joined by Kris Pursiainen to discuss all the latest rumors & reports surrounding the Knicks head coach search, as well as a few big names that could become connected to the team during this transaction cycle.JOIN KNICKS FILM SCHOOL AT FANATICS FEST ON JUNE 20-22! GO TO FANATICSFEST.COM & USE PROMO CODE "KNICKSFILMSCHOOL20" TO GET 20% OFF YOUR TICKET PRICE BEFORE JUNE 20TH!!!!Watch the video version of this podcast on our YouTube channel!FOLLOW GMAC - @AndrewJClaudio_FOLLOW KRIS - @KrisPursiainenREAD: Why Knicks' unique Jaren Jackson Jr. interest intensifies after Grizzlies Desmond Bane tradeREAD: Knicks land meetings with Taylor Jenkins, Mike Brown as coaching search advancesREAD: Sources: Knicks expressed interest in John Calipari, but there's a catchREAD: Knicks' patient process to replace Tom Thibodeau shouldn't confuse fansREAD: Sources: How Leon Rose, Knicks' relationships are aiding coaching searchSIGN UP FOR THE NEW BRUNSON TIER ON PATREON TO GET BONUS CONTENT FROM BENJY & DJ!FOR AN AD-FREE, UNINTERUPTED VERSION OF THIS EPISODE, SIGN UP FOR THE MELO TIER ON PATREON!CHECK OUT THE KFS MERCH STORE!SPONSORS:SHOUTOUT TO OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR - FANATICS SPORTSBOOK! EARN UP TO 10% BACK ON YOUR BETS WIN OR LOSE. USE FANCASH ON TEAM GEAR ON FANATICS.COM BONUS BETS OR PROFIT BOOSTS IN THE FANATICS SPORTSBOOK APP! STAY TUNED FOR EXCLUSIVE OFFERS ALL PLAYOFFS LONG!
Today's word of the day is ‘80.5' as in percentage as in Pacers as in Thunder as in the NBA finals. The Pacers took Game 3 and now have an 80.5% chance to win the series according to past results. Tyrese Haliburton did it again. Another late run by the Pacers and the Thunder couldn't stop it. Now just 2 games away from a title! (10:15) What are the Knicks doing? The Knicks have asked 5 different teams to speak with its head coach and they all said no! What was the plan here? (21:20) Kevin Durant wants out of Phoenix. What? Another trade!? Another team? Oh, what the Suns could have been. (33:30) Review: Groundhog Day. (42:00) The Athletic released its poll about Major League Baseball. Who did the players vote on the worst organizations? It's not surprising! (49:45) NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Today's word of the day is ‘80.5' as in percentage as in Pacers as in Thunder as in the NBA finals. The Pacers took Game 3 and now have an 80.5% chance to win the series according to past results. Tyrese Haliburton did it again. Another late run by the Pacers and the Thunder couldn't stop it. Now just 2 games away from a title! (10:15) What are the Knicks doing? The Knicks have asked 5 different teams to speak with its head coach and they all said no! What was the plan here? (21:20) Kevin Durant wants out of Phoenix. What? Another trade!? Another team? Oh, what the Suns could have been. (33:30) Review: Groundhog Day. (42:00) The Athletic released its poll about Major League Baseball. Who did the players vote on the worst organizations? It's not surprising! (49:45) NPPOD. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this candid episode of Search Off the Record, Gary Illyes and Martin Splitt from the Google Search team peel back the curtain to reveal a more human side of their work and challenges. Instead of diving deep into technical concepts, they reflect on their personal journeys—touching on everything from public speaking nerves to building empathy between developers and SEOs. Through playful banter and thoughtful commentary, they share how communication, context, and curiosity play vital roles in their day-to-day roles, both internally at Google and in the broader web ecosystem. The conversation also explores the evolution of Martin's career, his passion for the web, and how his developer background helps him bridge gaps in technical understanding. The duo navigates the complexities of delivering accurate guidance in public forums, the risk of being taken out of context, and the importance of clear communication across diverse audiences. It's a thoughtful, lighthearted, and occasionally philosophical discussion that reminds listeners that behind the guidance, there are real people striving to make the web better for everyone. Resources: Episode 93 transcript→https://goo.gle/sotr093-transcript Chapters: 0:00 – Intro & Setup 1:30 – Life at Google 3:30 – Speaking to Developers 6:30 – Early Speaking Days 10:00 – SEOs vs Devs 14:00 – Should SEOs Code? 19:00 – Context is Everything 23:30 – Clearer SEO Advice 26:30 – Why No Slides 29:00 – Wrap Up Chat Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast #SEO Speaker: Martin Splitt, Gary Illyes Products Mentioned: Search
In this episode of Search Off the Record, Martin and Gary from the Google Search Relations team take a deep dive into how Googlebot and web crawling work—past, present, and future. Through their humorous and thoughtful conversation, they explore how crawling evolved from the early days of the internet, when scripts could index a chunk of the web from a single homepage, to the more complex and considerate systems used today. They discuss the basics of what a crawler is, how tools like cURL or Wget relate, and how policies like robots.txt ensure crawlers play nice with web infrastructure. The conversation also covers Google's internal shift to unified infrastructure for all crawling needs, highlighting how different teams moved from separate crawlers to a shared system that enforces consistent policies. They explain why some fetches bypass robots.txt (like user-initiated actions) and the rising impact of automated traffic from new products and AI agents. With a nod to initiatives like Common Crawl, the episode ends with a look at the road ahead, acknowledging growing internet congestion but remaining optimistic about the web's capacity to adapt. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr092-transcript Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast #SEO #SearchOfTheRecord Speakers: Martin Splitt, Gary Illyes Products Mentioned: Googlebotl, Gemma, Google AI
In this episode of Search Off the Record, Gary Illyes and Martin Splitt from the Google Search team dive deep into the foundations of how the web works—specifically HTTP, TCP, UDP, and newer technologies like QUIC and HTTP/3. The two reflect on how even experienced web professionals often overlook or forget the mechanics behind these core protocols, sharing insights through technical discussion, playful banter, and analogies ranging from messenger pigeons to teapots. The conversation spans key concepts like packet transmission, connection handshakes, and the importance of status codes such as 404, 204, and even 418 (“I'm a teapot”). Throughout the conversation, they connect these protocols back to real-world implications for site owners, developers, and SEOs—like why Search Console might report network errors, and how browser or server behavior is influenced by low-level transport decisions. With a mix of humor and expertise, Gary and Martin aim to demystify a crucial part of the internet's infrastructure and remind listeners of the layered complexity that makes modern web experiences possible. Resources: Episode transcript →https://goo.gle/sotr091-transcript Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast #SEO #Http Speakers: Lizzi Sassman, John Mueller, Martin Splitt, Gary Illyes Products Mentioned: Search Console - General
In this episode of Search Off the Record, Google's Martin Splitt, Cherry, and Gary Illyes discuss the exciting expansion of Search Central Live with the introduction of Search Central Live Deep Dive. They share the history of Search Central events, the inspiration behind creating a more advanced, multi-day experience, and how community feedback helped shape the new format. Cherry explains how the Deep Dive events will offer in-depth sessions, practical workshops, and greater opportunities for networking within the Search community across the APAC region. The team also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the complexities of planning international events, from budgeting and travel logistics to ensuring high-quality attendee experiences. They highlight plans for new locations including Budapest and South Africa, and outline how interested participants can apply. If you want to hear about the future of Google's Search community events and how to get involved, this episode is a must-watch. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr090-transcript Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral
Ever wondered how web standards are made? Martin and Gary from Google Search take you behind the scenes of the internet's governing bodies. From the IETF to the W3C, learn about the consensus-driven processes that shape the web. Find out why these standards are crucial for ensuring a consistent and reliable online experience. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr089-transcript Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast #SEO Speakers: Lizzi Sassman, John Mueller, Martin Splitt, Gary Illyes Products Mentioned: Search Console - General
As 2024 comes to a close, we're reflecting on what SEO things happened this year. Listen along as we chat about what we learned from going to events, the importance of understanding how AI works, and whether everything will be replaced with JavaScript. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr088-transcript Encoding + Googlebot → https://goo.gle/4iZEKXO Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team.
In this episode of Search Off the Record, John and Martin talk to Allan Scott from the Google Search team that handles duplicate content. They explore how Google Search deals with duplicated content, clustering, and canonicalization. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr087-transcript Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast #SEO Speakers: Allan Scott, John Mueller, Martin Splitt Products Mentioned: Search Console - General
In episode 15 of season 9 we talk about another blood week, Alabama got destroyed by Oklahoma, Ole Miss loses to Florida, BYU loses to Arizona State (with two field rushings), Indiana finally plays a good team and gets destroyed, preview the games for this week, do pickems, etc. We answer questions from listeners, etc. … Continue reading "S9E15 – Safe Search Off"
In this episode of Search Off the Record, Lizzi and John are joined by Rio Ichikawa, a product manager working on UX, CRO, and SEO, to discuss the intersection of SEO and UX. They explore how user experience impacts SEO, emphasizing the shared goals of attracting and converting users. Tune in for a discussion on common UX mistakes - like carousels - and how heatmaps can be a valuable tool for understanding user behavior and optimizing web pages for better engagement and conversion rates. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr086-transcript Rio on X/Twitter → https://goo.gle/4eAOjJz Rio on LinkedIn → https://goo.gle/3OnaHuY Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team.
Sometimes talking to your users is the best way to figure out why that pesky bounce rate is high. But how do you actually do that, especially if you're on a budget? In this episode of Search Off the Record, we're learning all about user experience research (UXR) and how getting a better understanding of how your users interact with your website can help when you're looking for ways to improve it. Tune in as Iva Barisic Hafner, a user experience researcher on the Google Shopping team, explains how to use UXR methods to get to the bottom of the "why" behind user behavior. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr085-transcript Nielsen Norman Group → https://goo.gle/3YI3xrq List of UXR methods → https://goo.gle/40sI6Ma Iva on LinkedIn → https://goo.gle/3A7Te6E Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team.
What does recursion, Weather Frog, and Momo the Magic Cat have in common? In this episode of SOTR, Lizzi and John go behind the scenes of a Google Doodle with Jessica Yu, the lead for Doodles and delight on Google Search, about designing experiences that resonate with your audience. Listen along as we learn more about what's involved in getting an easter egg into Google Search, from hatching the idea to designing (and deploying) the experience and measuring success. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr084-transcript Jessica Yu on LinkedIn → https://goo.gle/3BKgSq1 Momo's first appearance → https://goo.gle/3UbGgeC Submitting an idea for the Google Doodle → https://goo.gle/3A04stC AVIF is now supported by Google → https://goo.gle/3NrwhhK Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team.
In this episode of Search Off the Record, Ben Walton and David Yule from the Google Search Site Reliability Team (SRE) walk us through their day to day work, which surprisingly is not just about putting out fires! Learn what Search SREs really do, how they handle incidents that occasionally occur, and what it takes to be an SRE for Google Search. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr083 SRE handbook → https://goo.gle/3XSbVUF David on LinkedIn → https://goo.gle/3XQKavR Ben on LinkedIn → https://goo.gle/4ewAkEX Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team.
It's been a few months since you hired an SEO; how can you tell if things are headed in the right direction? In this episode of Search Off the Record, Lizzi and John interview Erika Varangouli, head of Branded Content at Riverside.fm, about all things hiring and working with SEOs. Just because uplift isn't happening doesn't mean they're not doing work; we walk through practical things to check throughout the process, such as how things are prioritized, is there regular reporting, and proactive communication around things that don't go as planned. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr082-transcript John's initial LinkedIn Post → https://goo.gle/3XNOqfI Erika Varangouli on LinkedIn → https://goo.gle/3ZukgiH Erika on X → https://goo.gle/3XXGBUR Do I Need an SEO? → https://goo.gle/4dabZUb SEO Starter Guide → https://goo.gle/42alrmy Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team.
In this episode of Search Off the Record, Irina Tuduce from the shopping team joins John Mueller and Lizzi Sassman to chat all things shopping data, from schema.org to feeds spec. Listen along as we chat about how shopping infrastructure gets its data, why pricing data can be tricky, and what the Shopping team has been working on this year. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr081-transcript Irina Tuduce on LinkedIn → https://goo.gle/3Xuiywf Product structured data → https://goo.gle/4eaPJus Feed spec in Merchant Center → https://goo.gle/3Tdl2MU How to set up Merchant Center account → https://goo.gle/4gcSPjq Merchant-level organization markup → https://goo.gle/47fvmd2 Schema.org community on GitHub → https://goo.gle/4e7A6E3 Variants in Google Search → https://goo.gle/4dU4BOc Merchant Listings report in Search Console → https://goo.gle/47hlNuu Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team.
In this episode of SOTR, John Mueller, Lizzi Sassman, and Gary Illyes talk about misconceptions around crawl frequency and site quality, what's challenging about crawling the web nowadays, and how search engines could crawl more efficiently. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr079-transcript Gary's post on LinkedIn → https://goo.gle/3YAT55q Crawling episode with Dave Smart → https://goo.gle/3WShUsf If-Modified-Since → https://goo.gle/3ywXvja About the IETF → https://goo.gle/3SGVVlo Robots Exclusion Protocol → https://goo.gle/4dgmBSg Proposal for new kind of chunked transfer → https://goo.gle/3AgMF1c Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
Managing websites that use different languages and serve different countries is no easy task. That's why Lizzi, Gary and Martin sat down to talk about all things internationalization, hreflang and what's making managing international, multi-language websites easier. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr078-transcript Docs for international and multilingual sites → https://goo.gle/3WtolAL How x-default can help you → https://goo.gle/3Y8AdKB Web Almanac hreflang usage in 2022 → https://goo.gle/4bKX2Hv Hreflang tags generator by Aleyda Solis → https://goo.gle/4bVRVEI Merkle Hreflang testing tool → https://goo.gle/3WaWbKj Hreflang Builder → https://goo.gle/4cW8fGi Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
In this episode, Zoe Clifford from the rendering team joins Martin and John from Search Relations to talk about how Google Search deals with JavaScript sites, how rendering works and what the mysterious "iteratorect" was. They also discuss what's the DOM, if all pages get rendered, how long it takes and what website owners should look out for when building JavaScript-driven websites. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr077-transcript JavaScript SEO basics → https://goo.gle/3W0XnjB Fixing search-related JavaScript issues → https://goo.gle/3S2bMdY Google I/O 2019 presentation → https://goo.gle/4bCdZ6M Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
In this episode of SOTR, Lizzi and John sit down with Elizabeth Tucker to go behind the scenes of Search Quality product management. Listen along as they discuss using data science to measure quality and make improvements, how search behavior is changing over time, and how to think about E-E-A-T and the Search Quality Rater Guidelines. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr076-transcript BERT paper → https://goo.gle/3XroKpe E-E-A-T for site owners → https://goo.gle/4c5E0fQ Search Quality Rater Guidelines → https://goo.gle/3z07OvN Improving Search with Rigorous Testing → https://goo.gle/45x7OQ0 Day in a life of a Search Quality Product Manager → https://goo.gle/3z087GX Meet Data Scientists at Google → https://goo.gle/3xzZ67c Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
How does Google address incidents that affect Search results, like indexing problems or crawling issues? Join John, Lizzi, and Gary in this episode of Search off the Record as the team discusses internal processes Google uses to detect, investigate, and communicate these incidents to users and website owners. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr075-transcript Google Search Status Dashboard → https://goo.gle/3Vcs9pi Lifecycle of an issue → https://goo.gle/3KsgjCe SRE Playbook's chapter on troubleshooting → https://goo.gle/3V9NPCj Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast Speaker: John Mueller, Lizzi Sassman, Gary Illyes Products Mentioned: Search Console - General
Welcome to the Leafs Lounge, your go-to spot for everything Toronto Maple Leafs! Dive deep into the NHL Playoffs analysis, stay updated on the latest Leafs Coach Search developments, and get insider insights into the team's off-season plans. Whether you're a die-hard Leafs fan or just love hockey chatter, this is where the action is. Join us as we break down game strategies, discuss potential coaching candidates, and speculate on how the Leafs are gearing up for an exciting off-season. Follow us for the latest buzz, rumors, and discussions with fellow Leafs Nation members. Let's talk hockey!
In this episode of Search off the Record, John and Lizzi invite Michael Chidzey and “Jo” Juliana Turnbull to talk all things SEO Office Hours. Listen along as they discuss why they picked this format, whether community building has an impact on SEO, and how you can get involved in this growing community of SEO practitioners. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr074-transcript Join the next Good Signals SEO Office Hours → https://goo.gle/4avilfM Good Signals SEO Office Hours announcements on LinkedIn → https://goo.gle/450vo7F Jo Juliana Turnbull on LinkedIn → https://goo.gle/4bISYbP Jo Juliana Turnbull on X → https://goo.gle/44V8xKF Mike Chidzey on LinkedIn → https://goo.gle/4dSJg7Q Submit a question for Google SEO Office hours → https://goo.gle/3K93A7A Watch more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Central Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast Speaker: John Mueller, Lizzi Sassman, Michael Chidzey, Juliana Turnbull Products Mentioned: Search Console - General
What's the best way to handle outdated content? Does old content affect SEO? In this episode of Search Off the Record, Lizzi Sassman and John Mueller discuss the importance of addressing old content and updating it to continue being useful to users today. Listen along as Lizzi and John discuss content decay's effect on Google Search results and practical steps to tackle it. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr073-transcript Crypto redirects → https://goo.gle/4dq7Ywe Outdated blog post on traffic drops → https://goo.gle/3y8UNQd Mobile-Testing Tool blog post → https://goo.gle/4bsCJ1Q Structured Data Tool landing page → https://goo.gle/4bvZ8Lw Watch more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Central Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team.
In this episode of Search Off the Record, Gary Illyes, Lizzi Sassman, and John Mueller put Large Language Models (LLMs) to the test and compete to create the best social post using generative AI. Listen along as they weigh the pros and cons, assess how accurate the posts are, stumble on some owl facts, and see how Google's own GenAI tool, Gemini, can be used as a creativity tool. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr072-transcript SEO Starter Guide → https://goo.gle/42alrmy rel=prev/next isn't a signal → https://goo.gle/4aIWz8F Managing Multi-Regional Sites → https://goo.gle/3J3u5e9 Bubble chart analysis → https://goo.gle/49q9VW8 Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
This episode I'm taking just a teensy break from discussing Google's Helpful Content System. This is the conference I'll be spilling all the beans on the Helpful Content Data and answering as many questions. Its the Rank Elevation SEO Summit Happening June 10-11, 2024 At the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort In Kelowna, British Columbia - Canada https://www.entityelevation.com/seo-summit-2024/ This week's topic comes from an episode of Search Off the Record where google engineers and their Google friends about general topics. I learned more about what is and what isn't a Googlebot. As well as some insight into what Google is looking for in a site or a new site. Search Off The Record - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVg9LcrSwyQ Forensic SEO - HouseFresh Video Series If you want to not miss any future videos or discussions on what might be going on in Google - make sure to get on the notification list for Search Driven Insights - https://bit.ly/searchdriveninsights This week's sponsor of Confessions of an SEO Magic Mind - https://magicmind.com/confessions Coupon code: Confessions20 For the latest from the Indexation Research check out it's new home on Substack. Monthly $18 / Annual membership has perks and gets you two months free plus a few more fun things! Substack: https://crawlornocrawl.substack.com/ Latest News from CONC New Desktop Googlebot Youtube channels - https://www.youtube.com/@forensicseo https://bit.ly/searchdriveninsights Here's a test - please click on this link American Way Media, INC - SEO Consultant Confessions of an SEO - On Semrush's Top 10 SEO Podcasts https://www.semrush.com/blog/seo-podcasts/ Suggest podcast topics on Confessions Hotline - 512-222-3132 Your SEO deals on Tools I use: Some tools I use and recommend: Cora Software https://bit.ly/confessionscora On page analysis tool - use it every day. GSC Tool - https://bit.ly/gsctool A chrome extension that helps me with repetitive tasks in search console and has a connector to the Google Indexing API so it doesn't go through 3rd parties. Ziptie Monitoring Software - https://bit.ly/checkoutziptie Software than monitors whether Google is serving your content or not. Rank Week - https://bit.ly/confessionsrankweek For those who read these things - please click below - it's a short link to the Confessions of An SEO Knowledge Panel - Thank you for your click! Confessions of An SEO
In this episode of Search Off the Record, John Mueller and Lizzi Sassman are joined by Rick Viscomi from the Chrome Web Performance team to discuss the importance of understanding what users seek to accomplish and optimizing accordingly, rather than focusing solely on metric scores. Listen along as the Search team touches on metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), and the latest Interaction to Next Paint (INP) as pieces of the pie for a better user experience. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr071-transcript Introducing INP to Core Web Vitals → https://goo.gle/4ar2UW6 Page Experience & Google Search → https://goo.gle/49cEWgm Rick on X (formerly Twitter)→ https://goo.gle/3PCe4ze Core Web Vitals on Stack Overflow → https://goo.gle/4awMqvw Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast Speaker: John Mueller, Lizzi Sassman, Rick Viscomi, Products Mentioned: Search Off The Record,
In this episode of Search Off the Record, Gary Illyes and Lizzi Sassman take a deep dive into crawling the web: what is a web crawler, and how does it really work? Listen along as the Search team is joined by an expert web developer in the SEO community, Dave Smart, for an in-depth and technical discussion of all things crawling, and maybe dispel some myths along the way. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr070-transcript Managing your crawl budget → https://goo.gle/3IzRZxl Dave Smart on LinkedIn → https://goo.gle/3wPSuRA Tame the Bots → https://goo.gle/4cfCQ1P Search Central Help Forum → https://goo.gle/sc-forum Indexing API docs → https://goo.gle/3v8yVU0 Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast Speaker: Gary Illyes, Lizzi Sassman Products Mentioned: Search Off The Record
In this episode of Search Off the Record, John Mueller and Lizzi Sassman sit down with Aaseesh Marina, Product Support Manager, to discuss the Search Central community forums. Did you know there is a group of Product Experts and community members that can help you navigate your SEO questions? Listen along as the Search Team takes a deep dive into the Search Central help community forum and discover why it should be your go-to guide for any SEO help. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr069-transcript Search Central help community → https://goo.gle/3sViTv3 Product Expert program → https://goo.gle/3SL6jrI Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast Speaker: John Mueller; Lizzi Sassman; Products Mentioned: Search Off The Record;
Nick Underhill to talk OC search and they continue their coverage from the Senior Bowl.
The SEO Starter Guide is getting a refresh! Have you ever wondered how the Search team plans and writes such a document? In this episode of Search Off the Record, John Mueller, Gary Illyes, and Lizzi Sassman discuss which topics are still relevant, the right level of detail for a starter guide, and whether or not including anti-patterns in documentation is a good idea. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr068-transcript SEO Starter Guide → https://goo.gle/42alrmy SEO Starter Guide: What's all the drama? → https://goo.gle/4b6ZLMq Let's pick a domain name → https://goo.gle/3tezc6t Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast Speaker: John Mueller; Gary Illyes; Lizzi Sassman;, Products Mentioned: Search Console;,
Nick Underhill joins us to talk about the Saints and their search for a new OC. In this hour we also do our OTB pre season top 12 for football. We wrap up with Ask the Bench.
Episode 2 - We made an exclusive list!! I couldn't resist talking in this episode about the honor it was given on Semrush's Top 10 SEO Podcasts at the end of 2023. https://www.semrush.com/blog/seo-podcasts/ And Confessions is in some great company - Search Off the Record (Google's Search Relation Team), Best SEO Podcast (The Unknown Secrets of Internet Marketing), Search With Candour, Authority Hacker Podcast, #5 Confessions of an SEO !!!! SERP's Up, EDGE of the Web, SEO 101, The Recipe for SEO Success and The Search Engine Journal Show, And since all my friends were too busy to answer their phones, you get to be the first that I talked about it with! Then I went into the topic of the show which might be a theme this year - how Google has changed and that Google interprets our search terms. In this episode I share my thoughts on something related to the Indexation Research Project that I didn't give much thought to initially that has actually been a learning experience. OK, so its not going as I initially thought but learning from it is worth its weight in gold. I have a text number where you can suggest podcast topics - 737-225-8228 Third Annual Confessions of an SEO Podcast Survey is open! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9DJ56YN Here's the link to Olga Zarr's podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/si/podcast/seo-podcast-by-seosly/id1652341332 Here's the link to the Virtual Conference next month - https://agencyfasttrack2024.com/ Your SEO deals on Tools I use: Some tools I use and recommend: Cora Software https://bit.ly/confessionscora On page analysis tool - use it every day. GSC Tool - https://bit.ly/gsctool A chrome extension that helps me with repetitive tasks in search console and has a connector to the Google Indexing API so it doesn't go through 3rd parties. For the latest from the Indexation Research check out it's new home on Substack. Monthly $18 / Annual membership has perks and gets you two months free! Substack: https://crawlornocrawl.substack.com/ For those who read these things - please click below - it's a short link to the Confessions of An SEO Knowledge Panel - Thank you for your click! | | Confessions of An SEO
In this episode of Search, Martin, John, and Gary look back at 2023 and reminisce on some of this year's Search announcements. From updates to Core Web Vitals to going back to basics of website titling, the team covers a wide range of announcements and updates in the world of SEO. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr067-transcript Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
In this episode of Search, Martin, Gary, and John discuss aspects of SEO that website owners often overlook. From overall quality to more technical aspects, The Search team talks about where they focus on their SEO work and why the details add up to a better SEO experience. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr066-transcript Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
In this episode of Search, John, Gary, and Martin discuss why the search team adds and removes features on their search engine, Steve. From creating a better user experience to surfacing relevant answers for search queries, maintaining an organized webspace requires continual retooling. Tune into this episode of Search Off the Record to learn about what the team considers when updating their search engine itself! Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr065-transcript Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
In this episode of Search, John and Gary discuss the impact of quality on search results. From sitemaps to scheduling and more, the Google Search team talks about how the quality of the page and site plays a role in crawling and indexing, besides ranking. Do you need to update your site often or add many links? Tune in and find out on this episode of Search Off the Record! Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr064-transcript Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
CW: We talk and joke about the tragedy of 9/11 a lot this episode. If you lost someone or was in anyway affected by the acts of horror of that day, we apologize for your pain and loss. Might be best to skip this episode.
The Google Search algorithm has been updated and panic quickly sets in. In this episode of Search, Martin, John, and Danny help content creators everywhere focus on the value they bring into the digital world. From changing ranking systems to updated documentation, the Google Search team discusses their holistic approach to SEO, ranking, and more! Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr063-transcript Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
A top-level domain (TLD) is the last part of a domain name, after the dot, and identifies the type of organization the domain belongs to, or the country the domain is targeting. Some examples include .com, .org, .ai, .ch, .xyz. In this episode of Search, John, Gary, and Martin help you choose the best top-level domain for you and your website, including price, popularity, and if a custom one makes a difference in search engines. They also touch upon second-level domains, dashes, keywords, their effect on SEO, and more! Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr062-transcript Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
Martin, John, and Gary discuss the potential reasons why your website or page is not indexed, both from a technical and quality perspective. Learn about the tools and reports available in Google Search Console to help determine why your website is not indexed. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr061-transcript Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
In this episode of Search Off the Record, John, Gary, and Martin answer highly sought-after questions left on Gary's Linkedin post. They share the drawbacks of client-side rendering, how Web3 would affect SEO, and more. Why do 410 response codes show the same as 404s in Search Console? Is it treated differently in the backend? Find out that, and more from how the Search team would rebuild a search engine differently from Google's to what the team has learned from the billions of search queries it's received over the years. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr060-transcript Check out the Google Search Centra YouTube channel → https://goo.gle/43lCh1h Check out the Google Search Central blog → https://goo.gle/3CJW3sH Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
In this episode of Search Off the Record, John, Gary, and Lizzi chat about launching websites. Launching a website can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially staging your website for launch, or if you're a seasoned website owner and want to stage a new feature. How can you prevent a staging site from becoming indexed? Who are the people having the problem with the staging servers? What is the difference between a site launch and migration? Listen to this podcast episode to find out! Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr059-transcript Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast
Ethan Smith is the CEO of Graphite, a boutique growth agency that's helped companies like MasterClass, Thumbtack, Robinhood, Medium, and Honey develop and execute their SEO strategies. SEO is one of the least-understood levers for growth, while also one with the biggest payoff. This episode is a true master class on all things SEO. Ethan shares a wealth of information, including when you should begin investing in SEO, how to build an SEO team, and the three main buckets of SEO. He explains the difference between topics and keywords, gives the exact heuristics and tools to help you be successful in developing and implementing your own SEO strategy, and also goes deep on how to deal with roadblocks and advocate for resources.—Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-seo-ethan-smith-graphite/#transcript—Where to find Ethan Smith:• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ethan_l_s• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanls/• Graphite: https://www.graphitehq.com/—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for making this episode possible:• Coda: https://coda.io/lenny• Mixpanel: https://mixpanel.com/startups• Lemon.io: https://lemon.io/lenny—Referenced:• Topical Authority Analysis: https://bit.ly/topical-authority-tool• SEO Link Analysis: https://bit.ly/diagnostic-internal-links• SEO Links API: https://bit.ly/graphite-internal-links-api• Screaming Frog: https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/• Brandon Lee of Power: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonhli• Similarweb traffic analysis: https://www.similarweb.com/• MasterClass: https://www.masterclass.com/• BetterUp: https://www.betterup.com/• NerdWallet: https://www.nerdwallet.com/• HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com/• Ahrefs: https://ahrefs.com/• Semrush: https://www.semrush.com/• Google Search Console: https://search.google.com/search-console/about• Clearscope: https://www.clearscope.io/• Yuriy Timen on Lenny's Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/how-to-grow-a-subscription-business-yuriy-timen-grammarly-canva-airtable/• Gokul Rajaram on Lenny's Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/gokul-rajaram-on-designing-your-product-development-process-when-and-how-to-hire-your-first-pm-a-playbook-for-hiring-leaders-getting-ahead-in-you-career-how-to-get-started-angel-investing-more/• Luc Levesque on Twitter: https://twitter.com/luclevesque• Search Off the Record: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/search-off-the-record/id1512522198• GPT-3: https://gpt3demo.com/apps/openai-gpt-3-playground—In this episode, we cover:(03:53) Ethan's background(07:53) Why technical audits are the biggest myth in SEO(10:05) When to invest in SEO(16:09) Heuristics to determine if SEO is worth it(18:36) The three buckets of SEO: programmatic, editorial, and technical(23:30) The process for creating an SEO strategy(27:00) Why you shouldn't be too formulaic (28:33) What is site engagement?(29:31) Which pages need to be indexed(31:49) Topics vs. keywords(36:33) How to mine competitors' sites for information(37:41) Useful tools for developing your SEO strategy(40:14) How long will it take to see results?(45:16) Factors to consider when looking to hire an SEO person(47:33) The functions of a programmatic SEO person(49:19) How to do testing(54:06) Editorial SEO strategy(57:14) How to scale based on the size of the site(59:51) Page types(1:01:53) How to win in a topic category(1:03:12) How to build solid hypotheses and test them (1:06:13) How to deal with roadblocks and advocate for resources(1:08:54) How topical and domain authority are determined(1:16:43) The power of internal links(1:24:32) Why AI is not usually useful for content creation(1:28:31) Final tips for getting started with SEO—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com. Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
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