Yearly, John Mueller, Senior Search Analyst / Search Relations staff lead at Google makes a big effort to assist reply to Search engine optimisation-related questions on Christmas. He has performed this since a minimum of 2007, so sixteen-years and counting, and has performed it once more this Christmas.
Listed here are the earlier years of John providing help on Christmas. He did it final 12 months in 2022, then in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007.
This 12 months, he appears to have stayed off X (previously generally known as Twitter) seemingly for good purpose, and posted totally on Reddit. Listed here are the Reddit threads and responses he posted on on Christmas day:
- Hreflang rendering – head or physique? – “It feels like (because you talked about “rendering”) you are including hreflang with JavaScript. Technically, that is doable, however debugging goes to be painful. I might think about that many hreflang testing instruments could have bother seeing it, for instance. Hreflang is difficult by itself, I might strive to not make it even more durable. It sounds such as you’re up to the mark, simply remember that if the js injects an iframe within the head, you have to make certain the meta tags that you just want for search are earlier than the iframe. (The iframe will typically cease processing of the top at that time).”
- Robots.txt unreachable – “That is virtually definitely your server blockinng Googlebot, for instance with a very spicy CDN configuration. This isn’t a bug in Search Console. In case your robots.txt just isn’t accessible to Googlebot, nothing will get crawled. The contents of the robots.txt file does not matter for this difficulty – the issue is that Googlebot cannot even take a look at the file, so it assumes that your server desires to dam all visitors.”
- Google Cache is completely different from Search Console Reside Inspection – “The cached web page just isn’t reflective of what is listed – the JS may not “run” there for technical causes. Use Search Console as an alternative.”
- What Search engine optimisation myths are you bored with listening to of? – “That some issues are myths and will subsequently by no means be adopted / used.”
- Any level in placing model title on meta title for web site pages? – “I like cheese, sorry.”
- Comply with this website characteristic. Is it automated or do you have to add code? – “When you have a weblog, it is most likely already arrange for it (RSS / atom feed). In any other case, relying in your CMS, you most likely both have feeds like that already too, or it is simple to activate them. Should you’re making your personal CMS, creating an RSS feed is not that rather more work.”
- Absolute URLs in Hreflang vs Impressions efficiency? – “Random ideas, may / may not be related to you. I would be tempted to verify the meta charset is the primary factor of the top, to make it possible for all content material in there’s processed with the correct character set. Trying round (like https://webhint.io/docs/user-guide/hints/hint-meta-charset-utf-8/ ), this looks like a standard follow, however I do not suppose it is a requirement. In case your scripts “break the top” (eg, inject an iframe), you may find yourself shedding the hreflang hyperlinks beneath that part. I would put any meta tags that you just care about for search (meta robots, canonical, hreflang come to thoughts) above issues like scripts added within the head.”
A pair days earlier than the vacation, he posted his annual year-end Search engine optimisation meme on X, click on via to undergo all of them:
The #Search engine optimisation memes of 2023 – as discovered on the road, in varied locations, and utilized in a few of my inside experiences. Roughly in time order. No takesies-backsies. No garlic was used within the making of this thread. Not appropriate for time travellers. All hyperlinks are nofollow.
— I’m John – 🍟 Say no to cookies, biscuits solely 🍪 (@JohnMu) December 22, 2023
As I wrote final 12 months, there are additionally tons of volunteers, Google Product Specialists, and different volunteers which have answered dozens and dozens of questions all through Christmas eve and day and over the weekends. Like I mentioned final 12 months, this reveals how John deeply cares about site owners. He is aware of that if a webmaster, website proprietor, or enterprise proprietor is posting one thing regarding their web site over the vacations, this webmaster should be in some misery, and he’s there trying to assist. We mentioned this a bit after I interviewed him on my vlog – test it out over right here.
In any occasion – John – thanks for the whole lot you do, and wishing you, your loved ones, and your colleagues a contented, wholesome, peaceable, and profitable vacation and New Yr.
Listed here are some posts from different search reps wishing everybody a contented holidays:
Heading off for the vacations for the subsequent few days. All the very best to you all!
— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) December 22, 2023
🎅🏼🎁Merry Christmas 🎄❄️SEOs pic.twitter.com/yRxhAHZQSd
— Fabrice Canel (@facan) December 25, 2023
I am signing off for 2023. Wishing everybody relaxation and peace this vacation season.
Thanks for all of the questions, concepts and suggestions all year long. See you in 2024!— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) December 21, 2023
And blissful holidays to everybody on the market!
Discussion board dialogue at posts above.