As expected, Google has finally released is updated Google SEO Starter Guide and it was cut back in a big way. Google said this update was intended to make it work for someone new to SEO and less so for an advanced SEO professional.
Google made maybe four updates to this initial SEO guide, an update in 2010 and then an update in 2017 and now today, not including the first version in 2008. here it is old version of the initial guide, if you want to compare the changes.
Google wrote that this updated guide is “a more pocket-friendly version of the SEO Beginner’s Guide with a better focus on a beginner audience and the topics we think a person just getting their toes into SEO should focus and why.”
Google removed a lot of content, compressed and shortened a lot of other content, and added only a little bit of new content. Google documented what was changed this way.
Gary Illyes also posted this LinkedIn and wrote:
We have an updated SEO Getting Started Guide and it’s… short. That doesn’t make me unhappy.
If you’re an SEO professional, you’re probably bored reading about the basics, but there are plenty of people who are still thinking about diving into the scary waters of SEO. This guide is for them and is now compact enough that you don’t need to have a bottle of Bunnahabhain next to you to read it. However, it still touches on the things we think are important when it comes to search engine optimization.
I don’t want to tell you how to live your life, but check out the blog post for more information on this update.
Here’s what SEOs have been saying about it:
Remember when it was a PDF and many SEOs stole the ranking instead of Google? pic.twitter.com/VNas48yIbG
— Patrick Stox (@patrickstox) February 2, 2024
Google just put the “Is EEAT a ranking factor?” he asks in bed in his new SEO guide. Plus other goodies 🍿
(Meanwhile, I’m sitting here preparing for those with no critical thinking skills to come at me about how EEAT doesn’t matter) pic.twitter.com/hp9kRd9t0U
— Lily Ray 😏 (@lilyraynyc) February 2, 2024
New SEO Starter Guide!
Boy, have I seen this resource grow since its inception as a 22-page PDF pic.twitter.com/smQQBtmxEJ
— Pedro Dias (@pedrodias) February 2, 2024
Recently added content: “new section on common SEO theories and ideas” https://t.co/tczByUyXHe
— Orhan KURULAN (@orhankurulan) February 2, 2024
But at the same time, in this post-HCU world, don’t write to search if you want to rank. 🤷 https://t.co/F3fQHME4GC
— Keith (Minted Empire) ⏳ (@MintedEmpire) February 2, 2024
The duplicate content line will be taken out of context by someone somewhere and an SEO will have to spend an hour explaining why you shouldn’t have 2 pages that are exactly the same. pic.twitter.com/6Uu5WDTxWY
— Harpreet (@harpreetchatha_) February 2, 2024
Get SEO ready.
Note that systems work in cycles/loops, some are virtuous while others are vicious.
To avoid falling into a vicious cycle trap where SERPs become a dumping ground, focus on people. https://t.co/C0hcGMvYEO
— Victor Pan 🇹🇼🇺🇲 (@victorpan) February 2, 2024
There’s a nice change of focus next. Some clear updates:
– Specific reference to “search basics” and their importance to search visibility
– He rejects any notion of quick solutions
– Specific tips to help Google find and understand a site’s content (CSS, JS, etc.) https://t.co/Asc3weZimW
— Sunny Matharu 💬 (@s_matharu) February 2, 2024
I missed this attached post, but saw it on Discover. It is as useful as the guide itself. The removal of the glossary rationale is interesting (many sites repeat content in the FAQ, etc.). It reminded me of this little content refactoring case study I had: pic.twitter.com/wwtvTrxrz9
— Ethan Lazuk 🪬 (@EthanLazuk) February 3, 2024
That’s rich…LOL. Don’t Google’s internal people get all the above-the-fold ads when using their own product? pic.twitter.com/u65efwZB4H
— Ștefan Negrițoiu (@stefann42) February 3, 2024
Google updated their Stater guide, speaking at a level suitable for people just starting their SEO journey, and that’s great
Getting technical and complex appeals to many SEOs (me)
But it’s terrible for people starting out
I’m glad they’re also squashing common misconceptions https://t.co/MySly6TcBw
— Ethan Hays (@ethanhays) February 2, 2024
Discussion forum a X.
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