Understanding Google’s Perspective on Crawling & Indexing

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829 Studios

Published

8/12/2024

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Google recently released a thought-provoking episode of its Search Off the Record podcast, diving deep into how Google approaches crawling and indexing. While seasoned SEOs may not always agree with Google’s internal views, understanding them helps align your technical SEO strategies with how Googlebot really thinks.

One major takeaway? Google emphasizes crawl efficiency and prioritization—reinforcing the importance of site speed, server performance, and structured data.

Listening to Google’s engineers, even when they’re being “controversial”, can help SEO pros stay ahead of technical shifts and algorithmic expectations.

Will the Google Antitrust Ruling Reshape the Internet?

A federal court recently ruled that Google violated antitrust laws by monopolizing online search and advertising markets. While the long-term outcomes remain unclear, this decision could radically alter the SEO landscape.

Some potential changes ahead:

  • Increased regulation of Google’s algorithms and ad placement
  • Greater visibility for alternative search engines
  • Potential legal mandates for transparency in rankings

For SEOs, this could mean diversifying strategies across platforms like Bing, DuckDuckGo, or AI-driven search tools. As this case unfolds, it’s a pivotal moment to consider how we build visibility beyond Google’s ecosystem.

Using Design Thinking to Build Smarter SEO Strategies

SEO is often seen as technical—but what if we reimagined it through the lens of design thinking? This human-centered approach prioritizes empathy, creativity, and iteration—making it perfect for developing SEO strategies that are both user-friendly and search-engine optimized.

The five key phases of design thinking in SEO:

  1. Empathize – Understand user behavior and needs through analytics and heatmaps.
  2. Define – Identify pain points like poor UX or slow page loads.
  3. Ideate – Brainstorm content, layout, and tech improvements.
  4. Prototype – Develop quick A/B tests or draft content experiments.
  5. Test & Iterate – Measure impact and optimize based on user data.

Applying this methodology helps build SEO campaigns that solve real problems—not just rank keywords.

How ADA Accessibility Can Boost Your SEO Strategy

Making your website ADA-compliant doesn’t just benefit users with disabilities. It also improves SEO performance, user engagement, and reach. From improved page structure to better indexing, accessibility has become a crucial pillar of SEO.

Top reasons accessibility enhances SEO:

  • Improved UX leads to lower bounce rates and longer time on site
  • Alt text and semantic HTML boost crawlability
  • Inclusive content expands audience reach and engagement
  • Legal compliance protects your brand while strengthening reputation

Pro tip: Start with an accessibility audit and work with developers to integrate best practices, like keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and video transcripts into your SEO roadmap.

What’s the Ideal Blog Post Length for SEO?

The short answer? It depends. But here’s what we know:

Longer, in-depth content often performs better in organic search—especially when it provides real value to users. According to a HubSpot study [need link], blog posts between 2,100 and 2,400 words tend to rank best. However, word count isn’t a ranking factor. What matters most is quality, structure, and intent alignment.

Quick tips:

  • Write for your audience’s needs, not a word target
  • Use clear headings, rich media, and supporting data
  • Focus on content depth, not filler

Short posts can rank too—if they answer a focused query well. But if you want to become an authoritative voice in your niche, depth and usefulness will beat brevity nearly every time.