Google has overhauled its official SEO Starter Guide for the first time in more than seven years.
This new, web-based starter guide replaces the old PDF format and retires the Webmaster Academy, which contained overlapping information. The updated SEO Starter Guide builds on the content of these previous resources and adds new sections focusing on the importance of search engine optimization, how to implement structured data markup, and tips for creating mobile-friendly websites.
Google suggests that anyone involved in owning, managing, monetizing, or promoting online content through Google Search should consult this guide. However, those already familiar with SEO practices may find it more of a refresher than a revelation of new insights.
While the revamped guide does not reveal any new secrets about Google’s algorithms, it serves as an excellent primer for beginners. After reviewing both the old and new versions, several notable additions stand out.
What’s New in Google’s Revamped SEO Starter Guide
Hiring an SEO Expert
Google’s new guide emphasizes the potential benefits of hiring an SEO professional right from the first chapter. It briefly outlines the types of services an SEO expert can offer and provides links to additional resources, including Help Center articles on how to hire an SEO. According to Google, hiring an SEO early in the website development process ensures that the site is search engine friendly from the start.
Mobile-friendly Websites
Given the seven-year gap since the last update, significant changes have occurred in mobile web SEO practices. The previous guide focused on best practices for websites with separate mobile pages, which was the norm at the time. The new guide reflects the current landscape, offering best practices to create mobile-friendly websites accessible on all devices.
Linking Out to Other Sites
The updated guide provides more thorough advice on being cautious about linking to other sites.
“Be careful who you link to. You can confer some of your site’s reputation to another site when your site links to it.”
The guide discusses common ways people might exploit another site’s reputation, such as inserting links in comments, and offers strategies like the "nofollow" attribute to counteract these practices.
These examples highlight some of the additions to Google’s new SEO Starter Guide. The updated guide is available in nine languages, with sixteen more to be added soon.
