As expected, Google has finally released an updated Google SEO Starter Guide, but with significantly reduced content. Google says this update will work for people new to SEO, but will not work well for advanced SEO professionals.
Google has probably made four updates to this SEO starter guide. It was updated once in 2010, then in 2017, and today it no longer includes the first version from 2008. If you'd like to compare the changes, here's an older version of the starter guide.
Google says this updated guide is a “pocket-sized version of the SEO Starter Guide, which topics we think novice readers and those just dipping their toes in SEO should focus on and why.” The focus is on the “.''
Google has removed a lot of content, condensed and shortened a lot of other content, and added only a small amount of new content. Google has documented the changes here.
Gary Illyes also posted about this on LinkedIn, writing:
We have an updated SEO starter guide, but it's… short. This doesn't make me unhappy.
If you're an SEO expert, reading the basics may be boring, but there are still many people out there who are willing to dip their toes into the scary waters of SEO. This guide is for them, compact enough to be read without a bottle of Bunahabun next to it. However, we still touch on what we think is important when it comes to search engine optimization.
I'm not going to tell you how to live your life, but check out my blog post for more information on this update.
Regarding this, an SEO expert says:
Remember when this was a PDF and a lot of SEOs ended up stealing PDF rankings instead of Google? https://t.co/4NsQ4jTphb pic.twitter.com/VNas48yIbG
— Patrick Stocks (@patricstox) February 2, 2024
Google announced “Is EEAT a ranking factor?” These are questions to consider in your new SEO guidance. Lots of other wonderful goods 🍿
(Meanwhile, I sit here and brace myself for people with no critical thinking skills to come at me and say EEAT doesn't matter) https://t.co/cImmJdPIKX pic.twitter.com/hp9kRd9t0U
— Lily Ray 😏 (@lilyraynyc) February 2, 2024
New SEO starter guide!
Have you seen this resource grow since it started as a 22 page PDF https://t.co/3graa1srWG? pic.twitter.com/smQQBtmxEJ— Pedro Diaz (@pedrodias) February 2, 2024
Newly added content: “New section on general SEO theories and ideas” https://t.co/tczByUyXHe
— Orhan Kurulan (@orhankurulan) February 2, 2024
But at the same time, in this post-HCU world, if you want to get ranked, stop writing for search. 🤷 https://t.co/F3fQHME4GC
— Keith (Minted Empire) ⏳ (@MintedEmpire) February 2, 2024
Duplicate lines of content are taken out of context by someone somewhere, and SEOs have to spend an hour explaining why two pages shouldn't be exactly the same. https://t.co/tvlxNFsPXf pic.twitter.com/6Uu5WDTxWY
— Harpreet (@harpreetchatha_) February 2, 2024
SEOs, get ready!
Remember that systems work in cycles/loops, some are good and some are bad.
To avoid falling into the trap of a vicious cycle where the SERP becomes a cesspool, focus on people. https://t.co/C0hcGMvYEO
— Victor Pan🇹🇼🇺🇲 (@victorpan) February 2, 2024
The focus shifts nicely below. Some clarifying updates:
– Specific mention of “Search Basics” and its importance to search visibility
– rejects the concept of quick fixes
– Specific advice for helping Google find and understand your site's content (CSS, JS, etc.) https://t.co/Asc3weZimW— Sunny Mahal💬 (@s_matharu) February 2, 2024
I missed this accompanying post, but found it on Discover. This is just as helpful as the guide itself. It would be interesting to remove the glossary basis (many sites rehash content such as FAQs). Reminds me of this little content restructuring case study I had: https://t.co/moprOffXcs https://t.co/UcwUujtmS0 pic.twitter.com/wwtvTrxrz9
— Ethan Lazuk🪬 (@EthanLazuk) February 3, 2024
This is rich…lol. When people inside Google use your product, don't all ads appear above the fold? https://t.co/Qt7cDlLF8y pic.twitter.com/u65efwZB4H
— Stefan Negrischou (@stefann42) February 3, 2024
Google has updated the Stater Guide to explain it at a level suitable for people just starting out in their SEO journey. This is great.
Making technical and complex appeals to many SEOs (me)
But it's difficult for those just starting out.
I'm glad it dispels common misconceptions https://t.co/MySly6TcBw
— Ethan Hays (@ethanhays) February 2, 2024
Forum discussion X.