
Thoughts on SEO & SEO for AI, part 1
17/12/2025 | 37 mins.
In this episode, John Mueller and Danny Sullivan talk about SEO and the new kids on the block: AIO, GEO and others. Danny shares how these things interact with each other and what he thinks website owners should look for in their content creation and how Google's principles align with the way people use AI and search engines to navigate the web. Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team.

How Search Off the Record tackles SEO and web development
30/10/2025 | 30 mins.
Celebrate the 100th episode of Search Off the Record with Martin, Lizzi, Cherry, John and Gary as they revisit memorable moments, touching on a bunch of topics. This special episode touches on Google's mobile-first indexing, the intricacies of the Caffeine indexing system, and a deep dive into JavaScript scoping – and hoisting. You'll hear again about optimizing documentation traffic and the delightful world of Google Doodles. Discover key insights that impact your SEO strategies and web development practices. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr100-transcript Chapters: 0:00 - Welcome and 100th Episode Intro 2:21 - Lizzi's favorite: SEO starter guide readings 3:01 - Gary on Mobile-First Indexing Importance 3:39 - Revamping the SEO starter guide 5:13 - Meta tags and Google's indexing system 9:11 - Cherry's use of podcasts for work 12:09 - Deep dive into caffeine indexing 13:59 - The mechanics of data conversion in caffeine 16:12 - John's favorite: The magic of Google Doodles 23:30 - JavaScript ccoping and hoisting 25:47 - Optimizing documentation traffic 29:29 - Conclusion: 100 Episodes of Search Off the Record Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast #SEO Speaker: Martin Splitt, John Mueller, Cherry Sireetorn Prommawin Products Mentioned: Search Console

Optimizing login-page content for Google Search
04/09/2025 | 26 mins.
Explore critical aspects of search engine optimization for web content that lives behind a login or paywall. In this episode, Martin and John cover how Googlebot interacts with these pages, the role of paywall structured data, and methods to prevent unintended indexing of private information. Get practical advice on improving your website's visibility and user experience while maintaining data security in Google Search. Resources: Episode transcript →https://goo.gle/sotr099-transcript Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 0:09 - Navigating SEO for login and paywalled content 2:01 - How Google indexes restricted content 10:51 - Strategies for controlling content visibility 20:54 - Testing and optimizing your site for Search Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast #SEO Speaker: Martin Splitt, John Mueller Products Mentioned: Search Console

Lazy loading demystified
21/08/2025 | 24 mins.
Optimize your website's performance with lazy loading techniques. In this episode, John Mueller and Martin Splitt discuss lazy loading, and its SEO implications. Find out how lazy loading affects indexing, ranking, and Core Web Vitals. Whether you're using native lazy loading or custom JavaScript libraries, this episode provides insights for developers on how to enhance website speed and user experience. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr098-transcript Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 0:43 - What is lazy loading? 1:57 - HTTP chunking 3:13 - Primary drivers behind lazy loading 6:19 - Why not default lazy load all images? 8:29 - Lazy loading and SEO 8:39 - Impact to Core Web Vitals 9:17 - Largest contentful paint 9:58 - Affecting indexing and ranking 11:30 - Custom libraries for lazy loading 14:17 - How to recognize a problem 15:25 - Practical point of view 16:52 - Infinite scroll vs. lazy loading 19:31 - Lazy loading videos 20:51 - Small images and decorative images 23:16 - Where to chat about lazy loading images 23:55 - Outro Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast #SEO Speaker: Martin Splitt, John Muelle, Martin Splitt Products Mentioned: Search Console

SEO for photographers: websites, social media, and Google Search
07/08/2025 | 31 mins.
In this episode of Search Off The Record, John and Martin explore the intersection of SEO and photography. Is a website essential for photographers, or is social media enough? Martin, a technical SEO expert and photography enthusiast, dives into the challenges of building a photography website, optimizing images, and attracting the right audience. Whether you're a professional photographer or a hobbyist, this podcast offers valuable insights into how Search Engine Optimization can help you showcase your work and connect with your audience. Find out how to make your images more findable, understand your website's performance, and navigate the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing for photographers. Martin shares his experience building his own photography website and the challenges he faced with SEO for his personal website. Resources: Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr097-transcript Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 0:37 - The Expert?! 3:10 - Why do photographers need websites? 5:39 - Stock Photography and SEO 14:53- Branding and Search 18:21 - Setting up Search Console 21:12 - Web pages and Social Media for your photos. 23:27 - Image Landing Pages 24:52 - Image Optimization 28:38 - Photography and Generative AI Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team. #SOTRpodcast #SEO Speaker: Martin Splitt, John Mueller Products Mentioned: Search Console



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