Search Queries
A search query is the word or string of words a user types into a search engine and will be used to determine the most relevant and useful results for what they are looking for. Our Hangout Notes cover insights from Google around how they use and understand search queries, along with recommendations for optimising your site for searcher intent.
Searches with Quotes, Site: and Info Don’t Represent Ranking Positions
Verbatim search using quotes, site: and info: queries are artificial queries which don’t really represent the rankings of content.
Search Phrases Referring to a Specific Site Become Navigational Queries
A search phrase made up of multiple words can be recognised by Google as a navigational query over time if they refer to a specific website.
There Is No Way to See Which AMP Pages Are Indexed in Google
AMP pages don’t appear in the index so site: queries won’t show them. Search console will only show you a total count, and a list of pages with problems. John suggests using analytics data to see pages with visits from Google to infer the pages are indexed.
Use Info: Queries to Find Duplicate Pages
If you search for a URL with an info: query, and Google shows an alternative URL, it shows that Google thinks the pages are equivalent.
Same Queries Might Serve both Static and Fresh Content
John suggests that some queries need to include both static and fresh content, and that queries may change over time.
Google Recognises Brand Phrases
Your brand name can include spaces, and doesn’t have to match your domain, as Google can recognises whole phrases which are relevant.
Site query order isn’t specific
The order of search results for site: query in Google isn’t meaningful.
HTML bookmarks may be shown in SERPs
Sometimes Google will show the HTML bookmarks (e.g.href="#bookmark") in the SERPs results next to a page.
Only Google Search Results Pages Count as Referrals
In Chrome, if you start typing a domain into the Google Search box, it doesn’t count as a referral from Google and will be treated as direct. t’s only counted as a Google referral if a results page has been shown.
Site Operator Results Are Not Ordered by Page Importance
The order of search results for a site: command are ordered in some way ‘which makes sense’, but you shouldn’t be worried if you don’t see your most important pages showing up.