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SEO for small businesses

Search Off the Record

Release Date: 07/10/2025

How Search Off the Record tackles SEO and web development show art How Search Off the Record tackles SEO and web development

Search Off the Record

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...

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SOTR100_transcript.pdf show art SOTR100_transcript.pdf

Search Off the Record

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Optimizing login-page content for Google Search show art Optimizing login-page content for Google Search

Search Off the Record

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 →  Chapters:  0:00 - Intro  0:09 - Navigating SEO for login and paywalled content 2:01 - How Google indexes restricted...

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SOTR099_transcript.pdf show art SOTR099_transcript.pdf

Search Off the Record

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Lazy loading demystified show art Lazy loading demystified

Search Off the Record

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 →   Chapters:  0:00 - Introduction  0:43 - What is lazy loading?  1:57 - HTTP chunking  3:13 - Primary drivers behind lazy...

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SOTR098_transcript.pdf show art SOTR098_transcript.pdf

Search Off the Record

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SEO for photographers: websites, social media, and Google Search show art SEO for photographers: websites, social media, and Google Search

Search Off the Record

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,...

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SOTR097_Transcript.pdf show art SOTR097_Transcript.pdf

Search Off the Record

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How does CSS affect SEO? show art How does CSS affect SEO?

Search Off the Record

Martin and John dive into the world of CSS and explore its connection to SEO. Discover why CSS files matter for SEO, how modern CSS frameworks impact pages, and the SEO implications of CSS class names and pseudo elements. Moreover, learn practical tips for ensuring your CSS enhances - rather than hinders - your website's search performance. Resources:  Episode transcript →   Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 0:56 - What is CSS? 1:37 - CSS file crawlability 3:52 - CSS flexibility and power 4:55 - Website and CSS growth 5:43 - CSS file size 9:15 - CSS class names and SEO 10:51 -...

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SOTR096_Transcript.pdf show art SOTR096_Transcript.pdf

Search Off the Record

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More Episodes

Are you a developer or small business owner struggling with Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? In this episode of Search Off the Record, Google Search Advocates John Mueller and Martin Splitt break down the essentials of SEO for small businesses.

Learn practical tips for understanding your target audience, crafting a content strategy, and measuring your SEO efforts. They debunk SEO myths and explain when it's time to hire an SEO expert or agency. Get clarity on content strategy, technical SEO basics, the importance of relevant content and how to measure success.

This video is perfect for developers who are curious about search and need a non-technical introduction to the SEO space, and small business owners who want to improve their website's visibility in Google Search.

Resources: 

Episode transcript →https://goo.gle/sotr095-transcript

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction: The SEO Questions We All Get Asked
0:35 - SEO Starter Guide
0:58 - Defining Your Website Goals & Customer Focus
2:51 - Food Truck Example
4:20 - Understanding Your Customers & Search Intent
6:21- Content Strategy: What Should You Write About?
7:06 - Technical Foundation Check: Is Your Site Okay?
7:54 - Website Name Searching
9:46 - CMS
10:03-  How to Approach Content Creation
11:52 - Getting Customer Feedback & Keyword Research
13:33 - How Serious Is My Goal
13:33: - How To Measure SEO Impact
14:30 - Monitoring Website Changes: Search Console & Analytics
16:03 - How Long Changes Take
17:41 - Staging Sites Vs Live Sites
18:44 - When to Hire an SEO Expert or Agency
21:14 - Red Flags SEO Promises
21:14 - Resources Mentioned
23:52 - How Long Does SEO Take
26:23 - AI and SEO
28:30 - 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, Gary Illyes

Products Mentioned: Search Console,