Recent insights from Google’s own team point towards an interesting trend: your website’s homepage might be its MVP (Most Valuable Page) in the eyes of Google. This perspective is a shift from the usual SEO focus, where the importance is often distributed across various pages.
The Evolution of Homepage Importance in SEO
During the early phases of SEO and beyond, the homepage was king. This was largely because most links, coming from directories and reciprocal links, pointed right back to it. Fast-forward to today, and the spotlight has shifted more towards inner pages. Why? because these pages often contain meaty, link-worthy content. Yet, the idea that the homepage still holds significant power isn’t off the table.
Google's Take: Homepages Hold the Key
Gary Illyes from Google threw a bit of a curveball by stating unequivocally that the homepage is the top dog for Google. He mentioned this in a podcast while discussing technical SEO. This statement is crucial because it suggests that Google puts a lot of emphasis on the homepage when it comes to indexing and understanding your website.
Decoding the Homepage's Role
John Mueller, another Google voice, has consistently highlighted the homepage’s role as a starting point for Google’s crawlers. In 2020, Mueller reiterated that the homepage often acts as a beacon, leading Google to new and important pages. The closer a page is linked to the homepage, the more important Google perceives it to be.
Is the Homepage Always the Star Player?
While it’s tempting to crown the homepage as the undisputed champion in Google’s playbook, it’s not that straightforward. The importance of the homepage might be a general rule rather than an absolute. However, given the weight of statements from Google experts, it’s clear that the homepage isn’t just another page – it’s a central piece in the SEO puzzle.
The Bottom Line from PushLeads
In summary, while we can’t say the homepage is always the number one in Google’s eyes, it certainly seems to play a pivotal role. Whether it’s the most linked-to page or just the starting point for Google’s crawlers, it’s clear that your homepage deserves a bit of extra attention in your SEO strategies.
See also: 21 Fresh Tactics to Promote Your Blogs
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