{"id":15386,"date":"2022-02-20T21:51:05","date_gmt":"2022-02-20T21:51:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/02\/20\/google-on-the-seo-value-of-user-comments-on-websites\/"},"modified":"2022-02-20T21:51:05","modified_gmt":"2022-02-20T21:51:05","slug":"google-on-the-seo-value-of-user-comments-on-websites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/02\/20\/google-on-the-seo-value-of-user-comments-on-websites\/","title":{"rendered":"Google On The SEO Value Of User Comments On Websites"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Should you allow users to leave comments on your website? They could<\/strong> help with SEO, as long as you\u2019re able to moderate them, Google says.<\/p>\n

This topic was addressed by Google\u2019s Search Advocate John Mueller during the Google Search Central SEO office-hours hangout recorded on February 18.<\/p>\n

An SEO professional named Vahid Parsa joins the livestream to ask Mueller a number of questions, one of which involves user comments<\/strong> and whether they\u2019re considered a ranking factor<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not accurate to say website comments are a ranking factor, because your site won\u2019t rank better simply by allowing users to leave comments.<\/p>\n

Depending on what users type in the comment section, however, they have the potential to assist with search rankings.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how Mueller explains the SEO value of user comments.\n<\/p>\n

How User Comments Can Help With SEO<\/h2>\n

User comments can add SEO value to webpages in the form of additional context<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

If users stay on topic, and leave comments related to what the page is about, then that information can assist with search rankings.<\/p>\n

Comments relevant to the subject matter of the webpage can help Google understand the content better and know which types of queries it should rank for.<\/p>\n

Mueller states:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cWhat I think is really useful there with those comments is that oftentimes people will write about the page in their own words and that gives us a little bit more information on how we can show this page in the search results. So from that point of view I think comments are a good thing on a page.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The reverse is also true.<\/p>\n

When users leave irrelevant comments they could drag down the quality of the entire page.<\/p>\n

Off-topic comments may send mixed signals to Google regarding what the page is about and which queries it should show up for.<\/p>\n

Websites are responsible for user comments, even though they may be written by people who are not directly affiliated with the site.<\/p>\n

If it\u2019s on your website, you\u2019re responsible for it.<\/p>\n

Comments containing spammy links, for example, could make you liable for a penalty or demotion in search results.<\/p>\n

With that said, it\u2019s best to allow comments only when you\u2019re capable of moderating them.<\/p>\n

As Mueller says, the greatest challenge with user comments is ensuring they stay on topic:<\/p>\n

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\u201cObviously, finding a way to maintain them in a reasonable way is sometimes tricky because people also spam those comments and all kinds of crazy stuff happens there. But overall, I think if you can find a way to maintain comments on a webpage that gives you a little bit more context and helps people who are searching in different ways to also find your content.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Hear Mueller\u2019s response in the video below:<\/p>\n