Google SEO Report Card – Learn from Google’s Mistakes
- Arnold Shields
- Jun 18, 2010
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 19
When Google posts a report card on how well its own websites perform in SEO, it’s worth paying attention.
The Google SEO Report Card is a document that evaluates the on-page optimisation of several Google product pages. It focuses on key SEO elements such as:
Title tags
Meta descriptions
URL structures
Header tags (H1, H2, etc)
Internal linking
It shows which Google services are nailing their SEO, and where even they could improve.
Why It Matters to Business Owners
This is one of the most authoritative SEO guides available, straight from the people who run the search engine. It’s surprisingly readable and practical, with before-and-after examples on how to improve.
As a business owner, you can apply the same basic principles to your own website:
Use clear, descriptive title tags and URLs
Make sure each page has a unique and relevant meta description
Use header tags properly to outline page structure
Link internally to related pages to help users (and Google) navigate your site
More SEO Resources Direct from Google
Google also provides a SEO Starter Guide, another excellent place to begin or brush up on best practices. Whether you’re managing your own site or working with a web developer, it’s essential reading.
Other helpful tools:
Google Webmaster Central Blog
Google Webmaster Help Forum
Google Webmaster Guidelines
These resources often don’t appear high in search results, but they’re the most reliable and up-to-date guidance you’ll find.
Local SEO Tip: Does Hosting Location Matter?
At Dolman Bateman, we often field questions about whether your server’s physical location affects your visibility in local search results, especially if you're targeting an Australian audience.
According to Google’s own Help Forum, the top-level domain (.com.au) takes precedence over server location. So if your business site is www.example.com.au and it's hosted in the US, the .com.au domain is enough to establish geo-targeting to Australia.
In other words, it’s the domain, not the server location, that matters most.
Official Answer: Hosting Server IP Address Importance to SEO
If you're unsure whether your website is optimised for SEO, or you want help applying these insights to your business, get in touch with us. We help businesses across Australia improve their visibility, website performance and search engine rankings.
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this article is general in nature and does not constitute personal financial, legal or tax advice. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this content at the time of publication, tax laws and regulations may change, and individual circumstances vary. Dolman Bateman accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss or damage incurred as a result of acting on or relying upon any of the information contained herein. You should seek professional advice tailored to your specific situation before making any financial or tax decision.
