Google Explains Why Web Standards Boost SEO

Gary Illyes, a representative from Google, recently shed light on the importance of web standards in supporting SEO. In a discussion focused on the roles of robots.txt and sitemaps, he explained how adhering to these standards can make a significant difference in how websites are understood and indexed by search engines.

Web standards are essentially a set of rules and best practices that help ensure consistency across the internet. Illyes emphasised that when developers follow these standards, it makes it easier for platforms like Google to interpret and present content accurately. This is especially valuable for businesses and site owners looking to improve their visibility in search engine results.

One key area where web standards play a role is with the robots.txt file. This file is used to tell search engines which parts of a website should not be crawled or indexed. Google has clearly defined standards for how this file should be formatted and used, which helps avoid confusion and ensures websites can communicate effectively with search engine bots.

On the other hand, sitemaps are slightly different. These are files that provide search engines with a roadmap of a website’s structure, helping them find and index pages more efficiently. Illyes noted that, unlike robots.txt, sitemaps

Members of the Google Search Relations team recently discussed web standards on the “Search Off the Record” podcast.

Martin Splitt and Gary Illyes provided valuable insights into the creation of these standards and their significance for search engine optimisation (SEO).

During the conversation, they highlighted the importance of understanding these standards and how they influence the way websites are optimised for search engines.

The podcast also shed light on various decisions made by Google that directly impact SEO strategies and website performance.

This discussion offers essential knowledge for anyone involved in optimising websites and staying up to date with Google’s latest guidelines.

By understanding these web standards, digital marketers and webmasters can ensure their strategies align with Google’s best practices, ultimately improving their site’s search rankings.

 

Why Some Web Protocols Become Standards While Others Don’t

Google has officially standardised the robots.txt file through the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). However, the sitemap protocol remains an informal standard.

This distinction highlights how Google decides which protocols necessitate formal standards and which do not.

Gary Illyes provided further insight into this during the podcast, explaining that the decision to standardise robots.txt was largely driven by practical concerns.

He noted, “With robots.txt, there was a benefit because we knew that different parsers tend to parse robots.txt files differently…”

In contrast, Illyes pointed out that the sitemap protocol is simpler. “With sitemap, it’s like ‘eh’… it’s a simple XML file, and there’s not that much that can go wrong with it,” he said.

This explanation clarifies why Google chose to formalise one protocol while leaving the other less strictly defined.

 

The Benefits of Protocol Standardization for SEO

The standardisation of robots.txt has brought several clear advantages for SEO.

One significant benefit is the consistent implementation of robots.txt files. These are now interpreted in a more uniform way across different search engines and crawlers.

Another advantage highlighted by Gary Illyes is the availability of open-source resources. “It allowed us to open source our robots.txt parser and then people start building on it,” he explained.

Furthermore, the standardisation has made robots.txt easier to use. Illyes noted that with this formalisation, “there’s less strain on site owners trying to figure out how to write the damned files.”

These improvements make technical SEO work simpler and more efficient, particularly for teams responsible for managing large websites.

 

Inside the Web Standards Process

The podcast also provided insights into how web standards are created.

Standards groups like the IETF, W3C, and WHATWG follow open processes that can take years to complete. This deliberate pace ensures that the resulting standards are secure, clearly written, and compatible across a wide range of platforms.

Gary Illyes explained the reason behind this slow pace, stating, “You have to show that the thing you are working on actually works. There’s tons of iteration going on and it makes the process very slow—but for a good reason.”

Both Illyes and Martin Splitt emphasised that anyone is welcome to participate in the development of these standards. This openness provides SEO professionals with the chance to influence the protocols they rely on every day.

 

Security Considerations in Web Standards

Standards also play a critical role in addressing security concerns.

For example, when Google was developing the robots.txt standard, they implemented a 500-kilobyte limit specifically to prevent potential attacks.

Gary Illyes shed light on the security aspects of this process, saying, “When I’m reading a draft, I would look at how I would exploit stuff that the standard is describing.”

This approach highlights how standards are designed to establish security boundaries, helping to protect both websites and the tools that interact with them.

 

Why This Matters

For SEO professionals, the insights shared in the podcast offer several practical strategies to consider.

Firstly, it’s important to be precise when creating robots.txt directives, especially since Google has invested significantly in this protocol.

Secondly, using Google’s open-source robots.txt parser is a helpful tool to check your work and ensure it adheres to best practices.

Additionally, while sitemaps offer greater flexibility, they come with fewer concerns around parsing, making them a simpler option in comparison.

Another valuable takeaway is the opportunity to join web standards groups if you wish to contribute to shaping future protocols and stay ahead in the industry.

As search engines continue to place a strong emphasis on technical quality, understanding the foundational principles behind web protocols is becoming increasingly important for achieving SEO success.

This discussion also highlights that even the simplest technical specifications involve intricate considerations around security, consistency, and ease of use, all of which directly impact SEO performance.