ASEOHosting, a provider of SEO-focused hosting, today weighed in on Google’s recent confirmation that the rel=next/prev markup has not been supported for several years.
HUDSON, Fla., Sept. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — ASEOHosting, a provider of SEO-focused hosting, today weighed in on Google’s recent confirmation that the rel=next/prev markup has not been supported for several years.
A markup tool designed for paginated websites, rel=next/prev was designed to indicate to a search engine that a particular page was part of a larger series. In essence, it informed search engines that two or more pages should preferably be indexed as a group rather than individually. Speaking to Search Engine Land in March, Google acknowledged that the markup tool is no longer used as an indexing signal – and that it has not been for some time.
The company acknowledged the lack of announcement to this point as an ‘oversight.’
“This announcement is not a terribly surprising one,” said Daniel Page, ASEOHosting Director of Business Development. “Rel=next/prev has lost relevance as an indexing signal. Pagination is, as a general rule, a relic of an Internet climate that no longer exists.”
While Page said that there are still some rare circumstances in which rel=next/prev might be relevant, for the most part, he agrees with Google’s assessment that users prefer single-page content and that webmasters should strive to provide that wherever and whenever possible.
“What I find especially interesting is that no one noticed the markup was no longer an indexing tool until Google made the announcement,” Page said. “Whether that speaks to our lack of understanding regarding Google’s algorithms or the markup’s own relevance is still uncertain – though I’d wager on the latter.”
Page added that Google has asserted its search engine is intelligent enough to discern the connection between pages in a series regardless. The markup, he asserts, is ultimately redundant. Though he acknowledges that some search engines still use it, the better choice, in his opinion, is streamlined, single-page content.
“There are very few situations in which pagination is the right choice, especially given the prominence of the mobile web,” he explains. “Wherever possible, you should pare down your message to a single page. Keep it short, sweet, and simple.”
About ASEOHosting:
ASEOHosting is the leader in providing all types of SEO Hosting, including Shared SEO Hosting, Dedicated SEO Hosting, US Dedicated SEO Servers, and EU Dedicated SEO Servers, based in Orlando, FL, and Detroit, MI, owned and operated by Ahosting, Inc., supplying hosting services that are truly beyond imagination. Since 2002, ASEOHosting has established one of the web’s premier solutions for reseller web hosting, multiple IP hosting, dedicated servers, and VPS hosting. For more information, visit https://www.aseohosting.com.