Google: Many Top Sites Have Invalid HTML And Still Rank
Most top-ranking websites fail HTML validation. Google explains why perfect code isn’t required, and what matters instead.
Matt G. Southern, Senior News Writer, has been with Search Engine Journal since 2013. With a bachelor’s degree in communications, Matt specializes in gathering details, checking facts, and making complex subjects easy to understand. In addition to writing articles, Matt oversees strategy development for SEJ’s news department.
Most top-ranking websites fail HTML validation. Google explains why perfect code isn’t required, and what matters instead.
Google’s June 2025 core update is now rolling out and may take up to three weeks to complete.
Google has launched a new integrated version of Search Console Insights, offering simplified performance data in the main dashboard.
YouTube rolls out experimental AI features to improve video discovery, including a search carousel and conversational assistant.
Google’s new Preferred Sources lets users customize Top Stories with favorite publishers. How could this shift impact search visibility?
Google’s new Offerwall feature lets publishers monetize through surveys, ads, or micro payments. Could this reshape your revenue strategy?
Google’s srsltid parameter is showing on blog and homepage URLs, affecting reporting and analytics, but not affecting rankings.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says ChatGPT is no longer just a “Google replacement,” describing its shift toward task completion and assistant-style workflows.
YouTube updates Advanced Mode in Studio Analytics with saved reports, a simplified layout, and built-in performance tools for creators.
Google’s Martin Splitt and Gary Illyes discuss how much technical knowledge SEO professionals need, and why coding isn’t always essential.
TikTok gets third 90-day extension, staying active until Sept 17 as ownership talks continue.
YouTube Shorts hits 200 billion daily views as platform unveils AI video tools and TV viewing leadership.
Google Search Live with real-time voice conversations is now available in AI Mode for U.S. users. Talk to search, get audio responses plus web links.
Google updates documents to show that it now includes AI Mode traffic in Search Console Performance reports
Google begins experimenting with Audio Overviews in search results. US searchers can opt in to the experiment via Search Labs.
Google retires seven structured data features including Book Actions, Course Info, and Claim Review to streamline search results. Rankings unaffected.
Google confirms Lens, Discover, and Voice Search are experiencing disruptions, potentially affecting traffic for many sites.
Why Google’s SEO advice often sounds vague: Search Relations team explains the reasons behind “it depends” answers.
Google removes robots.txt guidance for blocking auto-translated pages. This change aligns Google’s technical documents with its spam policies.
Google voluntary buyouts target U.S. Search and Ads staff amid AI restructuring. What does this mean for future layoffs and team priorities?
YouTube is now showing Posts in the Shorts feed, giving creators a new way to expand their reach.
Google rolls out support for loyalty program structured data, which allows businesses to display member benefits in search results.
Google AI Mode adds interactive charts for financial searches. See how this data visualization may affect SEO and content marketing strategies.
Google reveals details behind the development of AI Mode. Learn design insights and what marketers need to know.
New study: Google AI Overviews cite news sources in only 1 in 5 responses. BBC, NYT & CNN lead with 31% share.
An SEO expert’s experiments indicate that Google Search Console might not report a significant portion of search queries. More comprehensive research is needed.
Google Lens integration brings visual search to YouTube Shorts. Here’s how it works, along with important rules marketers need to know.
Google confirms 1M page crawl budget threshold stands after 5 years, but database efficiency matters more than page count for SEO performance.
Google’s Gary Illyes suggests that AI-driven bots could overwhelm websites, offering a unique perspective that crawling isn’t the primary issue.
Google AI Mode traffic bug fixed after organic search was mislabeled as direct traffic in Analytics.