Google has continued expanding on their invaluable webmaster resources with a recent update to their documentation on removing images from search results. With visual content representing such a huge portion of online information today, image removal is a frequent need for website owners. Google’s help pages provide crucial assistance for common emergency and non-emergency use cases.
The updated guidance dives into several technical aspects of image removal with more depth than before. Several hundred extra words were added across different sections to lend additional clarity. Highlights include enhanced explanations for quickly acting on emergency situations using Google’s removal tools. Clarity was much needed here given the temporary nature of such actions.
What to do without access to images hosted externally
Another well-received change covered what to do without access to images hosted externally. Here, Google recognizes limitations some sites face and suggests outright deletion as an alternative. This shows their commitment to addressing diverse real-world scenarios.
Significant refinements to robots.txt guidance also stood out. Wildcard usage and examples promise to help more pages properly block categories of images at once. Google recognizes the value of consolidated blocking where possible.
Overall, reactions from the SEO community have been positive. As one veteran said, “the detailing of edge cases really brings the documentation to the next level.” Google clearly aims to anticipate a wide range of image moderation tasks. With every update, they simplify complex processes for all types of digital publishers.
As images dominate more of our online interactions, tools like Google’s help site prove invaluable. This latest revision maintains their leadership helping webmasters both large and small. Kudos to Google for ongoing commitment to optimizing an essential resource.
👉 Source: Search Engine Journal and Google Search Central
