A comprehensive guide clarifying common Google SEO notifications and what they mean for your website.

Mobile-first indexing indicates your site works well on mobile devices - it's a positive signal requiring no action. Squarespace sites automatically include responsive design for all devices.

Mobile Usability alerts highlight elements needing mobile optimization, such as:

• Text size issues
• Clickable elements placed too close together
• Content width problems

Robots.txt notices are normal for Squarespace sites. Common restricted paths include:

• /search
• /?author=
• /?tag=
• /?month=
• /?view=
• /?format=

Key Google Console messages explained:

1. Page Crawling Issues:

• "Page crawled but not indexed": Normal for cart/checkout pages
• "Alternate page with proper canonical tag": Expected for homepages
• "Discovered - currently not indexed": Page found but pending crawl

2. Structured Data Warnings:

• Don't affect site indexing
• Sites remain eligible for rich snippets
• Use Google's Data Highlighter for manual tagging

3. Common Crawl Errors:

• 404 errors: Fix with 301/302 redirects
• Redirect errors: Often normal for HTTPS transitions
• Soft 404s: Check for phrases like "no longer available" or "not in stock"

4. Deceptive Behavior Flags:

• Verify site in Search Console
• Remove potentially malicious content
• Request Google review

Important considerations for third-party SEO tools:

• Results may be misleading for Squarespace sites
• Platform-specific optimizations may not apply
• Focus on Google Console feedback for most accurate insights

Keep monitoring Google Search Console for important notifications while ignoring purely informational messages requiring no action.

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