Google Explains Why “It Depends” Dominates Its SEO Advice—And Why That’s Not a Bad Thing

For years, SEO professionals have joked—and sometimes groaned—about how often Google answers tough questions with the phrase “it depends.” But according to the Google Search Relations team, there’s a valid reason for this ambiguity: SEO is rarely one-size-fits-all, and overly simplified answers risk doing more harm than good.

In a recent episode of Search Off the Record, Googlers Martin Splitt and Gary Illyes shed light on why definitive SEO answers are hard to come by, using real examples and candid commentary to show the complex, often misunderstood role that context plays in shaping Google’s advice.

Why Google Sounds Vague

Martin Splitt, who serves as a liaison between Google and the SEO community, described a frequent challenge: advice that’s given with nuance and conditions often gets stripped of that context once it circulates online.

He recalled presenting at a Tech SEO Summit, where he used a bold statement about JavaScript performance. Despite explicitly warning attendees that the comment lacked full context, the line was widely quoted online without the accompanying explanation.

“The problem with me saying that in general is that people will just take that one sentence and ignore everything else I said before or after,” Splitt said during the podcast.

This, he noted, distorts the original message and can lead SEO practitioners down the wrong path.

Why Google Doesn’t Release Slide Decks

One direct consequence of this problem is that Google avoids sharing slides from internal or external presentations. Gary Illyes explained that presentation materials often make little sense without the speaker’s live commentary.

“Our slides without context, they are useless,” Illyes stated plainly.

Even well-intended advice can become misleading if applied broadly. Something useful for a single-location local business might be detrimental for a multinational corporation, and vice versa.

The Logic Behind “It Depends”

The phrase “it depends” may frustrate SEO experts looking for certainty, but Splitt and Illyes emphasized that it reflects a deeper understanding of how diverse the web is.

“Someone who is serving a very specific niche with highly regulated content in a single country in a single language might have very different requirements than a multilingual multinational brand that sells everything to everyone,” Splitt explained.

The team aims to give more nuanced responses that take multiple factors into account, such as industry type, content regulations, language, site structure, and audience reach. But this nuance often leads to longer, more complicated answers, which can be difficult to summarize or quote without misrepresenting the intent.

The Danger of Cherry-Picked Advice

One of the biggest concerns expressed by the Google team was the way selective quoting can be used to push misleading narratives.

Splitt noted that individuals sometimes isolate one sentence from a broader discussion to justify their agenda, one that may not align with best SEO practices or Google’s actual recommendations.

“It often makes things tricky because people might cherry-pick… and use it as an example why people should follow their agenda rather than ours,” he said.

What SEO Professionals Should Take Away

This candid podcast conversation validates what many SEO experts already sense: Google’s advice often feels cautious or incomplete, but not because of a lack of clarity—it’s because of a commitment to accuracy in a complex digital landscape.

Rather than looking for black-and-white SEO rules, professionals should prioritize understanding the why behind Google’s recommendations. Applying advice without context can lead to unintended consequences, especially when websites operate in vastly different environments.

Bottom Line

The “it depends” approach isn’t a cop-out—it’s a reflection of the nuanced, adaptive reality of search optimization. By focusing on underlying principles and evaluating advice within the right context, SEO practitioners can make better, more informed decisions.

For those eager to dive deeper into the discussion, the full Search Off the Record episode is available on Google’s official podcast platforms.