Google’s John Mueller has clarified how webmasters can verify whether passage indexing is working for their content. Instead of focusing on technical limits like HTML size, Mueller emphasized checking if specific passages are ranking in search results. This guidance helps SEOs and publishers optimize long-form content for better visibility.
Google has provided fresh clarity on passage indexing, a feature that allows its search engine to surface relevant sections of a page even if the overall page isn’t optimized for that query. Speaking recently, John Mueller explained that the best way to check passage indexing is by observing whether individual passages from a page appear in search results.
Mueller noted that technical aspects like whether Googlebot crawls 2 MB or 15 MB of HTML per page are less important than ensuring content is structured, clear, and relevant. Passage indexing is designed to help users find answers buried deep within long-form content, making it crucial for publishers to focus on content clarity and segmentation.
For SEOs, this means that well-structured headings, concise paragraphs, and keyword relevance are critical to maximizing passage-level visibility.
Key Highlights
Passage indexing check: Look for specific passages ranking in search results.
Technical limits less relevant: Focus on clarity, not HTML size.
Benefit: Helps long-form content surface for niche queries.
SEO takeaway: Use structured headings, concise paragraphs, and relevant keywords.
Goal: Improve discoverability of detailed content sections.
Sources: Search Engine Journal, StartupNews.fyi