John Mueller from Google has stated that merging content on a website is more complex than a basic site migration, and as a result, it takes longer for Google to process. This comment was made in response to a query from SEO expert Martin McGarry, who had noticed discrepancies in how Google was displaying a page he had recently merged with another. Mueller noted that even after a site-move, the old URL can still be displayed in search results if it is specifically searched for, as Google assumes the user knows what they want. He further suggested that moving an entire site at once can expedite the migration process for Google Search. Google provides extensive documentation on site moves and URL changes for those seeking more information. The discussion took place on the Bluesky forum.
“Google’s John Mueller Reveals: Merging Website Content is More Complex than Site Migration”
