Content in hidden div indexed?

aygabtu · 02-09-2011, 03:22 PM

I want to add some detailed instructions/help in a hidden div on the page. Most users won't read it, or will only want to see it the first time, so I'd rather default it to hidden, but the content can help with SEO.

I could default it to visible and then use a cookie to hide it, which google won't activate, but still it is an extra click for users.

Anyone know if the content in the hidden div will be indexed by google and the other search engines?

Thanks.

scott g · 02-09-2011, 03:34 PM

WaNaNaNaNa!

Might have better luck posting these questions in the Web Design or Programming section!

HTML Code:

<html>

<head>

<style type="text/css">
#hidden span {
visibility:hidden;
}

#hidden:hover span {
visibility:visible;
}
</style>

</head>

<body>

<p>PUT THE CAPS UNDER THESE WORDS...</p>
<p>
<div id="hidden"><span>MOUSE OVER THIS STUFF AND IT SHOWS UP! MOUSE OVER THIS STUFF AND IT SHOWS UP!<br>
MOUSE OVER THIS STUFF AND IT SHOWS UP! MOUSE OVER THIS STUFF AND IT SHOWS UP!</span></div>
</p>

</body>

</html>

CHEERS!

Fraggler · 02-09-2011, 04:07 PM

He wasn't asking how to do it, Scott. He was asking if the search engines will find it.

aygabtu, I had a quick search and couldn't find anything conclusive. I haven't tried it personally. Using it to benefit SEO is a problem though and is frowned upon from Google. I don't know what the ban process is (manual or automatic) but hidden text should be for usability only, not cloaking.

paulgl · 02-09-2011, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Hiding text or links in your content can cause your site to be perceived as untrustworthy since it presents information to search engines differently than to visitors. Text (such as excessive keywords) can be hidden in several ways, including:

* Using white text on a white background
* Including text behind an image
* Using CSS to hide text
* Setting the font size to 0

If your site is perceived to contain hidden text and links that are deceptive in intent, your site may be removed from the Google index.

Although css is specifically mentioned, I believe one can just define the
style with the div and not need css to make it hidden.

Either way, it seems it probably would be seen by google, but how what they
do about it is iffy. Would they detect it as being hidden? There's a good chance.
Certainly anything in html could be indexed, especially what appears to a browser
as being text, hidden or not.

Paul

aygabtu · 02-09-2011, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fraggler

He wasn't asking how to do it, Scott. He was asking if the search engines will find it.

aygabtu, I had a quick search and couldn't find anything conclusive. I haven't tried it personally. Using it to benefit SEO is a problem though and is frowned upon from Google. I don't know what the ban process is (manual or automatic) but hidden text should be for usability only, not cloaking.

I would be adding it for two reasons. #1 is to benefit my users that need the information. Second is that I hope it would benefit SEO.

It's not like the content can't be accessed by any and every user. It's just defaulted to not being shown, but with a click of a button a jquery event will toggle whether the content is displayed or hidden.

Fraggler · 02-09-2011, 04:21 PM

It doesn't matter what you or I think; it's what the search engines 'think'. Have a read of what Paul posted.

paulgl · 02-09-2011, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aygabtu

I would be adding it for two reasons. #1 is to benefit my users that need the information. Second is that I hope it would benefit SEO.

Then why on earth are you hiding it?

I think it would be better using the css hover tooltip or whatever they call it.
Probably would not do it as a javascript, as the executed javascript may not
be seen by google.

That way it's probably not perceived as hidden.

Paul

aygabtu · 02-09-2011, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulgl

Although css is specifically mentioned, I believe one can just define the
style with the div and not need css to make it hidden.

Either way, it seems it probably would be seen by google, but how what they
do about it is iffy. Would they detect it as being hidden? There's a good chance.
Certainly anything in html could be indexed, especially what appears to a browser
as being text, hidden or not.

Paul

I did use google's web master tools and it does show in the fetch. At this point I am thinking maybe go with css and define a class that will hide it if the class is associated. This make is less obvious to google that it is hidden and maybe a better chance of being included.

Again, this isn't content I am trying to add specifically for SEO, but I don't want it taking screen real estate all the time for our users.

aygabtu · 02-09-2011, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulgl

Then why on earth are you hiding it?

I think it would be better using the css hover tooltip or whatever they call it.
Probably would not do it as a javascript, as the executed javascript may not
be seen by google.

That way it's probably not perceived as hidden.

Paul

This is going to be multiple paragraphs of content. Far more than what you would want to show on a mouse or hover tooltip. Maybe I will just do this in conjunction with cookies with the default as displayed, then if they hide it, the next time they come to the page, it will continue to be hidden, but for the search engines it will always be visible because they don't interact with the site to turn off.

Fraggler · 02-09-2011, 05:02 PM

If you want to know if the content is indexed or not, regardless of how Google perceives it, go to a well crawled site and add a random unique phrase (that has no Google results) to one of your hidden tags and see if it gets indexed.

It should take less than a day to have a definitive answer.

yukon · 02-09-2011, 07:32 PM

http://searchengineland.com/is-hiding-content-with-display-none-legitimate-seo-13643

scott g · 02-09-2011, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fraggler

He wasn't asking how to do it, Scott. He was asking if the search engines will find it.

aygabtu, I had a quick search and couldn't find anything conclusive. I haven't tried it personally. Using it to benefit SEO is a problem though and is frowned upon from Google. I don't know what the ban process is (manual or automatic) but hidden text should be for usability only, not cloaking.

LOL! I dunno WTF I was reading!!!

I thought it sounded like fun!

Derek S · 02-09-2011, 08:29 PM

ugg I see soo many sites using this method to sell and hide links on a page. But i have yet to see the site or any of the sites it links to penalized in google. Leaves me to believe for the meantime you will be fine... Who knows if one day google will frown upon this or not as more people use it to game SEO

GeorgR. · 02-09-2011, 08:34 PM

Do NOT hide anything from the search engines, its bad, you might get penalized.

yukon · 02-09-2011, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgR.

Do NOT hide anything from the search engines, its bad, you might get penalized.

C'mon now, live a little.

Hidden content has it's place & nothing wrong with it, If you use your head in how you handle the hidden text.

Tell me Ebay isn't stuffing keywords/text (Navigation my a$$, lol)!

Ebay/Google Cache

Image #1

Image #2

GeorgR. · 02-09-2011, 11:41 PM

I know that some people/competitors use DIV tags to hide links in comments. This is actually pretty..uhm..."dirty". I also know it WORKS since those people rank well with it in very competitive niches...

scott g · 02-10-2011, 08:31 AM

Yukon and the Google Cache... Man-o-Man! No one will ever win! Google didn't even win!!!

CHEERS!

02-09-2011, 03:22 PM	#1
aygabtu Advanced Warrior Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 608 Thanks: 20 Thanked 29 Times in 24 Posts	Content in hidden div indexed? I want to add some detailed instructions/help in a hidden div on the page. Most users won't read it, or will only want to see it the first time, so I'd rather default it to hidden, but the content can help with SEO. I could default it to visible and then use a cookie to hide it, which google won't activate, but still it is an extra click for users. Anyone know if the content in the hidden div will be indexed by google and the other search engines? Thanks.
	Check and track SERP results for multiple keywords for FREE at whatsmyserp.com

02-09-2011, 03:34 PM	#2
scott g pay them no mind War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: StL Posts: 1,133 Thanks: 207 Thanked 353 Times in 229 Posts Social Networking	Re: Content in hidden div indexed? WaNaNaNaNa! Might have better luck posting these questions in the Web Design or Programming section! HTML Code: <html> <head> <style type="text/css"> #hidden span { visibility:hidden; } #hidden:hover span { visibility:visible; } </style> </head> <body> <p>PUT THE CAPS UNDER THESE WORDS...</p> <p> <div id="hidden"><span>MOUSE OVER THIS STUFF AND IT SHOWS UP! MOUSE OVER THIS STUFF AND IT SHOWS UP!<br> MOUSE OVER THIS STUFF AND IT SHOWS UP! MOUSE OVER THIS STUFF AND IT SHOWS UP!</span></div> </p> </body> </html> CHEERS!
	scott g *"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve."* zoloft birth defects & zoloft lawsuit paxil birth defects & paxil lawsuit avandia lawsuit celexa birth defects & celexa lawsuit lexapro birth defects & lexapro lawsuit lawsuitinformation.org

02-09-2011, 04:07 PM	#3
Fraggler Troy Steele War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 1,763 Thanks: 723 Thanked 499 Times in 319 Posts Social Networking	Re: Content in hidden div indexed? He wasn't asking how to do it, Scott. He was asking if the search engines will find it. aygabtu, I had a quick search and couldn't find anything conclusive. I haven't tried it personally. Using it to benefit SEO is a problem though and is frowned upon from Google. I don't know what the ban process is (manual or automatic) but hidden text should be for usability only, not cloaking.
	High Quality - Big Impact - Niche Specific - Low Footprint Backlinks - 15 OBL This is as Close to Natural Backlinking as You're Ever Likely to See Niches Available: General Health - Finance & Investment - Shopping & Consumer Goods

02-09-2011, 04:21 PM	#6
Fraggler Troy Steele War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 1,763 Thanks: 723 Thanked 499 Times in 319 Posts Social Networking	Re: Content in hidden div indexed? It doesn't matter what you or I think; it's what the search engines 'think'. Have a read of what Paul posted.
	High Quality - Big Impact - Niche Specific - Low Footprint Backlinks - 15 OBL This is as Close to Natural Backlinking as You're Ever Likely to See Niches Available: General Health - Finance & Investment - Shopping & Consumer Goods

02-09-2011, 05:02 PM	#10
Fraggler Troy Steele War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 1,763 Thanks: 723 Thanked 499 Times in 319 Posts Social Networking	Re: Content in hidden div indexed? If you want to know if the content is indexed or not, regardless of how Google perceives it, go to a well crawled site and add a random unique phrase (that has no Google results) to one of your hidden tags and see if it gets indexed. It should take less than a day to have a definitive answer.
	High Quality - Big Impact - Niche Specific - Low Footprint Backlinks - 15 OBL This is as Close to Natural Backlinking as You're Ever Likely to See Niches Available: General Health - Finance & Investment - Shopping & Consumer Goods

02-09-2011, 07:32 PM	#11
yukon SEO Strategist War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 6,532 Thanks: 355 Thanked 1,992 Times in 1,273 Posts	Re: Content in hidden div indexed? http://searchengineland.com/is-hiding-content-with-display-none-legitimate-seo-13643
	- SEO Strategist -

02-09-2011, 08:29 PM	#13
Derek S Advanced Warrior Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Posts: 781 Thanks: 6 Thanked 113 Times in 54 Posts	Re: Content in hidden div indexed? ugg I see soo many sites using this method to sell and hide links on a page. But i have yet to see the site or any of the sites it links to penalized in google. Leaves me to believe for the meantime you will be fine... Who knows if one day google will frown upon this or not as more people use it to game SEO
	--- Work Smart... Not Hard ---

02-09-2011, 08:34 PM	#14
GeorgR. Senior Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Earth Posts: 6,061 Blog Entries: 16 Thanks: 72 Thanked 915 Times in 602 Posts Social Networking	Re: Content in hidden div indexed? Do NOT hide anything from the search engines, its bad, you might get penalized.
	* Affiliate Site Quick --> The Fastest & Easiest Way to Make Affiliate Sites!<-- -> VISIT www.1UP-SEO.com * <- Internet Marketing, SEO Tips, Reviews & More!! *** ARTICLE SPINNING SERVICE - Custom Hand-Made QUALITY Spun Articles! - Thread Here * * BEAT the PENGUIN with High Quality Manually Spun Articles - Don't Settle for Less! *

02-09-2011, 11:41 PM	#16
GeorgR. Senior Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Earth Posts: 6,061 Blog Entries: 16 Thanks: 72 Thanked 915 Times in 602 Posts Social Networking	Re: Content in hidden div indexed? I know that some people/competitors use DIV tags to hide links in comments. This is actually pretty..uhm..."dirty". I also know it WORKS since those people rank well with it in very competitive niches...
	* Affiliate Site Quick --> The Fastest & Easiest Way to Make Affiliate Sites!<-- -> VISIT www.1UP-SEO.com * <- Internet Marketing, SEO Tips, Reviews & More!! *** ARTICLE SPINNING SERVICE - Custom Hand-Made QUALITY Spun Articles! - Thread Here * * BEAT the PENGUIN with High Quality Manually Spun Articles - Don't Settle for Less! *

02-10-2011, 08:31 AM	#17
scott g pay them no mind War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: StL Posts: 1,133 Thanks: 207 Thanked 353 Times in 229 Posts Social Networking	Re: Content in hidden div indexed? Yukon and the Google Cache... Man-o-Man! No one will ever win! Google didn't even win!!! CHEERS!
	scott g *"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve."* zoloft birth defects & zoloft lawsuit paxil birth defects & paxil lawsuit avandia lawsuit celexa birth defects & celexa lawsuit lexapro birth defects & lexapro lawsuit lawsuitinformation.org