8 replies to this topic

[thwart]

Can spiders navigate through any javascript? I have 2 javascripts - a drop-down menu and a banner rotating script (that refreshes on reload). If Javascript cannot follow, then I assume there's no use for a rel="nofollow".

Here's the question asked another way: is a javascript link as useful as a rel="nofollow" link?

[Randy]

I've not seen any evidence that the spiders are executing JS yet. Though there is some thought out there that some spiders might be reading Javascript, thus enabling them to at least recognize and extract URLs from the JS code. I've not tested this at all, however it does make some sense that they'd eventually start doing this much.

As things now stand I don't believe the spiders are doing much of anything with JS. However it's not safe to depend upon this always being the case. So if you want to no follow links you'll probably want to no follow them.

Edited by Randy, 06 August 2007 - 12:18 PM.

[thwart]

Thanks Randy!!!

[RiYo]

Don't ask me where but I remember I read an interview with Matt Cutt lately where he mentioned that JS still is in issue for them and recommended not using it as the only way to go through your website.

Richard

[Randy]

That's the last thing I heard officially too Richard.

However, going back at least as far as the Traiffic-Power fiasco during 2004 where TP client sites started getting nailed for their sneaky JS redirects, Google has been able to look at and analyze JS in HTML code to automatically assign a penalty.

That's what all of those TP created sites were nailed over. Hence the reason I'm not personally willing to take a stance on what they can or cannot see in JS.

[torka]

What Google can do and what they choose to do may not be the same thing.

In the case of TP, obviously, they had the ability and made the choice to interpret the JS so they could slap those sites down. (And rightfully so, IMO.) TP apparently counted on Google not "understanding" JS, and it came back to bite them, big time.

In the case of JS-only navigation, I imagine they could follow it if they really wanted to, but my guess is they've decided it takes too long and/or it's too resource-intensive to justify at the moment. Not to mention that it's so easy (and so good for accessibility) for webmasters to include alternate non-JS navigation.

If something came to light that they thought was impacting the quality or integrity of their SERPs, though -- even if it made use of JS -- I suspect they could pretty quickly mobilize a response.

My Can they handle JS navigation? Probably.
Do they? Doesn't seem they do now, but I wouldn't necessarily rely on that situation continuing forever.

--Torka

[jass_blink]

Can spiders navigate through any javascript? I have 2 javascripts - a drop-down menu and a banner rotating script (that refreshes on reload). If Javascript cannot follow, then I assume there's no use for a rel="nofollow".

Here's the question asked another way: is a javascript link as useful as a rel="nofollow" link?

whats the use and purpose of rel="nofollow"?
Through some light on it!!!!!!!!!!

[Randy]

whats the use and purpose of rel="nofollow"?

See the discussion in this thread among others.

Do remember however that most of the nofollow discussion lately centers around how Google handles nofollowed links. The other search engines treat it differently last time I bothered to check.

[rolf]

Just to add, although Google etc. can't(?) read JS I've seen and used JS dropdowns where the actual href/URL info is not within the script, so it can still be spidered perfectly.

So, in answer to the original question, it may be possible depending on how the script/html is written.