Different ways to get Java Script Indexed!

[tushar123]

Hi Members,

I want to know about getting JavaScript crawled by the Search Engine Spiders. The reason for that is because I would like to use JavaScript for my menu navigation. In accordance with that where do I place the code so that the spiders can detect the inner pages via the top navigation menu?

All the suggestions are highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[DaveSawers]

One of these days the search engines will get their act together and properly index sites that use Javascript, AJAX, etc. Until they do you have to put something else in so they can follow your links.

Why would you want to use Javascript for menus anyway? CSS menus work just as well and can be crawled

[noel_x99]

And CSS menus are also easier to change and maintain. Very flexible.

[seopo]

Create normal text links and add the javascript to these. Ideally via DOM. If you need to write large blocks of javascript that you can't create with CSS/XHTML (can't imagine this to be the case though) you can detect the ID of you nav block and replace that whole chunk of code with javascript after it's loaded.

ps. check out jquery libaries

[iany]

Yep, DaveSawers sums it up perfectly.
For a really strong selection of menus in CSS go to Stu Nicholls | CSSplay | CSS only menus
I will be surprised if you cannot find what you want there.

[imvain2]

Below is a menu that will allow the search engines to spider the links.

Dynamic Drive DHTML Scripts- AnyLink Vertical Menu


When all else fails: Site Map!

[Orion]

Originally Posted by DaveSawers

Why would you want to use Javascript for menus anyway? CSS menus work just as well and can be crawled

Just as well.??? They work a LOT better..

javaScript menus are NOT accessible to persons with disabilities, a few companies have lost suits on that one already.
javaScript menus don't degrade as nice in older browsers
javaScript menus don't work if you have javaScript turned off
javaScript menus won't work on a mobile browser

CSS menus do all of the above and more, they meet usability and accessibility guidelines and laws, and as mentioned they are a ton easier to implement and maintain.

.... just my 2cents worth ...

[seopo]

Not strictly true - you can have lovely CSS XHTML links that degrade, are SEO friendly etc and then layer on javascript animation after. If you use DOM you don't even need additional markup

[Orion]

Originally Posted by seopo

Not strictly true - you can have lovely CSS XHTML links that degrade, are SEO friendly etc and then layer on javascript animation after. If you use DOM you don't even need additional markup

yes that's true... but it's not a javascript menu per se but a css with javaScript to make it look pretty... and javaScript animation that most people use on menus can still be done easier with css (rollovers etc.)... there are a few things that javaScript does nicely though and if done using DOM works well and doesn't interfere with SEO, accessibility etc.

[weegillis]

DHTML without a fall back is just a broken page waiting to happen, the above accessibility issues notwithstanding. But with a fall back it is definitely value added.

Given this priority, that is, added value or enhancement, not added content, every effort should continue to be made to make javascripts that are faster and browsers that are more efficient at running them. Some of the processor load should fall on the client, most particularly the enhancement aspect. Content should be delivered regardless.

If scripting engines begin to compare to Chrome then Flash driven sites will be less attractive to developers, and 'lo-end' users will be less at a disadvantage when it comes to viewing dynamically driven webs.

In my view we should encourage javascript at every turn, as long as developers temper it with accessible core documents. Technology can have a way of getting away from us if we don't temper it along the way.

Bots should be able to see what's in the noscript, since it is alternate content, but do they? That's the question I've always had.

[kgun]

Originally Posted by seopo

ps. check out jquery libaries

Yes, read more here:

Microformats SEO and the Sumo parser.