Quick Advice - CSS - SEO Class

[Demiglaz]

All:

The pages in my site all include the following in the body:

<h2class="seo">Software vendor negotiations,IT RFI,IT RFP.<ahref="http://www.technologybuyersadvocate.com">wwwTechnologyBuyersAdvocate.com</a></h2>

The CSS for the "seo" class defines the class such that it is not visible on a given page:

.seo { position : absolute ; left : -100px ; top : -100px ; right : 0 ;}


Question: Does this technique violate Google's no hidden text or links rule? Does it matter that the invisibility is accomplished in the style sheet and not within the HTML on the page itself?

You can view the full page source code (minus the style sheet) at www.TechnologyBuyersAdvocate.com (http://www.technologybuyersadvocate.com/).

Thanks in advance for your input.

[tamecrow]

There's evidence that Google has been downloading stylesheets so I'd certainly urge caution. If you feel the need to ask whether it's constituted as hidden text, there's clearly some ambiguity. Presuming this CSS makes the H2 disappear off the page, 100 pixels to the left an 100 pixels from the top, I'd avoid this.

[Peter (IMC)]

Why would you want to hide that h2?

You´re hiding it, aren't you? So how do you think a search engine likes that? The technique used has no effect on the intention.

And by the way, if you put the same h2 in all your pages,... that's not very smart.

[Demiglaz]

Thanks for your comments.

I have removed this hidden text/link. The seo class (and corresponding page placeholder) were part of a CSS template I used. I never would have known or thought of this technique on my own.

Thanks again.

Demiglaz

[incrediblehelp]

Hidden links are a BAD idea.

[Dubbya]

The SE's are smart enough to realize that the coordinates are outside the displayed area of the page and that technique has been employed for a while now. These pages end up being flagged for review, so take that to mean whatever you like.

Google's Matt Cutts has this to say about using CSS to hide text:


"I don’t recommend that people use CSS to hide text"


Source:
SEO Mistakes: Unwise comments (http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/seo-mistakes-unwise-comments/)

[Demiglaz]

Thanks, Dubbya, for the very specific authority on this. The stuff is now gone.

Ask and ye shall learn!

Thanks again.

Demiglaz