AJAX and SEO.

[kgun]

AJAX (Asynchronous JAvascript + Xml) or empovered JavaScript increases the functionality of a webpage. In a nutshell, AJAX is a mix of technologies that lets you get rid of the page reloads. AJAX is not new. The heart of AJAX is the JavaScript XMLHttpRequest object invented by Microsoft in 1999.

Because JavaScript is used when the client talks with the server, you have to fight with browser inconsistencies. AJAX-specific pages don't work on browsers without JavaScript, they can't easily be bookmarked and search engines don't always know to parse them.

The pages are not unique, since parts of them are updated in the background. That implies obvious problems for the SE bots. Yous should be aware of this since more and more companies use AJAX technologies on their web pages. XML is an important element in the AJAX technology and there are a lot of technologies that empovers XML. Some of them are:

• The document object model (DOM).
• Document Type Definition (DTD).
• Recommended DTDs to use in your Web document.
• XSL
• XSLT
• XML Path Language (XPath)
• XML Linking Language (XLink)
• XML Pointer Language (XPointer)

CSS is also an important element in the technology, even if it is not needed. A lot use PHP as server language and MySQL as database platform, but any server language and SQL database plattform may be used to create AJAX functionality.

[kgun]

Here are some relevant links:

AJAX and SEO

SEO Considerations for AJAX Development

Implementing AJAX? SEO and Accessibility Considerations

[kgun]

In the interview:
Matt Cutts Interview on Personalization and the Future of SEO

Matt Cutts also mentions AJAX and SEO.

Matt:
"I think there still is a place for you for a pure SEO consultant but it's also true that over time those consultants have to keep adding to their skill set. A few years ago no one would have even thought about the word Ajax and now people have to think about Ajax or Flash and how do I handle some of these new interfaces to still make sites crawlable? So I definitely think there will still be places for consulting and improving crawlability of sites and advice on keywords and personalization will add some wrinkles to that, but I have faith that, over time we’ll see the benefit to users and if you make good site for your users, you will naturally benefit as a result. Some people spend a lot of time looking at data centers and data center IP addresses and if people want to have that as a hobby they're welcome to it but a lot of people don't do that anymore and they're just worried about making good results and yet, everything still comes out pretty well for them".

Also note the start of the interview where Matt says:

"I think that it’s natural that some people would be worried about change, but some of the best SEO’s are the SEO’s that are able to adapt, that are able to look down the road 4 or 5 years and say, “What are the big trends going to be?” and adjust for those trends in advance, so that when a search engine does make a change which you think is inevitable or will eventually happen, they’ll be in a good position."

So I think Matt agrees with me that SEO is a moving target.

[WebGeek182]

Here's another article on AJAX and SEO.

I've noticed a lot of misconceptions about AJAX and SEO. It seems that 2 of the biggest problems are:

• No content or navigation on initial page load.
• Lack of unique URL's.

[kgun]

Here's another article on AJAX and SEO.

I've noticed a lot of misconceptions about AJAX and SEO. It seems that 2 of the biggest problems are:

• No content or navigation on initial page load.
• Lack of unique URL's.

There are older techniques using hidden frames (zero height and with) where browser history is maintained, examples: Gmail and Google maps.

For this reason some AJAX applications use a combination of hidden frames and the XMLHttpRequest object.

There is a third technology using iFrames. The main difference between a hidde fram and an iFrame is that an iFrame can be placed inside of a non-frameset HTML page. In that way any part of a page can become a frame. An iFrame can even be created on-the-fly in Javascript.

The main advantage with using the XMLHttpRequest object is that it is created for the purpose of asynchronous communication, is a newer and a much cleaner technology.

You also need to understand how XMLHttpRequest is supported in different browsers, especially IE, since in that browser it is based on ActiveX controls. If you are in a particular security zone that doesn't allow ActiveX controls, you cannot access the XMLHttpRequest object.

You should also know what is meant by the same origion policy, but that is another story.

Soruce:
Zakas, McPeak and Fawcett (2006 or later) : "Professional AJAX" ISBN: 0-471-77778-1

There is an AJAX library zXML where you can download code that can be implemented in your AJAX applications.

[dburdon]

There is a third technology using iFrames. The main difference between a hidde fram and an iFrame is that an iFrame can be placed inside of a non-frameset HTML page. In that way any part of a page can become a frame. An iFrame can even be created on-the-fly in Javascript.

Kjell,

since you directed me here I shall ask you a question on the legitimacy of using iFrames. The sites I've seen show one thing to the human visitor and something else entirely to the search engines!!

[kgun]

Yes, I know what Google writes about cloacking and non unique sites etc.

Do you know, when Niklas Zennström, creator of Skype enters a conference room, CEO's of the large telecom companies shivers.

I don't think the CEO's of the SE companies are shivering when they hear about AJAX (more generally about web applications) since they were the first to use the technology. But one thing I am sure of is that web applications are the future, and SE's have to prepare for it.

Example of AJAX technology in use:
CNN Money brings updated stock quotes without reloading the page.

Source: WPW thread: Ajax Puts Web Ad Sales in Peril

Should the CNNMoney site be downgraded by the SE's because it uses one ore another AJAX technology? Then there may be a disagreement between human surfers and SE Bots, since a human being may prefer a site with stock quotes that updates without refreshing the page.

There are very strong arguments for a financial, AJAX driven web site (application) with dynamic (even some seconds delayed) quotes to have higher rank than a similar static.

Note: In the beginning XML was a buzz word. Today it is a very important technology.

Theoretically, if stock quotes are in free fall, a static page could ruin you.

May be not important for a web master, but ask a trader.

[dburdon]

Kjell,

the context you quote regarding CNN is obviously bona fide. CNN are not trying to fool anybody.

However, I've seen iFrame based pages that show one thing to the search engine - keyword rich content - and another, more aesthestic page to the human visitor. The question is how the search engine establishes intent.

[kgun]

The question is how the search engine establishes intent.

David, yes with AJAX and more generally web applications (it is not important what the technology is called) that is very important.

The heart of the problem is that content are not unique any longer. The newest AJAX technology uses The XMLHttpRequest Object that is worse regarding page indexing than AJAX technology based on hidden (zero hight and width) frames. The hidden frames AJAX technology is based on asynchronous communication with the server taking place in the hidden frame and updating part of the page in (a) visul frame(s). Because the last technology is more SE friendly than that based on the modern XMLHttpRequest Object model, some companies like Google have as far as I know combined the two technologies in GMail and Google maps. Google suggest is an other AJAX based website. Yahoo news another.

Source:
Nicholas C. Zakas, Jeremy McPeak, Joe Fawcett (2007 second edition or later): "Professional Ajax."

Important related link: Zakas home page.

P.S.
I think the next generation forums will have AJAX technologies that remids you that a thread you posted to have been updated with a new post. That technology is described in the above mentioned book.

[WebGeek182]

The CNN stock quote example isn't the best example because the stock quotes have no relevance to SEO for that page, so by all means use AJAX. The trouble comes when developers place ALL the meaty content in AJAX so that if you have JavaScript turned off, there is no content. They should uses a server-side script to dynamically generate the initial content, and then use AJAX to manipulate it from there. Keep in mind it is important to us unique URL's as well. That can be a challenge as it's tempting to just have all the content on one page. This is similar to SEO challenges faced by Flash designers.