Andy Blackburn – SEO Consultant
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Adidas Hiding Content
Author: Andy8 May
The Adidas website was brought to my attention recently, as it has apparently won some design awards. A quick Ctrl+U to look through the code and I stumble across this comment:
<!– HTML Content for SEO –>
Under the comment are a few bits and pieces followed by a whole load of copy, held within tables that are hidden by CSS. Now, I’m all for usability/accessibility, but blatantly advertising the fact that the copy is included for SEO purposes is surely a no-no in anyone’s book?
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3 Responses for "Adidas Hiding Content"
Andy,
Great catch on the hidden content.
Here’s a post on Google Webmasters/Site owner Help pages regarding their policy on hidden text: http://bit.ly/148el .
Aside from Adidas UK having engaged in a “No No”, it speaks loudly to not building web sites in Flash (or any other language where a search engine can’t read and index the content). If the content had been presented in HTML so that a search engine can see it, then the content would not have to be cloaked. Cloaking is anytime content is presented to a search engine that is not presented to a visitor.
Perhaps Adidas will hire one of us to rebuild their UK so it relies less on Flash for while maintaining a brand consistent user experience.
Hmmm… is it possible that they are just mirroring the content in HTML? There is a message that JavaScript needs to be turned on. If you turn the JavaScript off, it looks like a static version of the Flash-y content…
Adrian… I think having the comment: < !– HTML Content for SEO –> kind of gives away the exact purpose of the content!
Robert, who knows, perhaps their SEO will see this and come and hire me ;)
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