A site that relies excessively on JavaScript for navigation and content, often needing SEO adjustments for crawlability.
Why a JavaScript-Heavy Site Matters
A JavaScript-heavy site can be a major SEO problem because a search engine’s crawler may not behave in the same way as a human user. While a user’s browser executes the JavaScript and sees the full content, a search crawler may only see a blank or incomplete HTML document with no content. This can lead to a page having zero visibility in search results. A site’s ability to rank is directly tied to its ability to be crawled and indexed. Ensuring a JavaScript-heavy site is SEO-friendly requires a deep understanding of how search crawlers work and the technical solutions that can be used to ensure all content is visible.
Across Different CMS Platforms
The management of a JavaScript-heavy site’s SEO depends on your CMS and how you build your site.
WordPress
WordPress’s default structure is not a JavaScript-heavy site, so it is naturally SEO-friendly. However, if you are building a custom front-end with a JavaScript framework on top of a WordPress backend, you must use a server-side rendering (SSR) approach to ensure that your pages are crawlable and indexable.
Shopify
Shopify’s standard themes are also not JavaScript-heavy, which is great for SEO. If you are using a headless commerce approach with a JavaScript framework, you must use a server-side rendering approach to ensure all your product pages are crawled and indexed.
Wix
Wix has a closed system, so you typically don’t have to worry about a JavaScript-heavy site. The platform’s system is designed to handle its dynamic content in a way that is compliant with search engine guidelines.
Webflow
Webflow generates clean, semantic HTML that is highly SEO-friendly. While you can add your own JavaScript, the core content is always rendered on the server, which prevents the SEO issues commonly associated with pure client-side rendered applications.
Custom CMS
With a custom CMS, you have the most control and can build a system that is perfectly optimized for a search engine’s rendering budget by using a server-side rendering (SSR) approach. This is the most effective way to ensure that all your pages are rendered and indexed.
Across Different Industries
A JavaScript-heavy site is a concern for all industries that use dynamic content.
E-commerce
E-commerce sites often use a JavaScript framework for a fast and modern user experience. It is crucial to ensure that all your product and category pages are rendered and indexed, as a failure to do so can lead to a significant loss of organic traffic and sales.
Local Businesses
Local businesses may use a JavaScript framework for their website to create a fast and seamless user experience. It is crucial to ensure that their key pages, like their location, hours, and contact information, are easily crawlable and indexable for local search.
SaaS Companies
SaaS companies often use a JavaScript framework for their marketing pages and dashboards. It is crucial to ensure that their marketing pages are rendered and indexed, while their user dashboards can remain a client-side rendered application.
Blogs
Blogs built with a JavaScript framework can suffer from a limited rendering budget. It is critical for all articles to be rendered and indexed, which is a major factor in organic traffic.
Do’s and Don’ts for a JavaScript-Heavy Site
Do’s
- Do use a server-side rendering (SSR) or pre-rendering solution. This is the gold standard for JavaScript SEO.
- Do use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console. This tool will show you how Google sees your pages.
- Do ensure all your important links are in the HTML. This is a great way to ensure that a search crawler can find all your pages.
Don’ts
- Don’t use a pure client-side rendering (CSR) approach. This is the number one mistake and can lead to a page having little to no visibility in search results.
- Don’t block search engines from crawling your JavaScript files. A search engine needs to access your JavaScript to properly render the page.
- Don’t use a JavaScript-only pagination. This can lead to a significant portion of your content being invisible to search engines.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- A lack of server-side rendering (SSR) or pre-rendering: This is the most common and devastating mistake.
- Discrepancies between the rendered and static HTML: Sometimes, a page that looks great to a user is a mess to a crawler. You must ensure that the rendered content is the same as the static content.
- Failing to check for crawling errors: Use Google Search Console’s URL Inspection and Coverage reports to check for crawling errors and fix them immediately.
FAQs
How does a JavaScript-heavy site hurt my crawlability?
A JavaScript-heavy site can hurt your crawlability because the content is not in the initial HTML. A search engine’s crawler must execute the JavaScript to see the content, and if there’s a rendering error or a timeout, the crawler may miss important information.
Is a JavaScript-heavy site a bad choice for a website?
No, a JavaScript-heavy site is not a bad choice. It can provide a fantastic user experience. However, it requires a different SEO strategy than a traditional website to ensure it is fully crawlable and indexable.
What is the difference between client-side and server-side rendering?
Client-side rendering means the browser builds the page with JavaScript. Server-side rendering means the server builds the page with a fully formed HTML document, which is better for SEO.
Why is JavaScript crawlability so important today?
A significant portion of modern websites are built with JavaScript frameworks. Without a proper SEO strategy, these sites can be completely invisible to search engines.
How can I test if my website is a JavaScript-heavy site?
You can test your website by disabling JavaScript in your browser and seeing what content is visible. You can also use Google’s URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to see what a crawler sees.
