Identifying and fixing issues with crawling, rendering, or indexing caused by JavaScript on a site.
Why JavaScript SEO Troubleshooting Matters
The biggest challenge with JavaScript SEO is that what you see in your browser isn’t always what a search engine sees. A user might see a beautiful, dynamic webpage, while Googlebot sees a blank HTML document because of a rendering error. This can lead to a page having zero visibility in search results. JavaScript SEO troubleshooting is about identifying these invisible problems. It’s the detective work that ensures your most valuable content is not getting lost in the rendering process, which is a key part of your site’s overall health and a prerequisite for organic traffic.
Across Different CMS Platforms
The way you troubleshoot JavaScript SEO issues will depend on your CMS.
WordPress
For WordPress, the most common JavaScript SEO issues are related to themes or plugins. You can troubleshoot by deactivating plugins one by one to find the source of the problem. A common issue is a plugin that uses JavaScript for an important element, but fails to provide a fallback HTML version.
Shopify
Shopify’s standard themes are SEO-friendly, so JavaScript issues are often the result of a third-party app that adds dynamic content. You can troubleshoot by disabling the app and checking your Google Search Console to see if the issue is resolved.
Wix
Wix has a closed system, which makes it less susceptible to JavaScript SEO issues. However, if you are experiencing problems, you should first check your site’s SEO panel to ensure you haven’t accidentally blocked search engines. You should also check for any custom code that may be causing a rendering error.
Webflow
Webflow gives you a high degree of control over your website’s code, which can be a source of both power and problems. Troubleshooting involves carefully checking your custom JavaScript and ensuring it is not blocking a search crawler. You should also check for any rendering issues in Google Search Console.
Custom CMS
With a custom CMS, you have the most control but also the most responsibility. Troubleshooting involves a deep dive into server logs, code, and your rendering solution. The best way to troubleshoot is to use a systematic approach, checking for rendering errors, server-side rendering issues, and JavaScript errors.
Across Different Industries
JavaScript SEO troubleshooting is a necessity for all industries that use dynamic content.
E-commerce
E-commerce sites often have thousands of pages, and a single JavaScript error can cause a major indexing problem. Troubleshooting is crucial for ensuring that all your product and category pages are properly indexed.
Local Businesses
Local businesses may use JavaScript for a dynamic map or a photo gallery. It is crucial to ensure that these elements do not interfere with the core content of the page, such as your business name and address, which are vital for local SEO.
SaaS Companies
SaaS companies often use a JavaScript framework for their marketing pages and dashboards. Troubleshooting is crucial for ensuring 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. Troubleshooting is critical for ensuring that all your articles are rendered and indexed, which is a major factor in organic traffic.
Do’s and Don’ts of Troubleshooting
Do’s
- Do use Google Search Console. The URL Inspection tool will show you exactly how Google sees your pages. This is the first and most important tool for troubleshooting.
- Do use a systematic approach. Check for common errors first, such as a noindex tag or a robots.txt file that is blocking crawlers.
- Do check your server logs. Your server logs can provide clues as to how search crawlers are interacting with your site.
Don’ts
- Don’t assume what you see in your browser is what a search engine sees. This is the biggest mistake you can make. Always use a tool to check.
- Don’t ignore rendering errors. A rendering error is a clear signal that a search engine is having a problem with your page.
- Don’t jump to conclusions. A problem with indexing may be caused by a JavaScript error, a slow server, or a simple noindex tag.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not using Google Search Console: This is the most basic mistake. Google Search Console is the best tool for troubleshooting JavaScript SEO issues.
- Failing to check for JavaScript errors: A single JavaScript error can prevent a search engine from rendering your page.
- Ignoring the mobile view: A search crawler’s rendering budget is often limited, so it may not fully render your page on a mobile device. Always check for mobile usability issues.
FAQs
How do I know if my website has a JavaScript SEO issue?
The most common sign of a JavaScript SEO issue is when your content is not appearing in Google’s index. You can check this by using Google Search Console’s URL Inspection tool and seeing what the crawler sees.
What is a “headless browser”?
A headless browser is a web browser that runs without a graphical user interface. A search engine’s crawler uses a headless browser to render a page’s JavaScript and see the full content.
What is the difference between a robots.txt file and a JavaScript SEO issue?
A robots.txt file is a set of rules that tells a search crawler which pages to avoid. A JavaScript SEO issue is a problem that prevents a search crawler from rendering and understanding a page’s content, even if it is allowed to crawl it.
Why is JavaScript SEO 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 prevent JavaScript SEO issues?
The best way to prevent JavaScript SEO issues is to use a server-side rendering (SSR) approach. This ensures that a search engine crawler always receives a fully-formed HTML page.
