Will I be penalized for hidden content if I have text in a "read more" dropdown?

[almouloudi]

So if the read more contain a trillion letters it will be bad but if it only complete an post or give me help it will be good .

[ferodynamics]

Too bad there's no "duplicate framework" or "duplicate navigation" penalty! On the one hand you reward original writing, on the other hand you penalize original navigation, original frameworks, etc. Why the double standard?

[ferodynamics]

@ferodynamics And why does Google care about site navigation? Google is a search engine--we use Google to AVOID navigation! Google should encourage ZERO NAVIGATION. Using Google to get what you want is 100x faster than looking around a page, hovering pulldown menus for the appropriate sub-sub-menu that doesn't even have what we're looking for. Google is often faster than a website's own internal search engine. So Matt tells us to waste everyone's time because it's "common" and "normal" ?

[thisiswilson2]

@ferodynamics There's a distinct difference between information and design patterns users are used to. That's why you should still have a "Home" button.

[ferodynamics]

@thisiswilson2 Should? What UX cult did you join? Used to since when? I was designing online interfaces in the 80s. Do you really think the "Home" link in the top left corner is set in stone? No way.

There was a time when new apps were actually new and interesting and had personality and style--back before devs were enslaved by Microsoft's totalitarian "Do it this way or eat dirt." Wow, and like Steve Jobs is any better with his "We don't want choices." What happened to creativity?

[thisiswilson2]

@ferodynamics Being different for the sake of being different is asinine. You've been designing interfaces since the 80's that people have difficult adapting to. Don't reinvent the wheel, improve upon it. People "get" home.

[ferodynamics]

@thisiswilson2 If you and your incremental improvements were in charge, "home" would be located on a slab of clay and your obsequious followers would find Fred Flinstone just slightly less redundant than last year, assuming they managed to escape extinction.

[thisiswilson2]

@ferodynamics Facebook has a home, Amazon (on logo rollover) says "homepage".

Home is a design pattern that people look for.

You've been doing this for 30 years?

[highlander2107]

I live for these videos!!!!

I kno... it's sad.

[Junije1]

@highlander2107 You need to go out more...

[Films4You]

What about hidden wigs... Matt LOL

[rb1198]

Thanks for this information Matt. In the past 2 days our SERPS have dropped dramatically for bridgman co uk - do you think this is the cause?

[whufee]

Hey, Matt already given us the hint:content that no longer than 8 pages... XD

[Hamiltoncameron]

Okay? What If we use the span class and then hide the class in the css? For example we put the span tag over some text and then in the CSS we make it hidden. Will this effect our SEO?

[fewleh]

@Hamiltoncameron google will destroy you.

[StepForthRoss]

This video raised some concerns from my client so I promised to pose this question. When an ecommerce product page starts with an overview on the product followed by horizontal tabs, each depicting details (all having a fair amount of info) on Specs, then other tabs on Detail, Reviews, and Comments... this should not be a problem right? Personally I think it looks great and sales have increased as a result of the increased usability (the visitor does not have to scroll down the page). Thoughts?

[fewleh]

@StepForthRoss a hell of a lot of shops use this technique, very unlikely to pose a poblem...it's normal, fair usage isnt it, offering a better UI

[StepForthRoss]

@fewleh I totally agree and would put up quite a battle if I heard otherwise - which was why I was hoping for a response from the Cuttster :-D Unfortunately, after a short review of past vid's it seems these questions don't get attention.

[numbergroup]

Hey Matt, What's with the professional video ? I miss the old thrown together on a Friday afternoon video's ha ha. Content as usual perfect !

[thejimgaudet]

I guess this would be the same for something like jQueryUI tabs?? Since the tabs tend to have a display:none and are definitely more than 2 paragraphs is this something bad? or not followed?

[enblogopedia]

@thejimgaudet was going to comment the same exact point, Please Google staff reply to this! Tabs approach actually contains a lot more content and most of the time a useful content to!

I would check if the hidden content ID is linked to from a link on the page (i.e it's a good indicator that this is a tabbed content) and allow it (not penalizing it)!

[TestShoot]

@thejimgaudet This is a very good question when you have collapse and expand content, like say a frontpage of a news site where you have short paragraphs of teaser text with 'read more' in there. You in that scenario could have many snippets, and I myself would be worried about it being "spammy" especially if you are going to have a lot of content.

[mojo2601]

good to know