SEO Dynamic Content Question - GoFuckYourself.com

Socks · 03-01-2008, 04:07 PM

Someone mentioned that our site fails a "cloak check" because we have dynamic content on our main page. On refresh, our feature and 8 pictures are randomly shown.

Apparently since the byte size is different for each refresh, it's setting off this web tool.

Now my guess is that google wouldn't be so ridiculously simple to not see this for what it is, but we could easily just stop randomizing. That was something we added at some point along the way so we could stop picking a "feature" site every now and then and just let it go. I think it's a benefit to our users, but it's certainly not worth losing out in Google over.

Thoughts, opinions?

Diligent · 03-01-2008, 06:09 PM

Hmm.. I'm assuming Your using PHP, I have something similar but use a Javascript randomizing rotator... and I just checked with a few tools and got confirmed that
I pass such a cloak test

Since PHP is server side, SE's will most likely *blindly believe* that the content appearing at the the occurring randomization *upon their spidering* of Your stuff... is static content.
That's why You'll fail a cloak test, and I don't - Javascript output usually never "happens" when SE's spider pages, since they don't execute them... and therefore the total byte length of my pages never changes in the "eyes" of the SE's.

Look into using JS instead if You don't want to switch from randomized rotation...

It also has a nice side-effect when You get swamped with traffic; less server side load... ;)

EDIT: another benefit; You can add something for the SE's to chew on in <noscript>SE-food...</noscript>

03-01-2008, 04:07 PM	#1
Socks Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: May 2002 Location: Toronto Posts: 8,475	SEO Dynamic Content Question Someone mentioned that our site fails a "cloak check" because we have dynamic content on our main page. On refresh, our feature and 8 pictures are randomly shown. Apparently since the byte size is different for each refresh, it's setting off this web tool. Now my guess is that google wouldn't be so ridiculously simple to not see this for what it is, but we could easily just stop randomizing. That was something we added at some point along the way so we could stop picking a "feature" site every now and then and just let it go. I think it's a benefit to our users, but it's certainly not worth losing out in Google over. Thoughts, opinions?

03-01-2008, 06:09 PM	#2
Diligent Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Hoy Suecia, mañana Nirvana Posts: 1,594	Hmm.. I'm assuming Your using PHP, I have something similar but use a Javascript randomizing rotator... and I just checked with a few tools and got confirmed that I pass such a cloak test Since PHP is server side, SE's will most likely blindly believe that the content appearing at the the occurring randomization upon their spidering of Your stuff... is static content. That's why You'll fail a cloak test, and I don't - Javascript output usually never "happens" when SE's spider pages, since they don't execute them... and therefore the total byte length of my pages never changes in the "eyes" of the SE's. Look into using JS instead if You don't want to switch from randomized rotation... It also has a nice side-effect when You get swamped with traffic; less server side load... ;) EDIT: another benefit; You can add something for the SE's to chew on in <noscript>SE-food...</noscript> __________________ ~¤~ MORE MONEY ~¤~ VOD? XoD! ~¤~ ~¤~ ICQ# 9828 2461 ~¤~ Last edited by Diligent; 03-01-2008 at 06:11 PM.. Reason: Additions..