hiding anchor links?

[kalidust]

I've been in a discussion about hiding "skip nav" or "go to content" anchor links so that it is only seen by screen readers.

Knowing that hiding text is a no no for SEO, how would hiding anchor links be seen for SEO purposes?

[ihelpyou]

I don't know what you mean. Hiding text of any kind is not good.

[Webmaster T]

Don't do it unless you want to be banned by Google. A buddy had a hidden image used to track pages and that got him banned for more then a few months. You could do it using JavaScript but Google now parses that too so... I don't know a legit way to "hide" links and IMO, that's not neccessarily a bad thing since PR hoarders are quite common these days.

[kalidust]

Doug, for example using something like this

<span style="display:none"><a href="#content">Skip Navigation</a></span>

Some accessibility designers like to hide the Skip Nav link so that it isn't viewed in a regular browser.

Since I've learned that hiding text isn't good for SEO, I am questioning this method.

[srikanthsh]

If your page uses asp/php/any other server side scripting, you could do this. In HTML we can not do this without using javascript(as I know).

BTW, how to identify the screen reader?

[ihelpyou]

That will also "hide" the actual link from browswers. In other words, not a good idea. I know what the intentions are, but we are talking about robots who can't know those intentions. A hidden link is a hidden link.

[srikanthsh]

Yeppers. we know the intention. It is not to trick SEs. Thats why, we suggested that. We can understand the feelings of a normal user(with no insight into usability and accessibility etc.) when they see that link.

Doug, it will not hide the link. It works this way,

-----------------
If it is a screen reader then
display the link
else
don't display the link here
end if
---------------------

So, the code will be executed at the server itself and the browser will recieve only the html code. Nothing would be hidden in HTML.


[Edited again]

[srikanthsh]

Oh yes. Now I understand. But, we have no intention to trick the SEs.

[ihelpyou]

Okay. If that is what the code is, then that's just dandy. It's only detecting screen readers, and besides, it shows html code with no link if the agent that is requesting the page is not a screen reader.

I see no problem with that at all. :) It's not a hidden link. It's no link. LOL

[srikanthsh]

Yes. Anyway, how to detect the screen reader. i dont know :p. My guess, may be it is possible using javascript only. Using for this purpose is not spam. Because, spiders will not find any content there that would effect the rankings. Completely guess(Yes. I should not post the guessed things).

[kalidust]

I don't know either how the screen reader sees it. Will need to check into that.

[srikanthsh]

Please see the second post from bottom.

http://forums.devshed.com/t49960/s.html

[srikanthsh]

My guess, may be it is possible using javascript only. Using for this purpose is not spam. Because, spiders will not find any content there that would effect the rankings. Completely guess(Yes. I should not post the guessed things).

I am Sorry for posting wrong information in the above posts. Karen, it is not possible either by javascript or server side scripting. You will have to use CSS.

[kalidust]

Originally posted by srikanthsh
I am Sorry for posting wrong information in the above posts. Karen, it is not possible either by javascript or server side scripting. You will have to use CSS.

Thanks :)

[srikanthsh]

Oops. You knew that.

[kalidust]

Someone in an accessibility forum suggests this



<a class="skip" href="#content">Skip Menu</a>


a.skip {
position:absolute;
left:-1000em;
}

a.skip:hover {
left:1em;
}



But that takes it off of the page.

[ihelpyou]

Then that would make the link hidden. Spiders don't "know" intentions..... yet. They would probably detect a hidden link as spam.

[Quadrille]

Most pages can accomodate a 1x1 'spacer' transparent gif, which can be a top left link, complete with ALT.

Many other pages, already having an image at top left, could use an imagemap to provide the link.

I don't see how either would upset the SEs, and both would provide a 'skip' link pretty early in the code.

[kalidust]

Further discussion about a Skip Navigation anchor -- suggests that the anchor text should be "go to content" as opposed to "skip navigation" as this may be less confusing as to the intent of the anchor.

[kalidust]

I'm having a discussion about invisible/hidden text in another forum and a question came up about comment tags. Since comment tags text in comment tags are invisible to the browser, does this have an impact on SEs?

[qwerty]

Spiders ignore comment tags, and I expect screen readers to as well. At least I hope they do, otherwise screen readers would be reading out things like "Navigation table here. DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE!"

[kalidust]

Thanks qwerty, I thought it may be as such :)