Does Google ignore iframes? A recent thread on Reddit has sparked discussion among SEO professionals.
The user who started the thread believes that Google doesn’t crawl iframes, but is this assumption accurate?
This article will debunk myths about Google’s ability to crawl iframes, examine Mueller’s response, and discuss the SEO impact.
The Myth: Google Doesn’t Crawl iFrames
Historically, there was a time when search engines struggled to crawl and index content within iframes.
Search engine robots couldn’t access the content inside iframes, and in some cases, they couldn’t exit the iframe to continue crawling the rest of the website.
Additionally, the content in iframes was often considered to belong to another website, leading to uncertainty about whether it should be indexed.
The Reality: Google Can & Does Crawl iFrames
Contrary to the Reddit user’s belief, Google has made significant advancements in crawling iframes.
Today, Google can directly render the iframe and inject its content as part of the hosting page, a process also known as “DOM Flattening.”
Mueller addressed the issue by responding to the thread with the following insights: