What is cloaking

Question

First I think I understand what cloaking is, but what is it in detail?

My problem: I've a webapp created using wavemaker, so it's full of javascript and ajax calls. Therefore the google crawler can't see any of my content. My idea is now to make a different simple html page for users have javascript disabled and for the google crawler. This page contains a javascript block and a redirect like this:

<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">

   //redirect to the ajax page
   window.location.href = 'http://www.myhomepage.com/index.html?page=about'; 

</script>

The redirect will only occur when a user browses this site and have javascript turned on. The google crawler will never be redirected. Both pages have the same content, but different URLs. Do you think this technic is cloaking?

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 19 '11 at 14:44

I think all the points that were raised on Flash based web sites apply to this scenario. You have 1 web site that uses technologies the Search engine crawlers can not read (fully \ correctly). here is what Matt Cutts said: "A good rule of thumb is to take a look at your site in a text browser like Links or an ancient browser with JavaScript/CSS/Flash turned off. If you can reach all your pages just by clicking regular links, your site should be pretty crawlable." http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/solved-another-common-site-review-problem/

based on that, and other articles: if your code will show Search engine crawlers the same content - i do not think this is cloaking

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 21 '11 at 16:02

Even simpler:

You could make use of the <noscript> Tag, hence delivering content to users (and the google bot) that have javascript turned off. No need for an ugly redirect ...

Just use it like this:

<noscript>Your content for Javascript disabled browsers and bots here</noscript>

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 28 '17 at 07:43

Clocking is a SEO unethical technique which not follow SEO rules and harmful for your site. It's also call black hat SEO Technic. In the technique the content presented to the search engine spider is different from that presented to the user's browser.

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 19 '11 at 14:32

It's usually referred to as a black hat SEO trick. However it can have other uses, generally however a good server application shouldn't need to use tricks like that.

I think this explains it better than me though ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloaking

What is cloaking

4 Answers4