JavaScript & SEO

The JavaScript problem

Google can render JavaScript, but it's not instant. If your content loads only after JS runs, there's a delay before indexing. The initial HTML must contain meaningful content; if it's empty, Google will see an empty page.

Check what Google sees

Use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to see how Google renders your page. This reveals if content is hidden behind JavaScript.

<!-- PROBLEM: Empty HTML, content in JS -->
<html>
<body>
  <div id="app"></div>
  <script src="app.js"></script>
  <!-- Google might miss this if app.js renders slowly -->
</body>
</html>

<!-- BETTER: Meaningful initial HTML -->
<html>
<head>
  <title>My Blog Post</title>
  <meta name="description" content="...">
</head>
<body>
  <h1>My Blog Post Title</h1>
  <p>Post content visible without JS...</p>
  <div id="app"></div>
  <script src="app.js"></script>
  <!-- JS enhances but doesn't hide content -->
</body>
</html>