iFrames vs JavaScript Embeds: Which One Is Better for SEO?

SEO is a crucial factor in determining page rankings and user experience. There are several factors that determine the SEO rankings. iFrames and JavaScript are some of them. Both are elements in codes that contain objects from other sources within them to be displayed on the webpage. Iframe vs embed seo can have significant effects on content indexing and visibility. In this article, we shall explore iFrame vs JavaScript embed and which one of the two is better for SEO. But first, let’s have a look at what these terms mean.

iFrames tag

iFrames or inline frames are HTML element that has other objects within them. These other objects can include HTML documents. Usually, this is used to include another page within a webpage. These are used to include videos, advertisements, maps, or content from other websites or sources.

The example of an iFrames tag is given below:

<iFrames iFrames src=”https://www.gtechme.com/insights/how-search-engines-crawl-and-index-JavaScript-content/” width=”450″ height=”450″>

</iFrames>

JavaScript embeds

A JavaScript embed is a code that helps load content from other sources into your web page. Embed is a tag that contains other sources which including images, videos, or web pages. Unlike iframe tags, JavaScript embeds are embedded within the website’s layout in a seamless manner. 

iFrame vs JavaScript embed: Pros and Cons

Both iFrames and JavaScript have their own pros and cons. Understanding these would come in handy when you want to choose between iframe vs JavaScript embed. Some of these cons of iframe vs embed seo can also have an adverse effect on search visibility. Some of the SEO pros and cons of iFrames and SEO pros and cons of JavaScript embeds are given below.

Pros of iFrames

• You can add multiple iFrames on a webpage.

• With iFrames, you can load the ad after loading the contents.

• With iFrames, you can set the width and height of the advertisement to be displayed. This helps in perfectly fitting the content to your web page without interrupting the page layout.

• iFrames display the external content within the website without interacting with your website’s main HTML. There is a rule called the same-origin policy, which restricts iframes from interacting with the content from other websites. This is useful, especially when you want to display content from a different website safely on your site.

• Page load speed is crucial in SEO, and iFrames do not interfere with the page load speed of a website. The external content is separately loaded, and it does not affect your page load time.

• User engagement is yet another factor affecting SEO. External content, which is interesting, such as images and videos, can enhance user engagement. Thus, it reduces the bounce rate, which can positively impact SEO.

Cons of iFrames

• Internal links can have a positive impact on SEO. However, the link within the iFrames is considered an external link and does not provide SEO benefits. Thus, it is necessary to consider iFrame SEO impact before adding important content.

• iFrames are not compatible with all web browsers. This can affect the user experience and impact the SEO performance.

• If the same content within the iFrames appears on a different page on the same website, search engines may consider it as duplicate content and this can affect your SEO rankings.

• Often, Google identifies the iFrame’s content as separate from your page. This can cause indexing issues.

• iFrames can be incompatible sometimes with mobile devices. This can lead to a poor user experience. So we have to make sure that the content on the iFrames is responsive.

• Use iFrames only for necessary content, as it can adversely affect SEO if you overuse them.

Pros of JavaScript embed

• Google renders and indexes the JavaScript content. JavaScript content, when indexed, enhances the search rankings.

• JavaScript seamlessly integrates with the layout of the parent page. This makes navigation easier and enhances the user experience.

• JavaScript is compatible with most web browsers.

• It does not affect the page load speed, which is a crucial factor for SEO.

• JavaScript is responsive and is compatible with most mobile devices. This is an important SEO factor that enhances user experience and improves the page rankings

• JavaScript content can be placed in multiple locations within the same page, which can lead to improved internal linking and positively affect the search engine rankings.

Cons of JavaScript embed

• Even though Google renders and indexes the JavaScript content, sometimes Google finds it harder to index the JavaScript content.

• Crawl budget is the number of pages crawled by search engines within a time frame. Large JavaScript files take up a lot of crawling budget.

• The flash ads would not load if the user disables JavaScript.This will negatively impact the user engagement and thereby the SEO efforts will be in vain.

• Unlike iFrames, JavaScript content loads along with the webpage, so if there is any issue with the loading of the JavaScript content, it may affect the whole webpage and also affect the user experience and SEO performance. Therefore, JavaScript embeds SEO sometimes has negative effects.

iFrame vs JavaScript embed: which one to choose?

Both iFrames and JavaScript have their pros and cons. It might seem difficult to choose one when the question of iFrames vs JavaScript comes up. Understanding iframe vs embed seo is crucial for SEO. As mentioned earlier, iFrames content does not get indexed along with your page and is considered an external link. So when you want to add content that does not require indexing, such as maps or videos, iFrames can be used. 

If the content needs to be indexed and is important for SEO, you might consider using a JavaScript embed. When comparing JS embeds vs iframes, JavaScript embeds SEO offers better value by allowing content to be crawled and indexed, whereas iframes separate the content from the main content. This makes JS embeds vs iframes an important choice for SEO.

Things to take care of when embedding

• Important content should not be hidden behind JavaScript or iFrame as search engines might not sometimes crawl them. 
• Use Google Search Console or mobile mobile-friendly test to understand the rendering of the embedded content and whether it is responsive on all devices. 
• Check your page speed with tools to ensure everything runs smoothly.  
• Using lazy loading on iFrames ensures that the content loads only when the content appears on screen. 
• SEO for JavaScript involves ensuring that the content is crawlable and optimized for performance.

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed JS embeds vs iFrames SEO impact. Both iFrames and JavaScript embeds allow you to display content from an external source within your webpage. JS embeds vs iframes have different impacts on SEO. We have earlier discussed the SEO pros and cons of iFrames and the SEO pros and cons of JavaScript embeds. 

When choosing between iframe vs embed seo, it is important to understand how they impact the crawling and indexing. iFrames can be used for content that does not need indexing because the iframe SEO impact is significantly small. Whereas in JavaScript, the content embedded within gets indexed along with the page, impacting the SEO. Choosing between iFrame and JavaScript embed depends on your content preference. Finally, the content that you use on embeds and the site optimizations play an important role in SEO rankings. 
To learn more about iFrame vs JavaScript embed and get assistance with it, contact GTECH Information Technology, an SEO company in Dubai with years of experience and expertise in guiding clients towards SEO success.