I was just asked if there was any SEO downside to AJAX. The only thing I could think of was a loss of searchable content if you dynamically generated links to content. Example would be a mortgage dictionary where you typed in the term instead of scrolling through a page with linked terms. Of course you could keep the list and add the AJAX text box above the list. Are there any known issues with typical AJAX functions and SEO? Thanks.
I have NoScript in FF and it disables all javascript. Many other people block javascript. So you should ALWAYS make sure your code works (especially forms) if AJAX is not an option. If you keep the fallback functions in mind you also overcome any SEO risks. Like you dictionary example, the fallback would be to just submit the page as you would back in '95 and below the search is a link to browse all glossaries. That way everything can be indexed and end users can find it eventually, no matter what technology is enabled. So if you code things properly, there are non that I know of. For a little while I was afraid G might consider stuff that magically appears, like AJAX or simple javascript show and hide, as hidden text but I kept everything in proportion so I never got done by them.
There's another thread on this you guys might want to read: http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=283152