Jquery drop down?

[minimalizarte]

So the situation is this:
My client wants to redesign their header. That header consists of a login menu, a navigation menu, and then 24 links (possibly more in the future).

In terms of SEO, these links allow my client to be at the top of the search engine lists - which is to say, SEO is top priority.

Now while my client wants to redesign the website, they will not do so if reducing the header real-estate (where all the links are) effects the SEO.

I suggested that a jquery drop down menu for the "shortcut" links could possibly work, but given that their bread an butter depends on being at the top of the SEO lists, they are unwilling to even consider the idea of a drop down menu because they don't know what will happen.

This is what I had in mind:
nooshu (dot) com/jquery-plug-in-tab-down

Can anybody confirm, or tell me of a way of confirming, whether this kind of plugin would effect SEO standings? Or can anyone provide another solution - like a CSS drop down menu or accordion, for example - that can stay at the top of the page, be "collapsed" in a sense, be recognized by search engines, and would not effect the current SEO standings of a popular website in the slightest?

[2pacSEO]

If I understand your dilemma completely, then in my experience, the jQuery application will work just fine.

Here's why:

1. The "special effects" that the jQuery performs is coded in a separate file. This is the technical rules that apply to how the plugin behaves.

2. You still achieve great results because you are essentially putting in YOUR content on the SAME html file.

To paraphrase, you're still putting in the text you want on the html file. Furthermore, you can still do SEO on that text/images by using proper "p", "ul/li" "h", "alt" tags, etc etc.

3. Whether the solution you want is CSS or jQuery or combination of both, you will be fine as long as you do the proper SEO on your content.

Hope this helps

[minimalizarte]

That's what I thought! But they went and told me that the drop down tab gets an SEO penalty...

I mean, theoretically, this shouldn't be the case. So I don't know if they are talking about drop down tabs in general and are just too lazy to try it out, or if they actually put it to the test.

Is there an SEO tester out there to give them proof?

[2pacSEO]

The proof is in the pudding. There are millions of sites out there using it!

[minimalizarte]

The proof is in the pudding. There are millions of sites out there using it!

Hahaha, unfortunately this client in particular used some kind of "hidden menu" before, went down in SEO results big time and almost had to shut down business.

So unless I can give them some kind of documented proof, they are going to dismiss the idea most likely.

[2pacSEO]

Well we don't know what kind of mickey mouse black hat tactic and developer they used before, but this is a perfectly normal application to be used.

there is no document that says "+ or - google rankings for using my jquery app"

it's simple enough. the html content they want to add stays on the html file, the styling goes on the css file, and the java/jquery behavior goes into a js file...
if jquery was a problem, then google wouldn't provide it as a downloadable/streamable code

[minimalizarte]

Well then that leads me to the question:

How did they come to the conclusion that the jquery plugin I chose gave SEO penalties?

[2pacSEO]

exactly. the only thing i can think of is that MAYBE they had one that inadvertently HID the actual bar off the page, so that it was stuffing content on the page without it actually being visible... but then again, who knows.

[terriwells]

Well then that leads me to the question:

How did they come to the conclusion that the jquery plugin I chose gave SEO penalties?

If I remember correctly...and I might not...there was a time when Google couldn't read JavaScript and the like. That's no longer true, but not everyone realizes this. Maybe that's where they got the idea.