Hidden <h> tags

vinny388 · 12-15-2006, 10:51 AM

Just been looking at a site and noticed something rather strange in the source code. The weird bit is in bold. This <h3> tag does not show up in the website, neither does the <h4>tag. Surely this is classed as hidden text, or am I missing something?

Quote:

<div id="wintersharedbg">
<h2>Hosting</h2>

<ul>
<li>Fully featured</li>
<li>Windows & Linux</li>
<li>Free setup & .uk domain</li>
<li>No annual contract</li>
<li>Instant activation</li>
<li><strong>£50</strong> of Google AdWords</li>
</ul>

<h4><span>From just £5.95 a month, get upto 3 months free.</span></h4>
</div>

harbingerOTV · 12-15-2006, 01:10 PM

the h3 shouldnt since it's commented out but the h4 shuld unles something in the css tells it hide.

as for t being hidden text. might be a fine line. depends on if they do that on everypage as if to purposely hide more key words.

ahallicks · 12-15-2006, 05:14 PM

The coeder could have, for example, set h4 to display: none; for some reason... and yeah, the first one is only a comment so wouldn't show up on a page.

Graft-Creative · 12-15-2006, 05:49 PM

Doubt it's a case of keyword spamming, the wording is too naturalistic.

How do you mean: the h4 doesn't show up? Maybe they used an image replacement method

..fairly common practice these days.

Gary

Carradee · 12-15-2006, 05:58 PM

It might be a piece of coding they don't want to appear yet or that they've used previously, will use again, but don't want now; turning it that one h3 into a comment (that's what the "" are doing) and/or setting h4 to not display are leaving the code in there for later use, evidently.

-'Dee

croatiankid · 12-15-2006, 09:38 PM

My first thought was black hat SEO, but since it's a comment I think it wouldn't do any good. black hat SEO usually involves keywords in the content of the page, but set to display:none

Graft-Creative · 12-15-2006, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by croatiankid

My first thought was black hat SEO, but since it's a comment I think it wouldn't do any good. black hat SEO usually involves keywords in the content of the page, but set to display:none

Nah, this example has never seen Black-hat. There's not enough juicy keywords within the < h> tags: 'hosting' and 'free' are the only valuable ones I can see - I reckon it's all perfectly innocent

Black-hat wouldn't use well written, choppy wording like that - it'd be chock full of keywords within < a> tags.

Gary

vinny388 · 12-17-2006, 10:17 AM

Thanks for your replies.

Just never noticed this before and found it a little strange.

Yes, the site does use a lot of images, and yes some of these images appear on page where the <h> tags appear in the source code.

Is there any value in this? I mean, yes images look nice, but if the <h> tags are not visible 'on page' then surely they aren't really working for the site.

VIPStephan · 12-17-2006, 10:36 AM

Look at http://csszengarden.com, they replaced the headlnes with images on a lot of designs. The value of this is that you can have nice images for the "normal" viewers (computer screen) and, for example, a print stylesheet that is printing the headlines, not the images, and you'll still have an accessible website that can be read with handheld devices or screen readers.

Graft-Creative · 12-17-2006, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinny388

if the <h> tags are not visible 'on page' then surely they aren't really working for the site.

Well, yes they are - they are giving the code a semantically correct structure and order.

Image replacement techniques, IMO, are some of the greatest tools in the persual of seperating content from presentation.

Gary