Frameset Vs. iFrame SEO
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the process of designing or adjusting a Web page so that it achieves the highest possible rank on search engine results pages. This goal is achieved by making the layout as compatible to search engine algorithms as possible. An example of this is the decision on how to piece together a page from several files. This task can be performed by two methods: frame sets and the iframe tag.
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Page Layout
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Many Web pages are constructed using panels. You may notice that the title of a page is fixed while the main body of page can scroll. Some sites may also have a fixed footer. It is common practice to give the site a menu bar to the left of the screen and this is usually constructed with a different panel. The benefit of composing a Web page from several component panels is that each can be given different behavior, such as fixed or scrolling, and the reuse of the same file for the same panel on different pages give a constant theme to a site. It also cuts down on the amount of work needed to create a site and ensures that a change in one component file is instantly duplicated in all pages of the site.
Implementation
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The developer of a Web page, using a tool like Adobe Dreamweaver, begins by choosing a layout and a template from a pick list. The layout list presents a series of alternative frame structures. This generates a file for the page and then a separate file for each panel. The overall file for the page is called a “frame set” and contains little more than calls to the component files of the page. The programmer can then develop each file separately, or call in already created files into the same panel when creating another page for the same site.
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Considerations
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Frame sets present a problem for search pages. They are also difficult to edit for SEO because all of the meta tags containing the keywords the designer wants the search engine to pick up should be written into the frame set file, which is difficult to access within a developing tool. A search engine crawler may index a component file, making just a part of the site listed in search engine results.
Evolution
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The iframe element of HTML presents a solution to the problems of frame sets. The HTML code for the main page defines a region of the page and places a reference to the external file containing the HTML for that panel. This removes the need for the frame set file and makes one of the panels the primary file with any other supplementary. This makes it clear where the keywords should be written.
SEO Impact
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Search engines rank pages with frames or iframes lower because they can provide a back door to an untrusted site. Search engines stress that the content relating to a particular keyword should be contained within the landing page. Frame sets and iframes can be used to unofficially forward visitors on to another site, which, again, search engines don't like, and penalize. For these reasons frame sets and iframe are treated as the same by search engines and are not recommended by SEO experts.
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References
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