Content in Accordion doesn't rank as well as Content in Text box?

[DigitalCRO]

Does content rank better in a full view text layout, rather than in a clickable accordion?

I read somewhere because users need to click into an accordion it may not rank as well, as it may be considered hidden on the page - is this true?

accordion example: see features: https://www.workday.com/en-us/applications/student.html

[Roman-Delcarmen]

Google will not treat content that is concealed behind tabs, accordions, or any other element where JavaScript is used to reveal content, in the same way as content that is visible as standard. However, it will still be indexed, so pages may rank for search phrases related to content contained within the hidden sections.

Why does Google devalue hidden content?

Google’s focus is on ensuring that the user experience within its search results is as good as possible. If the algorithm gave full weight to content hidden using JavaScript, this could be compromised.

For example, say a user searches for a term that is matched on a page but only in the hidden section. The user then clicks the search result to go through to that page but can’t immediately see the information they’re looking for because it’s hidden. They give up and return to the search results or head to another website.

This, in Google’s assessment, would not be a high quality user experience and the content within the hidden sections is therefore down-weighted.

In Summary

• Hiding content within tabs, accordions, or other elements that rely on JavaScript to reveal it to users is likely to be treated differently by Google, and assigned far less importance
• Websites, therefore, must take a considered approach and use this method only to hide content that is of secondary importance to the primary topic of the page, or that covers related topics

[RobCairns]

Hi there,

Absolutely not. In fact, I believe content in accordions outranks content on a page, although not for technical reasons.

Accordions are easier to fit into a page and can answer multiple user inquiries at once without throwing a wall of text at your visitors as they browse. Google reads accordions just the same as it reads open text. The difference comes with user interactions, metrics and satisfaction metrics.

Think about it like this:

You are browsing for pricing of a product. You also want to know shipping details and whether said product is safe to use for your 4-year old.

Your search returns 2 companies in your area that provide said product.

The first website throws 3,000 words at you in blocks, requiring you to scroll for what feels like hours without a clear indication of where to find the answer to your questions.

The second website can be scrolled in about 2 seconds and features an accordion which features headlines and direct answers to your questions without the need to view other content. Now we're cooking with gas.

In addition, accordion content lends itself to direct-answer formats which in turn lend themselves to showcase on SERP's. So not only will rankings improve, but so will traffic (there are tons of studies showing that Top 10 rankings = traffic, but few people realize that meta data and snippets can improve your odds of trapping 1st page traffic better than positioning).

Over time, this website will generate more and more authority for this product and relevant search queries, overtaking the other.

To answer your question directly - Google treats both forms of content equally, but (all else being equal) user metrics will provide greater link building potential, greater readership, more shares, etc. for the one featuring an accordion setup.

Look forward to what others have to say on this,

Rob