Will Google index iframes targets?

[Alec Doggone]

Can we get a definite yes or no on whether Google looks at the page being called by an iframe?

I've searched the history of this topic on this (and other) boards and opinion seems to be divided.

[Iguana]

I'm sure that Google doesn't follow iframes. I have a large number of pages that are only called from my main pages through iframes and none of them appear in the Google index.

In addition a number of sites use iframes to embed my pages in theirs and no backlinks links are registered by Google.

[Roscoe]

One of my sites is made up of 30 pages all of which use iframes. Google has never indexed or crawled any of the iframe pages.
I'm 100% +ve on this, since the menu structure is on the main page and uses graphics only. The iframe's hold the content. sounds odd but look cool:)

Only the main pages are indexed, with keywords appearing for the 'alt text' and 'page title'. Non of the iframe context has every been indexed. (have done extensive testing)

If you want the iframe's indexed - use a sitemap and link directly into the iframe page - remembering to force the orphan iframe back into it's frameset.

Hope this helps

Roscoe.

[Alec Doggone]

Thanks for the feedback. I do *want* Google *not* to index the iframe content so I can place the same content on several sites without risk of being penalised.

Seems iframes are the way to go with this then.

[jamsy]

I can place the same content on several sites without risk of being penalised.

maybe now, but we have seen how quickly google can adapt thats why its the favoured engine. So i would be hesitant in doing this since who knows in a month or three you could receive that dreaded penalty!

[Brett_Tabke]

I garantee you if you use a standard iframe declaration, google will eventually get around to indexing the iframe page. It it will from the iframe, or by someone running into the page with the toolbar.

[aspdaddy]

Do you think it makes a difference to googlebot if the iframe pages are structured properly?

My iframes are not crawled, I have noticed they are built from just tables and paragraphs with no html,head, body etc.

Well, I am changing this right now so hopeully have the answer myself shortly :)

[NickCoons]

Alec Doggone,

I know of one site that is made entirely of iframes, except the main page. All of the iframe content was indexed very quickly. The site is new, so the home page only has a PR1 (so I don't think PR played a role in whether or not it was indexed).

[Alec Doggone]

How about, for extra security, if the page being called by the iframe is in a folder protected by robots.txt? That's gotta be double-extra-ultra safe. Right?

I might seem paranoid, but I've been down the pr0 12-month penalty once before and never want to face it again.

[Iguana]

If your content is located on 1 site only and then iframed on your other sites - then this is a perfectly normal structure and there's no question of duplicate content. Google will just see one set of content at one address.

[Alec Doggone]

Iguana, of course you're right. There is only one piece of 'content'. What concerns me is that Google will see my other sites (hosted at the same place) all linking to one of my sites and... somehow... penalise me.

Like I say, I'm paranoid. But with painful pr0 memories to justify that fear.