Optimizing a homepage that uses Text Rollovers

JavaScript rollers - do search engines index this text

[RBrisco]

Does anyone know how the search engines index HTML text that is delivered in rollovers on the homepage?

I have a client who's homepage delivers most of their core message in HTML text that is only viewable when you pass your curser over a graphic. How does this affect their ability to be picked up in the engines?

Thank you.
Rosemary Brisco

[andreasfriedrich]

Depends on how itīs done. If the text is contained in some javascript string it will not be indexed, since spiders do not execute javascript. If the text is contained in a html element whose display property is toggled by the javascript rollover script then it will be indexed.

[Macguru]

Hi Rosemary,

Some can be fully crawled some can't.

You have to use DHTML and div tags on page such as in this example code :

<div id="layer4" STYLE="left: 243px; top: 116px">
<a href="foo.htm" onMouseOver="stopTime();" onMouseOut="startTime();">FOO</a><br>
<a href="foo_2.htm" onMouseOver="stopTime();" onMouseOut="startTime();">FOO 2</a><br>
<a href="foo_3.htm" onMouseOver="stopTime();" onMouseOut="startTime();">FOO 3</a><br>
</div>

You can find many examples and freebees trying "DHTML pop up menu" on your favorite search engine.