Despite their popularity, iFrames pose security risks to your site. XSS attacks account for more than30%of all cyber attacks, and the misuse of iFrame is responsible for the bulk of them.
Since a website's reputation is an important component of the overall success of a brand, it is necessary to follow all the rules of using iframes. In this article, we will talk about what iframes are, what are their advantages and disadvantages, and also consider the attitude of search engines to these little helpers (or pests
).Read also : Link attributes poland cell phone number list nofollow, ugc, sponsored in 2023: how (and why) to use?
iFrame - what is it and why is it needed?
An inline frame (iframe) is an HTML element that places another web page within the main page. Frames are commonly used to embed ads, videos, web analytics trackers, and interactive content. HTML iframes are used to:
embed useful resources from external websites;
host videos and other media files on your website without using up storage space or bandwidth;
Make it easier for website users to find a company's physical location using the Google Maps iframe code;
Create engaging display ads using a fully embedded HTML document;
keep the content on your website up-to-date, as the iframe automatically updates with every change in the original content.
The iFrame element is supported by all browsers, including Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Opera, etc. In terms of code, each frame contains HTML iframe tags, as well as the src attribute. The src attribute defines the source URL for the content that will be located in the iframe element. Other attributes include:
allow: defines the allowed functions for the frame;
allowfullscreen: enable fullscreen mode;
height: defines the height of the iframe (default is 150px);
width: defines the height of the iframe (default is 300px);
sandbox: defines a list of features that should be allowed or restricted for content in an iframe;
name: defines the name of the iframe.
There are also additional attributes that are not supported in the updated version of HTML5.
Advantages and Disadvantages: Should You Use iFrames on Your Website?
For most users, iframe html is a way to separate the main HTML document from external content. This is useful for two reasons:
Firstly, you don't have to worry about third-party content updating. Ads, social media feeds and Google maps will be updated automatically.
Secondly, iframe insertions provide additional security. You don’t have to worry about unintentionally importing malicious files or errors.
Despite this, many developers are against using iFrame for the following reasons:
Since you are adding content from third-party sources to an iFrame, it increases the potential security risks of your website in the long run. Attackers can use this opportunity to phish users for data and embed malicious content.
On low-bandwidth devices, loading content in an iFrame results in a white flash on the screen. This degrades the usability of the site and negatively impacts the user experience.
Frames are essentially a tool that helps embed content from one page onto another page. For example: to embed a blog onto a page, you need to use iframe blog.
Read also : Meta title tag - what is it, how to write and format it
Search Engines and iFrames - How Do Frames Affect SEO Optimization of a Website?
In the early days, the problem with iframe seo was that search engines couldn't crawl the content of the frame. Also, search bots could get stuck in the iframe, meaning the rest of the website's content risked not being indexed. Today, web crawlers can freely move between iframes and the regular content of the site. You can also make it easier for search engines to access the content of the iframe by using a robot.txt file.
So, the question arises: what is the connection between iframe and google seo? Search engines consider the content in frames to belong to another site. This means that the presence of an iframe does not actually affect the resource's ranking (either for the better or for the worse). Google's help center states that iFrames create problems for search engines. This is because frames do not correspond to the conceptual model of the Internet.
If you do decide to add an iframe to your website, then you should focus on placing content from authoritative sources. Keep in mind that content inside the frame will not be indexed as part of the document.
How to find pages with iframes on a website?
For this, the Serpstat tool and the "Site Audit" function will come in handy, which allows you to analyze the technical characteristics of a web resource and identify critical SEO errors. Using the platform, we can also find iframes: to get started, log in to your account or register on the platform.
Next, follow these steps:
Select "Project List" and create a new project.
What are iFrame tags and should you use them?
If the site for analysis has already been added to the account, then go to the "Site Audit" section.
What are iFrame tags and should you use them?
In the search bar, paste the link to the site or blog where you need to find the iframe. Check out the results in the "All errors" section. The system will provide conclusions on the analysis and recommendations for eliminating critical errors.
Subscribe to hot
Marketing news
MARKETER 2.0 >
Subscribe to the monthly
News Digest
Enter your email
What are iFrame tags and should you use them?