Comments on: Parsing RSS Using Magpie and Ajax http://aarronwalter.com/2006/12/29/parsing-rss-using-magpie-and-ajax/ Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:47:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: entro http://aarronwalter.com/2006/12/29/parsing-rss-using-magpie-and-ajax/#comment-22211 entro Sun, 02 Dec 2007 13:08:25 +0000 http://www.aarronwalter.com/2006/12/29/parsing-rss-using-magpie-and-ajax/#comment-22211 This is a good example of clever ajax usage but still does not produce the desirable SEO effects. A perfect SEO solution would use the same page and render the same html results whether a client uses javascript or not. This is a good example of clever ajax usage but still does not produce the desirable SEO effects.
A perfect SEO solution would use the same page and render the same html results whether a client uses javascript or not.

]]> By: Aarron http://aarronwalter.com/2006/12/29/parsing-rss-using-magpie-and-ajax/#comment-630 Aarron Mon, 05 Feb 2007 18:52:17 +0000 http://www.aarronwalter.com/2006/12/29/parsing-rss-using-magpie-and-ajax/#comment-630 This is a good question that is addressed by building these sorts of JavaScript driven applications in an accessible manor. The solution is actually already built into the article. I use a noscript tag to show a link that manually loads in the RSS headlines if JavaScript is disabled/not available. Search engine spiders will trigger that link and get to the headlines all the same, refreshing the page with the headlines loaded. The PHP script looks to see if the RSS parsing request is coming from an Ajax call or a regular, JavaScript free call. The result is a slower load when done without the Ajax because all of the headlines have to be parsed before sending it to the browser, but the content is still the same. This is generically referred to as Progressive Enhancement. Jeremy Keith has a book that will be coming out this month called "Bulletproof Ajax" that explores other Progressive Enhancement techniques in more detail. This is a good question that is addressed by building these sorts of JavaScript driven applications in an accessible manor. The solution is actually already built into the article. I use a noscript tag to show a link that manually loads in the RSS headlines if JavaScript is disabled/not available. Search engine spiders will trigger that link and get to the headlines all the same, refreshing the page with the headlines loaded. The PHP script looks to see if the RSS parsing request is coming from an Ajax call or a regular, JavaScript free call. The result is a slower load when done without the Ajax because all of the headlines have to be parsed before sending it to the browser, but the content is still the same. This is generically referred to as Progressive Enhancement.

Jeremy Keith has a book that will be coming out this month called “Bulletproof Ajax” that explores other Progressive Enhancement techniques in more detail.

]]> By: Brian http://aarronwalter.com/2006/12/29/parsing-rss-using-magpie-and-ajax/#comment-629 Brian Mon, 05 Feb 2007 17:18:32 +0000 http://www.aarronwalter.com/2006/12/29/parsing-rss-using-magpie-and-ajax/#comment-629 Thanks for this code, Aarron. I used it and it works great. I have a question, though. I was wondering if there was a way to make the displayed text more SEO friendly. As you know, one of the benefits of having blog headings on a page is there is the potential for these headings to contain keywords, which could enhance the page's visibility. Also, the changing content looks good to search engines, making the site look like it is updated frequently. Since the headings are brought in dynamically they lose that SEO benefit. I don't know enough about PHP/Ajax/Rss to evaluate any alternatives or solutions. I was wondering if this is something you've thought about or had a solution for? Thanks for this code, Aarron. I used it and it works great.

I have a question, though. I was wondering if there was a way to make the displayed text more SEO friendly. As you know, one of the benefits of having blog headings on a page is there is the potential for these headings to contain keywords, which could enhance the page’s visibility. Also, the changing content looks good to search engines, making the site look like it is updated frequently.

Since the headings are brought in dynamically they lose that SEO benefit. I don’t know enough about PHP/Ajax/Rss to evaluate any alternatives or solutions. I was wondering if this is something you’ve thought about or had a solution for?

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