How to Fix JavaScript Render Problems

JavaScript render problems can seriously hinder the ability of search engines to index your site as well as your user experience. JavaScript for Google does not work the same way as HTML. It must be executed. When something disrupts the code execution, or rendering, it can cause a breakdown in how the site is supposed to appear and the content that should be displayed to users. Thus, it will disrupt your indexing and the user experience you create.

The first step in fixing render problems is identifying them. You can use the Google Page Speed Insights to see if Javascript rendering is a problem and how much time might be saved if resolved. You will then understand if your JavaScript for Google has any errors that hamper its ability to rank in the SERPs.

Next, you will want to check your content for a soft 404 error. A soft 404 error refers to a mistake that can occur with client-side JavaScript that tells users that a page does not exist, but also returns a 200-level success code. A page that is not found should return a more appropriate code, such as a 404 or a 301. If your page is returning a 200-level success code, then it might also be telling search engines that your page does exist. This can lead to pages with error codes getting indexed, which does not help your site. You will want to fix this error code to ensure that it displays the correct code to the user.

If the URL inspector tells you that you have a soft 404 error, your page might not be loading JavaScript correctly and thus needs to be fixed.

You also want to verify that you do not rely on customers completing certain actions, such as turning on a camera, to be able to view all of your content. This can make it difficult for the search engine to understand your material as well as hinder many users.

There may also be certain types of website features that not all user agents support. If the Google crawler Javascript, or even some users, encounter this content, they might not experience the full impact of your content. You will want to equip your content with some type of fallback behavior so that you can still display the content to the search engines as well as users regardless of whether or not they can see all the web features on your page.

After you check all of these features, you will want to use the URL inspection tool to see how Google renders your site. You will get a better idea if all of your render problems have been corrected and how your site will appear online.