---
title: This Design Choice Could Destroy Your SEO
description: It is easy to forget the degree to which design-related choices made for a website can impact everyt...
---

[SEO Tools, Tips & Trends | SEO Blog at Website Magazine](https://www.websitemagazine.com/seo)

# [This Design Choice Could Destroy Your SEO](https://www.websitemagazine.com/seo/this-design-choice-could-destroy-your-seo)

 Written by [Pete Prestipino](https://www.websitemagazine.com/seo/author/pete-prestipino) | Nov 21, 2014 6:00:00 AM

**It is easy to forget the degree to which design-related choices made for a website can impact everything else - from user experience and conversion, and apparently to search engine optimization initiatives as well.**

Website owners and 'Net professionals that have content placed in tabbed areas or through "click-to-expand" javascript features (a design/UX approach which is less intrusive overall) are struggling to get that content into the search index at Google. In a recent Webmaster Hangouts video with Google's John Mueller, the reason why is revealed.

Mueller, as seen in the video [here](https://youtu.be/-d1dWJBI6PY?t=9m) (starting at 9:00), was asked how Google treated 'click-to-expand' and explained that Google feels it should make use of the content that is visible at the time of accessing the site as a user. This could mean that Google may discount information (essentially it is treated with less weight) hidden with tabbed areas, revealing that it could be confusing to a users coming from their search results if the content is not immediately available for them to see.

[View full post](https://www.websitemagazine.com/seo/this-design-choice-could-destroy-your-seo)

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