2.4 Internal linkingHighVerified
Links only in JS-rendered nav
If the main navigation links only exist after JavaScript renders, crawlers may not reliably follow them. Core navigation should be in the HTML as real anchors.
What it is
Primary navigation absent from raw HTML.
Why it matters
Risk of links not being discovered if render is incomplete.
How to fix it
Provide crawlable <a href> links.
How to find it on your site
- Load the page with JavaScript disabled and check whether nav links are present.
- View the rendered versus raw HTML for navigation.
- Ensure primary navigation uses real anchor tags in the server-rendered HTML.
- Re-test crawlability.
Cross-reference to ranking and citation factors
Navigation that depends on JavaScript can leave pages under-discovered. HTML anchors guarantee the links are followed.
Impact
Medium-high. Direct.
Evidence
Use crawlable links Google can follow. Google Search Central, Understand JavaScript SEO Basics