How to Use Chrome to View a Website as Googlebot

Introduction to Googlebot spoofing

On this article, I am going to describe how and why to make use of Google Chrome (or Chrome Canary) to view a web site as Googlebot.

We’ll arrange an internet browser particularly for Googlebot looking. Utilizing a user-agent browser extension is commonly shut sufficient for Website positioning audits, however additional steps are wanted to get as shut as doable to emulating Googlebot.

Skip to “The way to arrange your Googlebot browser”.

Why ought to I view a web site as Googlebot?

For a few years, us technical SEOs had it simple when auditing web sites, with HTML and CSS being internet design’s cornerstone languages. JavaScript was usually used for gildings (resembling small animations on a webpage).

More and more, although, complete web sites are being constructed with JavaScript.

Initially, internet servers despatched full web sites (absolutely rendered HTML) to internet browsers. Today, many web sites are rendered client-side (within the internet browser itself) – whether or not that is Chrome, Safari, or no matter browser a search bot makes use of – that means the consumer’s browser and machine should do the work to render a webpage.

Website positioning-wise, some search bots don’t render JavaScript, so received’t see webpages constructed utilizing it. Particularly when in comparison with HTML and CSS, JavaScript may be very costly to render. It makes use of rather more of a tool’s processing energy — losing the machine’s battery life— and rather more of Google’s, Bing’s, or any search engine’s server useful resource.

Even Googlebot has difficulties rendering JavaScript and delays rendering of JavaScript past its preliminary URL discovery – typically for days or perhaps weeks, relying on the web site. Once I see “Found – at present not listed” for a number of URLs in Google Search Console’s Protection (or Pages) part, the web site is as a rule JavaScript-rendered.

Making an attempt to get round potential Website positioning points, some web sites use dynamic rendering, so every web page has two variations:

Typically, I discover that this setup overcomplicates web sites and creates extra technical Website positioning points than a server-side rendered or conventional HTML web site. A mini rant right here: there are exceptions, however usually, I feel client-side rendered web sites are a foul thought. Web sites must be designed to work on the bottom frequent denominator of a tool, with progressive enhancement (by way of JavaScript) used to enhance the expertise for individuals, utilizing units that may deal with extras. That is one thing I’ll examine additional, however my anecdotal proof suggests client-side rendered web sites are usually tougher to make use of for individuals who depend on accessibility units resembling a display screen reader. There are cases the place technical Website positioning and value crossover.

Technical Website positioning is about making web sites as simple as doable for search engines like google and yahoo to crawl, render, and index (for essentially the most related key phrases and subjects). Prefer it or lump it, the way forward for technical Website positioning, not less than for now, contains a lot of JavaScript and completely different webpage renders for bots and customers.

Viewing a web site as Googlebot means we will see discrepancies between what an individual sees and what a search bot sees. What Googlebot sees doesn’t must be similar to what an individual utilizing a browser sees, however essential navigation and the content material you need the web page to rank for must be the identical.

That’s the place this text is available in. For a correct technical Website positioning audit, we have to see what the commonest search engine sees. In most English language-speaking international locations, not less than, that is Google.

Can we see precisely what Googlebot sees?

No.

Googlebot itself makes use of a (headless) model of the Chrome browser to render webpages. Even with the settings recommended on this article, we will by no means be precisely certain of what Googlebot sees. For instance, no settings permit for a way Googlebot processes JavaScript web sites. Typically JavaScript breaks, so Googlebot would possibly see one thing completely different than what was meant.

The goal is to emulate Googlebot’s mobile-first indexing as carefully as doable.

When auditing, I take advantage of my Googlebot browser alongside Screaming Frog Website positioning Spider’s Googlebot spoofing and rendering, and Google’s personal instruments resembling URL Inspection in Search Console (which may be automated utilizing Website positioning Spider), and the render screenshot and code from the Cellular Pleasant Take a look at.

Even Google’s personal publicly accessible instruments aren’t 100% correct in displaying what Googlebot sees. However together with the Googlebot browser and Website positioning Spider, they will level in direction of points and assist with troubleshooting.

Why use a separate browser to view web sites as Googlebot?

1. Comfort

Having a devoted browser saves time. With out counting on or ready for different instruments, I get an thought of how Googlebot sees a web site in seconds.

Whereas auditing a web site that served completely different content material to browsers and Googlebot, and the place points included inconsistent server responses, I wanted to change between the default browser user-agent and Googlebot extra typically than typical. However fixed user-agent switching utilizing a Chrome browser extension was inefficient.

Some Googlebot-specific Chrome settings don’t save or transport between browser tabs or periods. Some settings have an effect on all open browser tabs. E.g., disabling JavaScript could cease web sites in background tabs that depend on JavaScript from working (resembling job administration, social media, or electronic mail purposes).

Other than having a coder who can code a headless Chrome resolution, the “Googlebot browser” setup is a straightforward option to spoof Googlebot.

2. Improved accuracy

Browser extensions can affect how web sites look and carry out. This method retains the variety of extensions within the Googlebot browser to a minimal.

3. Forgetfulness

It’s simple to neglect to change Googlebot spoofing off between looking periods, which may result in web sites not working as anticipated. I’ve even been blocked from web sites for spoofing Googlebot, and needed to electronic mail them with my IP to take away the block.

For which Website positioning audits are a Googlebot browser helpful?

The most typical use-case for Website positioning audits is probably going web sites utilizing client-side rendering or dynamic rendering. You may simply examine what Googlebot sees to what a normal web site customer sees.

Even with web sites that do not use dynamic rendering, you by no means know what you would possibly discover by spoofing Googlebot. After over eight years auditing e-commerce web sites, I’m nonetheless shocked by points I haven’t come throughout earlier than.

Instance Googlebot comparisons for technical Website positioning and content material audits:

• Is the primary navigation completely different?

• Is Googlebot seeing the content material you need listed?

• If a web site depends on JavaScript rendering, will new content material be listed promptly, or so late that its affect is lowered (e.g. for forthcoming occasions or new product listings)?

• Do URLs return completely different server responses? For instance, incorrect URLs can return 200 OK for Googlebot however 404 Not Discovered for normal web site guests.

• Is the web page format completely different to what the final web site customer sees? For instance, I typically see hyperlinks as blue textual content on a black background when spoofing Googlebot. Whereas machines can learn such textual content, we need to current one thing that appears user-friendly to Googlebot. If it might’t render your client-side web site, how will it know? (Notice: a web site would possibly show as anticipated in Google’s cache, however that isn’t the identical as what Googlebot sees.)

• Do web sites redirect based mostly on location? Googlebot principally crawls from US-based IPs.

It relies upon how in-depth you need to go, however Chrome itself has many helpful options for technical Website positioning audits. I typically examine its Console and Community tab knowledge for a normal customer vs. a Googlebot go to (e.g. Googlebot is likely to be blocked from recordsdata which might be important for web page format or are required to show sure content material).

The way to arrange your Googlebot browser

As soon as arrange (which takes a few half hour), the Googlebot browser resolution makes it simple to shortly view webpages as Googlebot.

Step 1: Obtain and set up Chrome or Canary

If Chrome isn’t your default browser, use it as your Googlebot browser.

If Chrome is your default browser, obtain and set up Chrome Canary. Canary is a improvement model of Chrome the place Google exams new options, and it may be put in and run individually to Chrome’s default model.

Named after the yellow canaries used to detect toxic gases in mines, with its yellow icon, Canary is simple to identify within the Home windows Taskbar:

As Canary is a improvement model of Chrome, Google warns that Canary “may be unstable.” However I am but to have points utilizing it as my Googlebot browser.

Step 2: Set up browser extensions

I put in 5 browser extensions and a bookmarklet on my Googlebot browser. I am going to checklist the extensions, then advise on settings and why I take advantage of them.

For emulating Googlebot (the hyperlinks are the identical whether or not you employ Chrome or Canary):

Not required to emulate Googlebot, however my different favorites for technical Website positioning auditing of JavaScript web sites:

Consumer-Agent Switcher extension

Consumer-Agent Switcher does what it says on the tin: switches the browser’s user-agent. Chrome and Canary have a user-agent setting, nevertheless it solely applies to the tab you’re utilizing and resets for those who shut the browser.

I take the Googlebot user-agent string from Chrome’s browser settings, which on the time of writing would be the newest model of Chrome (observe that beneath, I’m taking the user-agent from Chrome and never Canary).

To get the user-agent, entry Chrome DevTools (by urgent F12 or utilizing the hamburger menu to the top-right of the browser window, then navigating to Extra instruments > Developer instruments). See the screenshot beneath or comply with these steps:

1. Go to the Community tab

2. From the top-right Community hamburger menu: Extra instruments > Community situations

3. Click on the Community situations tab that seems decrease down the window

4. Untick “Use browser default”

5. Choose “Googlebot Smartphone” from the checklist, then copy and paste the user-agent from the sphere beneath the checklist into the Consumer-Agent Switcher extension checklist (one other screenshot beneath). Do not forget to change Chrome again to its default user-agent if it is your essential browser.

   • At this stage, for those who’re utilizing Chrome (and never Canary) as your Googlebot browser, chances are you’ll as effectively tick “Disable cache” (extra on that later).

To entry Consumer-Agent Switcher’s checklist, right-click its icon within the browser toolbar and click on Choices (see screenshot beneath). “Indicator Flag” is textual content that seems within the browser toolbar to point out which user-agent has been chosen — I selected GS to imply “Googlebot Smartphone:”

I added Googlebot Desktop and the bingbots to my checklist, too.

Why spoof Googlebot’s consumer agent?

Net servers detect what’s looking a web site from a user-agent string. For instance, the user-agent for a Home windows 10 machine utilizing the Chrome browser on the time of writing is:

Mozilla/5.0 (Home windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/102.0.5005.115 Safari/537.36

For those who’re inquisitive about why different browsers appear to be named within the Chrome user-agent string, learn Historical past of the user-agent string.

Net Developer extension

Net Developer is a must have browser extension for technical SEOs. In my Googlebot browser, I change between disabling and enabling JavaScript to see what Googlebot would possibly see with and with out JavaScript.

Why disable JavaScript?

Brief reply: Googlebot doesn’t execute any/all JavaScript when it first crawls a URL. We need to see a webpage earlier than any JavaScript is executed.

Lengthy reply: that might be a complete different article.

Windscribe (or one other VPN)

Windscribe (or your alternative of VPN) is used to spoof Googlebot’s US location. I take advantage of a professional Windscribe account, however the free account permits as much as 2GB knowledge switch a month and contains US areas.

I don’t assume the precise US location issues, however I fake Gotham is an actual place (in a time when Batman and co. have eradicated all villains):

Guarantee settings which will affect how webpages show are disabled — Windscribe’s extension blocks adverts by default. The 2 icons to the top-right ought to present a zero.

For the Googlebot browser state of affairs, I choose a VPN browser extension to an utility, as a result of the extension is particular to my Googlebot browser.

Why spoof Googlebot’s location?

Googlebot principally crawls web sites from US IPs, and there are lots of causes for spoofing Googlebot’s main location.

Some web sites block or present completely different content material based mostly on geolocation. If a web site blocks US IPs, for instance, Googlebot could by no means see the web site and subsequently can’t index it.

One other instance: some web sites redirect to completely different web sites or URLs based mostly on location. If an organization had a web site for patrons in Asia and a web site for patrons in America, and redirected all US IPs to the US web site, Googlebot would by no means see the Asian model of the web site.

Different Chrome extensions helpful for auditing JavaScript web sites

With Hyperlink Redirect Hint, I see at a look what server response a URL returns.

The View Rendered Supply extension permits simple comparability of uncooked HTML (what the net server delivers to the browser) and rendered HTML (the code rendered on the client-side browser).

I additionally added the NoJS Facet-by-Facet bookmarklet to my Googlebot browser. It compares a webpage with and with out JavaScript enabled, throughout the identical browser window.

Step 3: Configure browser settings to emulate Googlebot

Subsequent, we’ll configure the Googlebot browser settings according to what Googlebot doesn’t help when crawling a web site.

What doesn’t Googlebot crawling help?

• Service employees (as a result of individuals clicking to a web page from search outcomes could by no means have visited earlier than, so it doesn’t make sense to cache knowledge for later visits).

• Permission requests (e.g. push notifications, webcam, geolocation). If content material depends on any of those, Googlebot won’t see that content material.

• Googlebot is stateless so doesn’t help cookies, session storage, native storage, or IndexedDB. Knowledge may be saved in these mechanisms however might be cleared earlier than Googlebot crawls the following URL on a web site.

These bullet factors are summarized from an interview by Eric Enge with Google’s Martin Splitt:

Step 3a: DevTools settings

To open Developer Instruments in Chrome or Canary, press F12, or utilizing the hamburger menu to the top-right, navigate to Extra instruments > Developer instruments:

The Developer Instruments window is usually docked throughout the browser window, however I typically choose it in a separate window. For that, change the “Dock facet” within the second hamburger menu:

Disable cache

If utilizing regular Chrome as your Googlebot browser, you’ll have carried out this already.

In any other case, by way of the DevTools hamburger menu, click on to Extra instruments > Community situations and tick the “Disable cache” choice:

Block service employees

To dam service employees, go to the Software tab > Service Staff > tick “Bypass for community”:

Step 3b: Basic browser settings

In your Googlebot browser, navigate to Settings > Privateness and safety > Cookies (or go to chrome://settings/cookies straight) and select the “Block all cookies (not advisable)” choice (is not it enjoyable to do one thing “not advisable?”):

Additionally within the “Privateness and safety” part, select “Web site settings” (or go to chrome://settings/content material) and individually block Location, Digital camera, Microphone, Notifications, and Background sync (and sure something that seems there in future variations of Chrome):

Step 4: Emulate a cell machine

Lastly, as our goal is to emulate Googlebot’s mobile-first crawling, emulate a cell machine inside your Googlebot browser.

In the direction of the top-left of DevTools, click on the machine toolbar toggle, then select a tool to emulate within the browser (you possibly can add different units too):

No matter machine you select, Googlebot doesn’t scroll on webpages, and as an alternative renders utilizing a window with an extended vertical top.

I like to recommend testing web sites in desktop view, too, and on precise cell units if in case you have entry to them.

How about viewing a web site as bingbot?

To create a bingbot browser, use a current model of Microsoft Edge with the bingbot consumer agent.

Bingbot is much like Googlebot by way of what it does and doesn’t help.

Yahoo! Search, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, and different search engines like google and yahoo are both powered by or based mostly on Bing search, so Bing is liable for a better proportion of search than many individuals understand.

Abstract and shutting notes

So, there you’ve got your very personal Googlebot emulator.

Utilizing an current browser to emulate Googlebot is the simplest technique to shortly view webpages as Googlebot. It’s additionally free, assuming you already use a desktop machine that may set up Chrome and/or Canary.

Different instruments exist to assist “see” what Google sees. I take pleasure in testing Google’s Vision API (for photographs) and their Pure Language API.

Auditing JavaScript web sites — particularly after they’re dynamically rendered — may be advanced, and a Googlebot browser is a technique of creating the method easier. For those who’d prefer to be taught extra about auditing JavaScript web sites and the variations between normal HTML and JavaScript-rendered web sites, I like to recommend wanting up articles and displays from Jamie Indigo, Joe Hall and Jess Peck. Two of them contribute within the beneath video. It’s a very good introduction to JavaScript Website positioning and touches on factors I discussed above:

Questions? One thing I missed? Tweet me @AlexHarfordSEO. Thanks for studying!