Should we always avoid drop-down menus?

[nicole.healthline]

In Google's SEO Guide, they say avoid the use of drop-down menus, page 12: http://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/untrusted_dlcp/www.google.com/en/us/webmasters/docs/search-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf

But, is this always true? What if you create the drop down purely using HTML & CSS? Is it fine to use a bit of javascript to create the drop-down menu, or should it only be HTML & CSS?

[SimonCullum]

Hi Michelle

Drop-down menus are usually fine for SEO, so long as the navigational links within them are text links that search engine spiders can crawl and follow.

HTML and CSS are usually the preferred choice, JavaScript can sometimes be troublesome for bots, though certainly has it's useful place in web design. So long as the links within the menus are text links, then it will be fine.

Could always run them through a spider simulator to make sure.

Regards

Simon

[SEOPA]

Agreed with Simon. Look at tons of huge online retailers like Zappos. Just needs to be done right and you're fine.

[calindaniel]

Ensure you add a sitemap and you should be fine.