Responsive Content

[Maxaro.nl]

At the moment we are thinking about switching to another CMS. We are discussing the use of responsive content.Our developer states that the technique uses hidden content. That is sort of cloaking. At the moment I'm searching for good information or tests with this technique but I can't find anything solid. Do you have some experience with responsive content and is it cloaking? Referring to good articles is also a plus. Looking forward to your answers!

[EGOL]

Please provide a very detailed explanation for "responsive content".

Is it content that changes format to fit different screen sizes?

Is it content that changes topic to fit a visitor's previous browsing history, estimated geographic location, etc.?

Is it content that changes in some way to visitor input?

Is it something else.

The more information you provide the better the answers you will get.

[Maxaro.nl]

It is content that changes radically to different screen widths or device capabilities.

("Responsive Design and Responsive Content act on different levels: given a particular screen width, the former applies a particular styling to the same content - whereas the latter actually loads different content. It can be used subtly - for example to cause smaller images to be loaded on smaller devices - or to deliver radically different content to different screen widths or device capabilities." http://stephanfowler.com/responsive-content/)

[EGOL]

For that I don't have anything solid either.

If the mobile information appears in the code then you will not be showing content to visitors that is different from what you show to search engines.  So, in my mind it isn't cloaking, but what Google thinks is the important factor.

I would try it on a couple pages and see what happens.  But, I can not say it is risk free.

[ZoeRigley]

Hi,

It's my understanding that using responsive design/content, and dynamically serving content, does not cause a risk for any cloaking penalties. These are all recommended ways, along with a separate mobile site, to serve content to users (see this Google Webmaster article) The most important thing is that smartphone users see all content which Google's Smartphone Googlebot will see, and that desktop users see all content which the desktop Googlebot will see (as there are different Googlebots for this).

Here's a video from Matt Cutts, explaining that as long as the hiding is done for user experience rather than search engine deception, it's ok: https://www.seroundtable.com/google-hiding-content-17136.html