A Google engineer has issued a public service announcement to inform web publishers that Google does not support CSS custom properties. The engineer explained that Google’s crawler uses an outdated version of Chrome, Chrome 41, which dates back to March 2015.
This implies that Google’s crawler might not render web pages correctly. According to previous communications from Google, if a web page does not render properly, Google’s algorithm might lower the site’s ranking.
Who is Eric Bidelman?
Eric Bidelman identifies himself on his Twitter profile as an engineer at Google, working on headless Chrome, Lighthouse, dev tools, and various web technologies. John Mueller, another prominent figure at Google, retweeted Bidelman’s announcement, emphasizing the importance for web publishers to be aware of the limitations of Google’s current crawler.
What are Custom CSS Properties?
Custom CSS properties are an experimental technology not yet supported by all browsers. They allow web developers to theme a website in specific ways, providing a lighter code footprint.
Left Hand Unaware of What Right Hand’s Doing?
Google’s Developer page states:
“CSS variables, more accurately known as CSS custom properties, are landing in Chrome 49. They can be useful for reducing repetition in CSS, and also for powerful runtime effects like theme switching and potentially extending/polyfilling future CSS features.”
A Google Engineer from the Analytics Team promoted CSS Custom Properties back in 2015. Historically, it was common for Google’s AdSense and Search teams to have conflicting guidance, but this is no longer the case. However, it seems the crawler team may be lagging behind the Chrome team in terms of supporting the latest standards. Despite this, Google’s crawler supports all current standards, and although CSS Custom Properties are experimental, it’s crucial for the crawler team to stay updated with industry advancements.
How Widely Accepted are CSS Custom Properties?
Leading websites have recommended using CSS Custom Properties, with support from platforms like Smashing Magazine. Importantly, Google itself has also endorsed their use.
Takeaway for SEO
The key takeaway is that Google’s site rendering relies on Chrome 41, requiring publishers to test their sites using this version. Ensuring compatibility with Chrome 41 is essential for proper rendering by Google. Failure in rendering might lead Google’s algorithm to perceive a poor user experience, potentially lowering the site’s rank. Google has officially stated:
“Sometimes things don’t go perfectly during rendering, which may negatively impact search results for your site.”
It’s crucial for those concerned about their website’s ranking to ensure optimal rendering on Chrome 41.
Image by Shutterstock, Modified by Author
