Yep, this still happens.
In my experience, Google **can** render a lot of JavaScript, but it’s still not something I’d trust for important content. If the page depends on JS to show the main text, headings, internal links, or product info, you’re adding risk for no real upside.
### Quick answers
**1) Does Google still have problems rendering JavaScript-heavy pages?**
Yeah, sometimes. Not always, but enough to matter. Google’s rendering is not instant, and it can be delayed or incomplete. If the content is hidden behind scripts, lazy loading, or client-side fetches, Google may index a weaker version of the page.
**2) Is SSR better than CSR for SEO?**
100% yes, for anything important.
SSR gives Google the content in the initial HTML, which is way safer. CSR can work, but it’s more fragile. If you care about rankings, I’d rather have the core content server-rendered and use JS for enhancements only.
**3) How can I test whether Google actually sees my content?**
Best ways I use:
– **Google Search Console → URL Inspection → View crawled page**
– **Test live URL** and compare rendered HTML vs source
– **Fetch as Google-style checks** with tools like:
– Screaming Frog’s rendered HTML
– Sitebulb
– Rich Results Test
– Compare:
– page source
– rendered DOM
– what shows in GSC indexed snippet
– cached/visible text in Search
If the content only exists after JS runs, I’d assume Google may miss some of it unless proven otherwise.
**4) Are React and Next.js websites still risky for indexing?**
React itself? Yes, if it’s mostly CSR.
Next.js? Much better, but only if it’s set up properly. Next can be solid for SEO because of SSR/SSG, but I’ve seen plenty of Next sites still mess it up with:
– client-only data fetching
– blocked resources
– slow hydration
– content hidden behind interactions
– bad canonical/noindex setup
### My practical take
If the content matters for rankings, put it in the HTML first. Don’t make Google “work” for it.
For affiliate sites, I usually keep:
– titles/H1s in HTML
– core body content server-rendered
– internal links visible