Why an Iframe in WordPress Content Will Not Be Responsive
WordPress users love the responsiveness of the platform. Responsive design tools and features make the content area on a website “just work” regardless of the device being used to view the site. Unfortunately, embedded content like iframes from services like YouTube and Vimeo don’t work well with WordPress’ responsive features.
There are several reasons why an iframe in WordPress content will not be responsive. One of the biggest issues is that they break the WordPress layout. When an iframe is added to a page, the content inside the frame tends to take the full width of the container it’s in, meaning that the text and images inside the container will not be easily readable on smaller screens.
The WordPress Layout Is Based On A 16:9 Ratio
WordPress’ responsive features are based on the 16:9 aspect ratio. Most devices and screens use a 4:3 ratio which is what the WordPress team recommends against. The 16:9 aspect ratio provides a better experience for viewers on smaller screens since the content is presented in the same width as the screen which means there is more space for the content. For example, if you have a sidebar on your site that is five pixels wide, and you’re using WordPress’ 16:9 aspect ratio, that five pixels will take up a much larger proportion of the screen on a smaller screen. You can prevent breakage by either switching to a 4:3 ratio for your site’s content, or by using the viewport meta tag in your header.
The Iframe Breaks The Flow Of The Text
When an iframe is added to a page, it essentially replaces the content that was there with a link to another site. The issue is that when the content inside the iframe is replaced by another site, the layout of the original content is broken since the container for the text no longer exists. Even worse, if you’re using WordPress’ built-in teasers which automatically generate an iframe when a post is published, it will break the teasers on your site when a visitor clicks the link inside the iframe.
One way around this issue is to just switch off the teasers on your site and use a service like TeaserPress which automatically produces a native-looking teaser without the use of iframes or JavaScript. You can also use the TinyLetter form builder to create highly engaging forms that stand out and convince visitors to opt-in to your mailing list.
The Iframe Makes It Harder To Find Keywords
Having a keyword-rich, well-written content is a sure way of increasing your organic rankings in Google Search. Unfortunately, adding an iframe to a page makes it much harder to achieve high search engine rankings since the content inside the frame tends to be a duplicate of what’s on the outside. Duplicate content is frowned upon by search engines and often leads to low rankings or even a penalty.
To prevent duplicate content issues, it’s crucial to write unique content for each blog post or page and create evergreen content that will still be relevant years after it’s published. If you do happen to write duplicate content and it turns out that one of the pieces of content is significantly more popular than the others, a Google penalty could be looming. Just remember, not everything that appears to be spam is prohibited by Google and there are legitimate ways to build backlinks through content creation.
YouTube And Vimeo Videos Can’t Be Easily Embedded
Another issue that crops up when dealing with iframes is that YouTube and Vimeo videos just won’t play nice with WordPress. Embedding a YouTube or Vimeo video in a WordPress article usually results in the video being ignored by website visitors since the video won’t autoplay when the page is visited and the content around it will be what they came to read. There’s no reason why videos from these services need to be embedded in articles – they could be used in standalone pieces on your site or even hosted on a separate domain so that they play nicely with WordPress.
If you’re determined to integrate videos into your articles, there are several services that let you do this with minimal effort while maintaining SEO benefits. For example, you can use the shortcode provided by Sumo to easily create a summarized video of the article that readers can watch on mobile devices. Readers can also click a button to play the video after they’ve read the article.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to building a brand or establishing credibility, nothing beats a large social media following across platforms. To that end, iframes don’t work too well when it comes to promoting a business or brand online. The good news is that there are several solutions available which let you enjoy the benefits of a responsive blog without the pain that comes with a poor-performing one.
Firstly, you could use a service like TeaserPress to create a nice-looking teaser for your site without all the headaches that come with building one yourself. Secondly, you can use a tool like Sumo to create shortcodes for videos so that they can be easily integrated into articles on your site.
No matter which option you choose, the end result will be a more engaged audience and higher online credibility for your business or brand. Thanks for reading! We hope this article has helped you understand why you should avoid using iframes in your WordPress content.