Google prevents HTML5 hidden attribute in links

Question

We have a widget that is inserted through Javascript.

<div class="tp_-_box" data-tp-settings="domainId:7913" hidden> <a href="http://www.trustpilot.dk/review/demoshop.com">Demoshop Reviews</a> </div> 

We change the div and widget link, which also links to Demoshop Reviews on Trustpilot.

Will Google punish us for using a hidden attribute in this case?

Answer 1

Probably, but not confirmed, since the current algorithm for ranking pages is not a public and moving target. Google is adjusting its rules as unreliable sites change their tactics. I would recommend reading Google's recommendations on what they consider unreliable bees: Hidden text and links .

Further reading seems to suggest that this is not a good practice. In this article, hidden divs are called as the "old method" for SEO. It is very likely that Google already knows about this and is likely evaluating pages negatively for using this tactic.