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Flash SEO is either a no-no, experts tend to dismiss SEO for Flash altogether in this case, a matter of creating a text version in HTML/CSS or a rather complex endeavour.
So you have basically 4 options:
- Not optimizing Flash at all or not creating a Flash site in the first place
- Creating a parallel version in HTML/CSS that looks less “flashy”
- Undergoing the more complex measures to optimize an all Flash site
- Combining Flash and HTML elements where both fit in best
The fourth is the best one from the start, can not be applied in every case though. #1 is not really an option, it means rather abandoning the Flash project and creating another one. I want to concentrate on #3 as there are still some cases where Flash rocks, even when the site is done completely in Adobe Flash.
Whether it’s a photographers site made in Flash, a movie site or a car site, you can still do some search engine optimization for it. Flash SEO is seldom undertaken but there are nonetheless tried out methods of doing it. I collected here 5 tutorials that explain search engine optimization for Flash with expertise:
- A modern approach to Flash SEO by deconcept
- Google, Flash and SEO by Internet Marketing Analysts, LLC
- Making Flash websites search engine friendly by Roy Tanck
- How to SEO Flash by Jonathan Hochman
- How do Flash Sites Rank Well? by Aaron Wall
If you do not want to read those first I give you following simple 3 step advice for doing SEO with Flash sites:
- Embed your Flash in PHP and create a distinct URL for every crucial keyframe of the movie, in short: mimic a page
- Use XML for all your contents and output it once in your Flash movie and once in a HTML version
- Create a non-Flash menu or sitemap where you link all/important keyframe-URLs
Remember that if you or the client can afford Flash he also can afford SEO. Moreover he has less hassle with different browser and platform incompatibilities so he can spend the money for SEO.
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There are a few of other things you can do SEO/flash wise. But those are the big 3–
It’s nice to see a succinct article on SEO for Flash, thanks.
The righ thing to do is to create a paralell content in HTML. But you have to make some URL’s so it’s up to the visitor to enter Flash or HTML version.
“The righ thing to do is to create a paralell content in HTML. But you have to make some URL’s so it’s up to the visitor to enter Flash or HTML version.”
I use this tool for the job http://www.flashprobe.com I like the fact it will convert even find SWF files on its own given a web page URL
This is some good advise. I am currently working on a site that is 100% flash and researching how I can make it beneficial. This site probably gave me the best information I have found to date.
Thanks!
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