How To SEO Flash Based Website ?
Flash proves to be a complex problem faced by the spiders out there and it will harm your search engine visibility if it is not done properly. So why are search engine optimization (SEO) practitioners concerned about Flash, and how can we SEO Flash content properly? The main problem with Flash is that search engines don't yet understand it, and probably won't in the near future. Flash includes logic and can take input from the visitor, but search engines are designed to handle static content. Flash is actually a running program, so it's much harder to analyze than plain HTML code. My advice ? Don't try to build Flash sites since we don't even understand the complications behind.
Background Knowledge
The leading web development tool, Adobe Dreamweaver, embeds Flash in web pages with code that fails to provide accessibility for visitors or search spiders who cannot handle Flash.
Instead of using the default codings, my recommendation is to create the primary HTML content, and a method of automatically testing for Flash support before attempting to insert the movie. In this way, the primary HTML content can be search optimized if the Flash fails to work for some reasons.
The April 11, 2006 release of Microsoft's popular Internet Explorer (IE) browser includes an update ("Eolas") that prevents ActiveX-based Flash controls from working properly. When the user attempts to interact with the Flash, a tool tip appears, stating, "Click to activate and use this control." Isn't that annoying? Note : For such cases, visitors will be able to see the html content that we have preloaded.
Requirements For Successful Use Of Flash
Flash animation is a great way to present complex content because it allows the designer to put more content in a finite space, without wrecking page design. For technology sites, Flash is an ideal way to present a slide show or movie explaining a complex product. At the other end of the spectrum, art and entertainment sites have a real need for multimedia, and Flash is the perfect solution.
When using Flash, we'd like to satisfy each of these objectives:
* Clean design
* Search Engine Optimization
* Accessibility for a wide variety of browsers, including screen readers and mobile phones
* Code validation and standards compliance
* Correct functionality with IE
SEO FLASH PROGRAMMING
My method to SEO Flash is to create a Javascript coding that has the ability to detect if Flash is supported by the visitors and spiders. Then we apply the above mentioned method, by creating Html content that is similar to the Flash content.
Scenario
A spider crawls your website and encounter the Javascript codes. The coding decides that the spider does not have Flash support and will then activate the control to display basic Html content instead of Flash content. Problem solved.
Be Really Careful
Spiders are simply robots, they aren't humans. There may be chances where the spiders could mistakenly decide that the Html content is a form of cloaking. And? Get yourself prepared to face the penalties. Hey we have already warned you of the possible penalties, don't try creating Flash sites and you will be safe.
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