I know, I know. Google's indexing Flash and Flash developers can rejoice now that their content is SEO-friendly. Sorry - I don't buy it for a second. Flash content is fundamentally different from HTML on webpage URLs, and being able to parse links in the Flash code and text snippets does not make Flash search-engine friendly. I think it's great that Google's digging deeper into Flash, but I don't believe web developers should be any less wary than they've been in the past about Flash-based websites or Flash-embedded content.
And guess what - I used to be a Flash developer (prior to founding SEOmoz). I still build graphics and wireframes and content (like this demo I quickly made for SEOmoz's PRO content) entirely in Flash. I'm not a hardcore Flash junkie or an actionscript developer anymore, but I can say with confidence that Flash ≠ a smart SEO strategy.
Some reasons why include:
- Different Content is NOT on Different URLs
This is the same problem you encounter with AJAX-based pages. You could have unique frames, movies within movies, etc. that appear to be completely unique portions of the Flash site, yet there's no way to link to these individual elements (unless the Flash developer is specifically building for this scenario - and even then, there's almost always some portions that are missed). - The Breakdown of Text
Google can index the output files in the SWF to see words and phrases, but in Flash, a lot of your text isn't in nice clean <h1> or <p> tags, it's jumbled up into half phrases for graphical effects and will often be outputted in the incorrect order. Worse still are text effects that often require "breaking" words apart into individual letters to animate them - I'm guessing search engines aren't yet smart enough to play Scrabble with Flash output. - Flash Gets Embedded
A lot of Flash content is only linked-to by other Flash content wrapped inside shell Flash pages. This line of links, where no other internal or external URLs are referencing the interior content, means some very low PageRank/link juice documents. Even if they manage to stay in the main index, they probably won't rank for anything. - Testing Crawlability with Hope
That's what you're doing with Flash content for SEO - hoping. Google's Flash-crawling technology is proprietary, and while we all know and can test what search engines see from a content and link perspective in HTML, there's no "test my site's Flash file crawlability" feature that I'm aware of, leaving us very much in the dark about exactly how the engine's going to parse your material. - Flash Doesn't Earn External Links Like HTML
For whatever reason, etiquette on the web simply doesn't lend itself to Flash media earning link love. An all-Flash site might get a large number of links to the homepage, but interior pages almost always suffer. For embeddable Flash content, it's the HTML host page earning those links when they do come. As a simple example, imagine a blog post or news article in HTML - those who enjoy it might copy and paste a few quotes into their own pages and link over, yet this rarely ever happens with Flash text (which can be hard to copy and paste unless the designer builds it properly) and even still isn't common practice among the "linkerati." - SEO Basics Are Often Missing
Anchor text, headlines, bold/strong text, img alt tags, and even title tags are not simple elements to properly include in Flash, and 9 times out of 10, the designer won't build them in properly. Developing Flash with SEO in mind is not just more difficult than doing it in HTML, it's not part of the cultural lexicon of the Flash-development world. - A Lot of Flash Isn't Even Crawlable
Google said they don't execute external javascript calls (which many Flash-based sites use) or index the content from external files called by Flash (which, again, a lot of Flash sites rely on). These limitations could severely impact what a visitor can see vs. what Googlebot can index.
Of course, it is nice to see some Flash content ranking at Google (like for the query "break apart flash letters," which illustrates point #2 above quite nicely). Just don't let a Flash developer who just found out about Google's new ability to crawl their work talk you into doing anything rash.
I love Flash - I still work in it and I think that a lot of great sites and applications have used it well. But, trusting Flash content to get good SEO results is like trusting a Seattle summer wedding to be rain-free. It could happen, but no one would call it a wise bet. If you're seeking to make Flash as accessible and SEO-friendly as possible, that's a noble philosophy (and Jon Hochman's How to SEO Flash is quite a good start), but making it your primary content delivery system on the web is a recipe for disaster.
p.s. For more on the subject, see Ian Lurie's post - Google Indexing Flash, Don't Party Just Yet and Flash's New SEO is Overhyped from Ickydime.
Great post. When I occasionally come accross a website that is all Flash or mostly flash, that's gorgeous and has high usability and I "view source" and see lots of juicy accessible text, I want to just email the SEO company who did it and say "thanks for proving that this can really be done".
The problem I see is that most Flash developers (especially with all the Goolge press lately on Flash) are just flat out refusing to learn SIFR, make hybrid sites or use SWFObject or any other techniques for making a Flash site's content accessible. It's like an affront to their "art". I get it but, we're not in the business to make the bestest Actionscripted Flash site EVAH, we're in the business to make our clients' websites more visible in the SERP's. Meh.
(I mean no disrepect to the hard working ladies and fellas actionscripting every day...but we need to find a happy medium ;) )
Another good piece on the discussion from YOUmoz: https://www.seomoz.org/ugc/flash-now-searchable-isnt-it
Nice post, Rand. Sphunn!!.
IMO adding all this sub-optimal content and linking into the index will only spell weeks of yoyo-ing in the serps followed by a sudden influx of bigger-than-usual algo updates. Just like the last SQL injection attack combined with the WP-admin exploit scenario - hundreds of thousands of meaningless new links making our lives a bit harder for a couple of weeks...
Well like another blogger said... Google may be LEARNING how to index flash (somehow) but HOW they index is still up in the air. We wouldn't risk it...
Good points Rand! Flash has jyst one single URL and how will Google rank Flash site for different keyphrases? Does it just rank the home page then where comes the relevance of the search query?
Rand, how much, if any, hase this changed in 2010? I am going to look myself, but is there any 'best' practice' you can point to?
Thanks
I think this is a nice updated guide on how to use flash in the best SEO way: https://www.getelastic.com/seo-for-flash/
Cheers for the article. I forwarded it to the (flash) webmaster of a client, saving me a lot of explaining time. In its kind, it is the best article about flash related to seo that I have read so far.
But using flash you can sell links because there is no nofollow ;)
I'm so glad you've written this post Rand, I think that there has been a lot of confusion over Google's latest developments with crawling flash.
I've had conversations with many of our clients regarding this who think that the SEO problems which have been associated with flash in the past are now all over, but that really isn't the case. Thumbs up :)
Great post Rand, its good to see the other side of the coin. So many people suddenly 'hooraying' over the indexability of Flash, they sometimes forget that while a step in the right direction, it certainly isnt going to be perfect from the get go!
You mention not being able to see how the search engine's are going to 'parse your material'. Would this not be possible if the webmaster/sitebuilders etc used the SDK too? They could then run it to see what is outputted and therefore have knowledge of what the search engine is going to see? A definate faff compared to the much easier tools out there currently to display crawlability on standard HTML pages, but a compromise nevertheless?
I work with teams who build all kinds of different sites for clients, some of which can only be done in Flash (though I make them very aware of the limitations of this regarding search). I think I will be using these sites to see how well this does moving forward :)
I jumped from my reader to this page just to say what you did: use the Flash Search SDK.
From what I understand, the engines use a slightly modified version of this but it can serve as a great starting point to understand how to optimize your SWFs for the engine spiders.
The problem I see, however, is that Adobe has decided to take down the Flash Search SDK download page...
Is the any good update info on getting flash indexed out there?
Hi dmccarthy! I was searching on this and wondering how flash will play its part for search engine friendliness. I didn't find satisfactory info on this and every one suggested that its wise to use flashy content in a web design. I found an article which contains updated info on flash indexed and highlights useful tips regarding the use of flash technology for web designing keeping in mind search engine. Here it is
https://seotek.blogspot.com/2011/08/flash-technology-tips-for-web-design.html
in this experiments we will try to figure our can Google index flash and how
https://www.flashnseo.com
Some of you are really blind, including the OP.
The approach you need to take is not, don't use Flash for SEO, but, how do you *BEST* use Flash for SEO.
Clearly this is a work in progress but Google has been actively improving how they crawl Flash.
As of right now Google will execute SWFObject to gain access to Flash and it will index flash text and links just the same that it indexes other relevant content on the page.
Our company has Flash content that appears at the top of Google search results for key terms.
I think it's great that Adobe and Google are moving forwards with indexing Flash content, and I have 2 reasons for this-Maybe in a few years time this will provide a valuable search option (For example, Flash could be included by the video and images tab on Google) Imagine searching for all those great Flash games! Here's my favourite, indexed on Google (because it's great): https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=shuffle&meta=-I am looking forward to lots of Flash specific agencies try to convince me that now everything is ok and a total Flash site will have rankings to rival Wikipedia. (Call me evil if you want!)Although I am a big fan of Flash and a Flash user too, I have always thought it was part (or a component) of a good website, like an image or text and not the one dominant feature. Also once the indexing of Flash files is working, you will still have usability issues despite Macromedia/Adobe putting in user friendly scrollbars into the Flash library. Thats my 2p.
I don't see the issue with using swfobject to embed alternate content - you can use <p> and <h1> tags - links.
It does't handle dynamic content - and some of the other points here seem right - but witha proper javascript embed, arnen't you getting the major benefit vis a vis SEO?
This demonstrates how we need to stick to the basics, best practices, and not bells and whistles.
SitePoint has a good article on this subject, Google's Flash Indexing Disaster.
As always good stuff Rand. By adding your little flash Demo for SEO Pro linked from this article are you running a quasi test to see how that page's swf content is crawled and indexed? Clever stuff!
Yes but i'm sure Google will get the indexing links part also, afterall every programming has reference to each area and we all know that gotoAndPlay under On meaning an action. I mean i dont know their alhorithmatic ways but they will come up with one.
But yes, its stil questionable but doesnt mean it can't be done, anything and everything is possible. It's a matter of time and experience and ofcourse mistakes.
expensive & big brands use flash where people search with there brand names like mercedez, gucci etc.. Pleople here come for different experience and that class should be clearly dipicted on the website.This is where good flash comes into picture to enhance customer experience.These websites are based on style and appearance rather then reading content.
But in normal cases whre content is important i guess the flash just sucks as normally if vector images are not used then jpg and audio files inc the size of webpage many times..
Perfect education piece to share with traditional marketers.
Nice article. But Flash "Recipe for disaster?" I don't think so. What's the big deal here... Flash just uses the Object tag to house it's SWF file. Whhoop-dee-doo. It's VERY easy to work around because Flash is HTML based. I mean if you house all your content in an SWF file and don't include any of it in your SEO efforts... shame on you! You deserve not to be found online. But now, when you put a little more elbow grease in the SEO works, it can really pay off. My clients are almost always on the first page in a common Google search... they're lovin' it and I am, too. Hey, I use Flash exclusively because I say why not have your cake and eat it, too?
Great stuff and a very well written description of the flaws in Flash. Additionally, beyond SEO, Flash sites tend to force the user into a passive role where they watch the website rather than interact with it. It makes the internet like TV and that sucks.
But I'd also like to mention that Flash can be done well, it just rarely is.
What are your thoughts on SEF-URLs for Flash using #? Do search engines effectively index these URLs?
Flash isn't all bad. It could add some neat embeddable content, like a casual game or an interactive ad. That interactivity would add to "average time on page" or "on site". But, honestly, I'm playing devil's advocate here. Besides those items, Flash is a bane.
We hate google's indexing of swf.. so we block it. However our flash websites are fully SEO.. try googling "site:otterball.com" We've explained how we've done this in the august edition for netmag.co.uk
I think that you are strongly misguided with this statement. I have a few full on flash sites that are beating out other pages in terms of seo.
What you are missing here of course is how the flash sites are built. To build a good site the site has to be dynamic IE - all text and assets coming from XML.
SEO works great in flash, you just have to know how to do it...!!!
knowYourCodes :)
I really would appreciate learning how to SEO Flash the right way. Could you give me some pointers are references to online material.
Nice post, you just gave me the right ammunition at the right time! I had some discussions about Flash and SEO lately and this analysis just gave me the most compelling reasons not to use 100% Flash.
I don't think anyone knows what will happen, including Google and Adobe.
It seems like over the past week Google is hitting the Javascript to make the flash work, even though they say they don't. My site went from 3 flash files indexed to 1,200 in about 3 days.
As far as the duplicate content, I am not sure if it will be a problem yet, it seems like Google is not pulling xml from external sources that load into the flash, but it is still crawling the content from xhtml.
Anyway the next few weeks will be interesting.
As a web user, I HATE Flash. I HATE it with a passion. Why? Because most websites do NOT need Flash - certainly not an all Flash site - and most Flash used is not done in a user friendly way.
Recently, I tried to find out more information about the last few episodes of Avatar the Last Airbender. I looked for information on Nick.com. It was all Flash. It was clumsy to navigate. It was impossible to find what I wanted to find (the remaining show schedule).
Now I realize that it's meant to be "entertaining" to kids, but even kids are smart and savvy web users. If they want information, they WANT information. The clumsy Flash site did anything BUT give information.
There's also a lot of hubris that I completely distain. Flash websites seem to think that the website itself is the entertainment - not the communication medium. They forget they are a platform for communication information and NOT an entertainment destination.
Even a website like Myspace is NOT the destination. It is popular because people can communicate with each other. But they are not entertained by the website - only by each other.
I think I hate the hubris of Flash websites the most. As a web user and web consumer, I am the master of my web consumption. Let no Flash website get in my way of consuming the information that I want. As the poem "Invictus" says -" I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."
Try testing a site for kids with a site looks like the NY Times...all the kids will say it sucks and is boring, no matter how searchable the content is.
For some audiences, Flash works because it makes it easier to embed rich media and make the site entertaining. A lot of websites are built for entertainment.
What makes one provider of the info different from another? Extra features provided client side in the form of robust applications. Look at Facebook, it is littered with applications, soon theyll be real time interactive flash elements. You are a dip if you really believe that horse manure you spewed. If it were trully true no one would need photoshop. By your definition and hubris I might add, all websites should be black text on a white page. Sorry to be so harsh but its this whole "standards" movement that is holding the internet back with its primitive inability to understand the spacial concepts that Flash enables and will enable on the internet.
Go back to pen and ink if you want your latin so badly you primitive ape.
Nice Job Rand! Couldn't agree more with your observations. I always tried pushing the SWFobject as a workaround, but at the end of the day, it ain't HTML and therefore isn't the SEO Friendliest!
Thanks for a sound and logical post! jt
Well, i'm keep repeating from day one that all the Adobe-Google PR machine can't hide real and everyday problems Flash technology has SEO side.
I agree with all your valid concerns, of course.
It also still doesn't work for everyone, like all the new iPhone users. You say, who cares?
Well, last night someone asked me to check out their photography web site which is just one big flash movie. I got a nice blank black page with the little blue thing in the center.
If it wasn't for this post, I would have never thought to go and check again when I was back at my computer.
Just came across this a couple of days back.
https://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/articles/progressive_enhancement_print.html
I totally agree Rand.
And what's more, now that Google can index Flash in greater depth, there is the potential problem of duplicate content with sites that have an alternate HTML version for users without Flash player installed. Now they MUST block the Flash version on their Robots.txt or suffer the full on rage of the G-God.
Rand:
Great post. I was actually going to write this exact same post today, but it appears I don't have to. (Well, I still might, but from a different perspective) :)
Let's also not forget that Google's description of how they are going to do this and for whom, is awfully vague. Until we can know more about how they are actually going to go about doing it, I think the safe play is to stay w/ limited flash, AJAX, applications and stick to HTML/CSS.
Hey, good post. When I first heard the news about Google increasing its ability to index flash, the main thing that came to mind was that it would create all kinds of new black hat ways to exploit the new features.
How they going to combat mention hidden / content stuffing in the flash files = evil doers can SP*M away! Maybe they (GOOG) look at a proportion/relevancy of the text in the flash file when compared to amount of text contained in the page it resides on?
They could look at the links embedded in the flash and make sure they acutally occur with the website the flash is on..to combat embedded flash link SP*M.
Another question would be content in the Flash file that is not visible during the initial rendering, does that contribute to the total of all onpage content?
One of the issues that I rarely see brought up with in topics that cover the choice between HTML vs Flash is the issue of purpose.
To answer the question: HTML or Flash? One simply has to look at newspapers and glossy brochures/catalogues (or advertisements).
If the purpose of your project is to deliver information, and a significant amount of textual content, then you should use the optimum tool for that purpose: HTML was designed from the very beginning to be a means of sharing information. Basically, just like a newspaper.
Flash, on the other hand, was primarily designed as presentational technology - hence, if your site is going to contain a minimal amount of text, but a large amount of images, then Flash is probably a better idea, due in part to how well it can handle (e.g. compress) high-resolution images and movies. Basically, just like a brochure.
That kind of thinking extends to each technology's respective web application approach: use AJAX on your HTML if the bulk of your content is information meant to be shared. However, if the bulk of your content is mainly product images and/or videos, or a gallery for design, photography, and 3D - then AJAX would be a debatable choice, as the number of times the site would need to load the visual content would significantly be detrimental to the site's user experience quotient.
Which leads me back to the author's post: If your intention and purpose is to produce content that is text-informaion heavy, and is intended for SEO-friendliness - then use the right tool for the job: HTML.
I think we'll only get headache from all that! Just imagine the zillions of clients arguing how they want this amazing-moving-something on their website, and please, please, please don't tell me Google don't "recognize" Flash, and you get the picture.
I also heard that news that Google create technology on how to index flash technology. I think you are right flash content is different from HTML and still have some limitation.
Wrote a similar, though not as eloquent post about how flash isn't likely have a large impact on SEO in the near future: Here
Thank you for posting the article. There are many things left unanswered and there are many ways that spammer can exploit this situation. Call me naive, but whenever I think of website, I think of them in terms of excel spreadsheet. These java script and flash are equivalent to macros. Has anybody tried searching in excel spreadsheet with macros. Its very hard, and it drains the resources. This is going to be the same case with googlebot. I seriously think that googlers need to wake up and parse the content in a page more semantically than with all these antics!
I once held a job for a record short time of 1 week before I decided that I made a huge mistake. I had a long chat with the business owner who said " I don't care about SEO. Our site is going to be a destination, like Nike. People are going to be typing our name directly in the address bar." Oh, did I mention the entire website was made in Flash? None of my persuation could change his mind of the importance of search. For people like my old "boss," and for perhaps many clients of you other fine readers, Flash will always be apealing to them (I blame those fancy kids mobiles they have - gettin us hooked on moving objects at a young age).
There is little to no structure to Flash text. We'll never have (gladly) H1s, H2s, etc. Flash has layerss (quick, put all your keywords on the first layer!!! j/k).
I for one was quite concerned about the dupe content issue in Flash when I first heard this Flash indexing news. Hopefully Goog and the boys are smart enough to handle it well with SWFObject and the like.
Totally Agreed! Flash has its place, but not in SEO. At least not yet. Three years down the line. Who knows?
But it's so cool!
- Casey Removed Link