Flash and Search Engine Optimization

Posted by Laura Bergells

January 15, 2007

If you want to rank well at the Search Engines, do not design your website in Flash.

Period.

Note that I did not say, “Do not use Flash.”

Flash can have a place in your search-engine-optimized website.

It can even have a seat of honor. (I’ll show you how at the end of this post.)

But it can’t be front and center.

For example, you can use Flash to effectively demonstrate a point or showcase your portfolio.

But make sure you have written content to describe what folks will see when they click on your Flash presentation. Those written words? That’s what search engine spiders can read. They cannot read — they cannot even see — your Flash presentation.

And that gorgeous Flash presentation that’s embedded in your site? Make sure the code for Flash is less prominent than the code for your written content. Prominence plays a big role in search engine marketing. Flash cannot be prominent in a site that is designed for visitors and search engines.

Flash definitely has a place on a search engine optimized website, though. A good Flash movie can enhance the user experience and make your visitors hang out longer at your site. It can increase buzz, and you can get a ton of inbound links from other sites that point to your page that has a great Flash movie.

But if you design your whole site in Flash, expect to spend a ton of time (and money) pursuing those off-site factors in order to gain even the tiniest bit of search engine attention. And even if you get a zillion inbound links to your Flash site, chances are that the search engines still won’t know what your site is about…so you STILL won’t get ranked for the terms you most desire.

So put Flash in its place…it’s a website enhancer….not a website platform.

Flash SEO Example: Here is an example of the Flash-as-enhancer concept that works with search engines — I have a Flash training video at one of my sites that shows people how to upload Joomla CMS. Today, that page is #2 at Google for the search term “upload Joomla” (no quotes.) You’ll note that there is descriptive text at the top of this page…and the Flash movie is below the text…so it receives less prominence. You’ll also note that search engine index PAGES with words (html, asp, etc.) …not MOVIES (swf).

Flash is not your whole site. Flash alone cannot reach search engines or actively engage your visitors. But by using it as a site enhancer, you can enhance your user experience and attract search engine visitation, as well.