SEO and Flash SEO and Flash

Jonathan Hochman

www.HochmanConsultants.com

Progressive Enhancement

• Core content and functionality must be available to all users

• Browsers with additional capabilities can enjoy enhanced formatting (CSS), content (Flash), and functionality (JavaScript)

• Enhanced features are loaded from external files, if needed. This conserves bandwidth.

• Sites that use PE are better prepared for SEO because of excellent accessibility.

Tool: NoScript for Firefox

• Blocks all client side scripts: JavaScript/AJAX, Flash, Silverlight.

• Safely view pages with malicious code.

• See pages the waybots do.

• Find out ifcontent is accessible.

Replace HTML content with rich media

Via the Document Object Model (DOM)

Open source solutions for Flash:

– SWFobject() 2.0 is general purpose

– sIFR (scalable Inman Flash Replacement) is for creating fancy fonts and headings.

Modern Coding Methods

SWFobject() 2.0

SWFobject()

• Detects if browser supports Flash• Replaces a specified container, such as

<div id=“MyMovie”><!-- HTML content goes here --></div>with Flash content.

• Apply usual SEO tactics to the HTML.• Make sure the HTML text = the Flash Text

A site using SWFobject()

Good: Flash deployed via swfobject() with plain HTML content available for spiders and users who lack Flash support. Bad: Needs images and CSS styles.

Scripts Disabled

SWFobject() is effective

www.gillette.com – Cache at Google

Check the cache to uncover potential indexing issues.

If content is in the cache, Google has seen it.

A risk: Cloaking

Do not stuff keywords into the text!

Do not add HTML content that is not visible in the Flash!

Tips for Flash Applications

• HTML content generated by server side scripts (PHP, ASP.NET, Cold Fusion) can use the same data source as Flash.

• Using same data source reduces risks and maintenance costs.

• swfAddress() can provide deep linking within a Flash application.

WATCH OUT for search problems when Flash files get indexed

• Flash files are indexed separately from their host page.

• They can be dead ends if they lack navigation links.

• Could be a poor user experience to see just the Flash part of a page.

• Use robots.txt to block spiders from indexing Flash files.

Flash simplifies coding

Use Flash to create menus, navigation elements and slide shows.

Examples:

•http://www.namedevelopment.com/blog/

•http://www.jdfdistribution.com

•http://ts.jehochman.compre-launch test site destined for http://www.metfin.com

Millions of users, no Flash

Make sure your site works for them too.

Progressive Enhancement (II)

• Mobile web is gaining market share.

• Savvy users block scripts for security, and to avoid ads.

• Search ‘bots have limited Flash ability. Better to feed them easy-to-digest HTML.

Questions?

Jonathan Hochman

www.HochmanConsultants.com

@Jehochman