Any way to make flash website search friendly?

Hi guys,

any tips on makingn a flash website search engine friendly, other than asking me not to do it at all?

ps. it has alraeyd been done..

You can put normal text with the flash content.
If you want to rank high, just get a lot of links coming in with the right anchor text.

If your entire site is inside a flash object you are out of luck as far as the SE's see any of the text and links....try using a combination of flash and html...

html + flash combined. got it.
thanks guys!

why not make an HTML version to go along with it?

what do you mean? like an option to choose flash or html?

yes

Having a html/flash version selection page at the beginning of your site is as bad as having a splash page though - it's essentially the same thing "click here to enter"

People don't want to "click here to enter", if they didn't wanna be at the site, they wouldn't have gone to the URL in the first place.

Personally, splash pages, and flash/html selection pages just put me off. It just gives me a negative feeling from the getgo. I click HTML, and if it doesn't impress me before it's finished loading the page, I just X it out 99% of the time.

You tend to find that most people who do two separate flash & HTML versions of a site put all their effort into the flash, and the HTML ends up just being beyond useless.

I'm not saying that's how yours would be, and I've seen some sites that defy that rule, but based on what they've seen in the past, it's automatically going to make a lot of users feel negative before they've even seen your content - not something you want if you're running a store, or other site that you basically want to make you money.

http://www.tonyrobbins.com - I would say that you would be hard pressed to find someone who could say Tony Robbins or his company do not present a professional image and they have 2 versions of their site.

I don't think that having both versions makes for a bad impression. Now, on the other hand, having a really good version in flash (or a mediocre one for that matter) and a really bad html version definitely would, but even in that case-how many people are going to take the time to go to both versions if they didn't like the first one? If you are going to make a second version-make it just as good or you are wasting your time.

Flash is a tool, and I'm all for using it intelligently. It should not be used as a website in MOST cases, but if he already has a website in flash then he should definitely build an HTML version. I am against the way most people use flash for several reasons. There is no reason to use it when HTML will do the same thing. Most people bloat their file size cuz they don't know what they are doing. Not to toot my own proverbial horn, but take a look at my site. I use bits and pieces here and there, but not for any main elements. http://www.seo-guy.com is another good example of how to use it properly. One major problem of flash still is how search engines are unable to index the files. Something else that is hardly ever addressed is the fact that a lot of people like to use their browsers back button, which can be done in flash, but hardly ever is.

I would personally start building the HTML version, once that is in place and operational I would start building a version that uses flash properly then put that in place of both other sites.

Another thought just occured to me-by having two version it has a better chance of giving the customer/client what they want. You are showing them that you care enough to go the extra mile to help meet their needs. Now, if the rest of your service doesn't match up then it really doesn't matter, but if it does you have just gone above and beyond.

Tony Robbins was cool in Shallow Hal, but other than that I can't stand him, and I'd never visit his website except that you just suggested I check it out, heh. I X'd out waiting for HTML to load

Having 2 versions doesn't make for bad impression in itself, no. Having a SPLASH SCREEN to select which version you want gives me a bad impression.

I don't want to gamble about which might be the "good" version of the site.

Why not simply have it load your HTML by default, your full blown HTML site, and have a little icon in the top right "View the flash version", and vice versa IN the flash version.

Flash is a tool... couldn't agree more

I also agree that flash can sometimes be used well, to compliment the rest of your site, perhaps as part of a navigation, or a little logo spinning in the corner, but personally, I can't stand flash sites. As long as flash doesn't interfere with a website, or completely take over a website, then I'm fine with it.

The MAIN disadvantage of flash, even more than the SE problems, is that you can't BOOKMARK it.

Ahhh, I never knew the bookmark thing. BTW-isn't there a way to use js to direct you to the appropriate page?

no idea, I "don't do flash"

All I know is, when I go to a flash site, I hit CTRL+D, and it's just the URL that's bookmarked - not the actual information I'm looking at on screen.

For me, that makes flash about as useful as an umbrella in a tornado

so to sum up everything said above, get a html page with flash option + no splash page.
sounds pretty alrite so far...
dont normally do flash too. just trying out this time.

anything else that i shld look out for ? ?

also, I agree with what axe has pointed out abt imbalance of effort - flash n html, in some sites.

You may find these links helpful or at least interesting.

You have already had the best suggestion ... flash movies in HTML pages... but try to keep as much text as poss out of flash and in the HTML part of the page.

I dont think it is worth trying tricks like redirecting and layers .... search engines have been wise to them for awhile

http://searchenginewatch.com/searchday/ ... hp/2161851

http://www.search-this.com/website_prom ... Flash.aspx

Good luck