SEO for Flash website (It can be done)

[Ali-v-8]

Recently I have seen a lot of people say that flash websites cannot be optimised.:(

I would like to disagree.
I have gained page one results for websites that have been built in flash.:D

Search lpg london on google and you will see tassoautogas.co.uk (position 5)
They have around 40 page one results and have held these positions for over a year now.

I want to know why is it that every time some one mentions flash websites, instead of offering a solution on how to optimise the website, the person is always told to redesign.

[Tin]

http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2008/06/improved-flash-indexing.html

worth a read

I want to know why is it that every time some one mentions flash websites, instead of offering a solution on how to optimise the website, the person is always told to redesign.

Maybe because they don't understand seo? There are plenty of workaround options that can circumvent any Flash problems.

Ray

[JustOneUK]

Search lpg london on google and you will see tassoautogas.co.uk (position 5)

There are only about 1,500 websites that even contain the words lpg london (not including this post :)) my mum could rank well for that ;)
Google has been indexing flash for quite some time now, but it doesn't do it very well. It's a WHOLE LOT EASIER to optimise a site that is build in standard format... I take it you don't want to be No1 then? :D

James.

[PrettyPaws]

Search lpg london on google and you will see tassoautogas.co.uk (position 5)


Blimey and how many competitors does that have? :rolleyes:

SEO isn't just about what is on a page, google indexes many things it can't "read" if it has links pointing to it.

[fisicx]

The site has a no-script alternative which contains your keywords and the rest of the pages in the index are HTML: http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=+site:www.tassoautogas.co.uk+tassoautogas.co.uk

So it's not a flash site in the true sense of the word. Delete all the HTML pages, strip out all the no-script text and headers and upload the site as index.swf. If the site stays on page 1 then it's champange all round.

[Ali-v-8]

Missing point people.

Tasso wasnt even in top 100
check out the cpc value for lpg conversion london
Money which they are now not spending.
cost of campaign was 20% of what they were originally spending.

They were told to totally redesign the website.
My point is that (regardless of competition) if a website is in flash, there is a way to optimise it.
It can be done.
So why do people tell clients its not possible.
Its just more work.

[fisicx]

My point is that (regardless of competition) if a website is in flash, there is a way to optimise it.

Providing alternative content for the non-flash user is not optimising a flash site. A flash site is one that is 100% flash. You have an HTML page with an embedded flash movie which is a doddle to optimise, all you need to do is have a the compete content in a no-script tag and it's done.

Show me a 100% flash site that ranks well when compared to HTML - where index.swf ranks above index.html.

[Ali-v-8]

Sorry but take another look
And yes the content to be read needs to be in another format for Google to pick it up.
And yet again my point is that the website has not been redesigned
The site is in flash
The seo has in effect been bolted on.
end result tasso is saving money

[fisicx]

Sorry but take another look
And yes the content to be read needs to be in another format for Google to pick it up.
And yet again my point is that the website has not been redesigned
The site is in flash
The seo has in effect been bolted on.
end result tasso is saving money

But suppose you got rid of the flash and just used HTML, you would have even more indexable mateial and a better chance of the #1 spot.

Bolting on the SEO is not quite the same as saying you have got page 1 results for sites built in flash. I assumed that you meant you had taken a 100% flash site and got it onto page 1 not taken a flash site site and embedded it in an HTML page. Apologies for the misunderstanding.

The message is therefore:

It is difficult but not impossible to build a 100% flash website that the SE will index and rank above an HTML page. However it is quite possible to build an HTML site and embed the flash so that the visitor sees the flash and the SE sees the HTML.

[Ali-v-8]

Yeah i think that summarises it.

I do know there is some new coding that is embedded in the swf codding that allows text to be read by google.