| What is a Flash Movie? | | | | - Text on stage in the current movie (dynamic text, |
| A flash movie, or shock wave file (SWF), is the file | | | | static text, or input text that has an initial value |
| format published when a Flash movie is exported. A | | | | assigned) |
| SWF file can also be exported by several other | | | | - Text on stage in a movie that is called with |
| Macromedia or Adobe Products. The SWF is usually | | | | movieClip.attachMovie() |
| an animation, dynamic menu, or highly interactive | | | | Google can see certain text in Flash files now, but |
| web-based application embedded into an HTML page. | | | | how and where certain text gets extracted depends |
| Flash files, when exported correctly for the best | | | | on what you do with that text in the Flash |
| web-based optimization, are compressed, thus | | | | presentation. For example, text that is static or is |
| making their file size lightweight. The SWF format is | | | | used in a motion tween can be read as a single |
| ideal for presenting vector-based, interactive and | | | | instance with SDK. However, some animation involves |
| animated graphics with sound and video for the web. | | | | converting text into a symbol and then using multiple |
| Vector images are ideal because they will not "pixilize" | | | | copies of that symbol to achieve a desired effect. |
| if stretched or compressed. Flash files can also | | | | This will create duplicate instances of your text to |
| contain text which can be animated, static or | | | | the SDK output, which may be viewed as duplicate |
| dynamically populated from external sources, such an | | | | content and not given much importance by Google. |
| XML file or a database. Text embedded in a Flash file, | | | | Using the SDK tool, any developer can get the text |
| for many years, could not be read by search engines. | | | | output from the SWF and see how search engines |
| However, recent updates by Macromedia are making | | | | view the extractable text of any SWF. On a |
| this a possibility. | | | | Windows operating system, you can go to the DOS |
| Problems with Flash and Search Engines | | | | prompt and execute the swf2HTML application very |
| Historically, it has been difficult to get Flash content | | | | easily. The following is an example from the DOS |
| indexed and ranked by search engines. In the past, | | | | prompt: C:sdkswf2HTML -o test.HTML |
| search engines, such as Yahoo and Google, did not | | | | C:sdkcrt_webfilestest.swf |
| spider Flash content as they could not read the | | | | Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Techniques Used |
| compressed file and much of the text inside the | | | | Historically for Flash |
| SWF appeared as graphics to the search engines. | | | | Each Flash file does not need to be uploaded |
| The main page of a web site, if Flash-based, rarely | | | | independently and called as a SWF file; rather a Flash |
| ranked well, unless off-page factors such as link | | | | file can be embedded in a standard HTML document. |
| popularity or link reputation were sufficient enough to | | | | One of the best techniques is to create a modular |
| carry the page. Flash files that were indexed by | | | | web site, where there are several Flash files which |
| Google, Lycos and other search engines, which did | | | | make up the web page combined with standard |
| not have any text or key words associated with | | | | HTML elements. A hybrid site such as this, works |
| them in the search engine results pages (SERP). | | | | especially well, if your navigation uses traditional |
| Techniques Used in the Past to Make Flash Visible to | | | | HTML links. You can use cascading style sheets to |
| Search Engines | | | | give the appearance of flash text links. This type of |
| Traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) | | | | hybrid site will always rank better than an all Flash |
| techniques would help your site get indexed, but not | | | | site - all other factors being equal. It's also important |
| rank for search terms. Every web site needs at least | | | | to have your HTML page title correct, regardless of |
| one HTML page to load into a browser. For a web | | | | anything else. Several search engines look at meta |
| site developed completely in Flash, developers would | | | | titles first. In addition to the page title, you can add |
| embed their flash files into an HTML document and | | | | meta tags to the head of the file. Outside of the |
| then create the meta tags in the head section of the | | | | actual HTML page, off page factors are important. |
| HTML file. They would also add descriptive HTML | | | | There has been much written in recent articles that |
| text for the search engines in the body section of | | | | reciprocal links are not as important any longer, but |
| the HTML page, then use CSS positioning and | | | | certainly, one-way links pointing to your site from |
| percentages to load the Flash move in a pixel-perfect | | | | highly relevant and high ranking pages will increase |
| location over the top of text. This particular | | | | your page rank. In addition links from prominent |
| technique should not be used any longer, as search | | | | directories, such as Yahoo and Business.com, placed in |
| engines will view this technique as an attempt to add | | | | the most relevant categories will help. One-way |
| hidden text, and hidden text will incur a penalty from | | | | inbound links from relevant sites is still the best way |
| the engines. | | | | to increase your ranking with or without Flash. |
| Another technique which could help your Flash ranking | | | | There are programming techniques which work while |
| is to not compress your SWF files. One of the | | | | in the Flash authoring environment. While you are in |
| reasons search engines could not read flash files in | | | | the Flash authoring environment, with your FLA |
| the past is that the files are compressed. If the SWF | | | | open...click F12. It will generate the HTML page for |
| is uncompressed, search engines can read the static | | | | you. Look at the code of the page; it creates a place |
| text. This technique can be accomplished easily. Upon | | | | for you to put the text and URL's used in the Flash. |
| exporting a Flash file, you can set the compression to | | | | New SEO Techniques for Flash |
| "not" if you want your text inside the Flash movie to | | | | Today there are many techniques which can |
| be readable by the search spiders. However, this is | | | | overcome the limitations of the past, where Flash |
| not a good practice, as not compressing your SWF | | | | files are concerned. With the inception of the new |
| will increase the file size, consequently negating a | | | | Macromedia Flash 8, there are techniques which can |
| major benefit to Flash file - a lightweight file. | | | | be implemented to greatly increase the ability of |
| What Macromedia has Done to Make Flash More | | | | search engines to index Flash files and even rank for |
| Visible to Search Engines | | | | key words. |
| In the past, Google did index Flash files. Anyone can | | | | In the past, SWF files could not have titles. This is |
| test this fact out by searching in Google using the | | | | one important reason why Flash files didn't rank well. |
| "filetype" operator to restrict your search. For | | | | This title limitation has now changed. Flash 8 does |
| example, try the following search: "Casino Games | | | | allow you to input meta data. Flash 8 defines two |
| filetype:SWF". The SERP will include over 200 Flash | | | | fields with meta data for all Flash files. These two |
| files, which are indicated by the "Flash" text to the | | | | fields are Title and Description. You can access the |
| left of the listing. | | | | meta data fields under Document Properties. To add |
| Some search engines are now using the Macromedia | | | | meta data, fill in the text fields and the search |
| Flash Search Engine SDK (Software Development | | | | engines will know what info to display about your |
| Kit). For example, Google, AllTheWeb, Lycos, and | | | | Flash file. |
| other sites can readily display links to Flash content. | | | | SDK is fairly intelligent in terms of recognizing text |
| Flash Search SDK is and open source tool that allows | | | | and links that are embedded in the file. If text is |
| search engines to modify it to suit their needs. With | | | | static or dynamically driven by an XML or text file, it |
| this level of customization, it is likely that the major | | | | can be read. If your content is dynamically driven it |
| search engines will modify SDK, making it difficult for | | | | must be done so using the latest version of |
| website owners to know exactly what information | | | | ActionScript 2.0. The SDK does parse ActionScript 2 |
| will be pulled out of the SWF file or how it will impact | | | | byte code looking for links. It could conceivably find |
| actual rankings. | | | | the link to the XML file that way and hand it back to |
| The Macromedia Flash Search Engine SDK can be | | | | a search engine. |
| found at According to the Macromedia/Adobe web | | | | As referenced earlier, certain text can be modified |
| site, The SDK includes an application named | | | | into a symbol rather than strait text. For example, a |
| 'swf2HTML'. Swf2HTML extracts text and links from | | | | button might have the text output two or three |
| a Macromedia Flash SWF file, and returns the data to | | | | times. Alternatively, tweened text has motion |
| an HTML document. Swf2HTML is provided as a | | | | associated with the action. Tweens result in a single |
| compiled application and as a static library for linked | | | | occurrence in the output from the extraction |
| library implementation. SDK can interoperate any links | | | | process. You should also notice that the link text in |
| that are in the action script so long as adhere to the | | | | the Google results page is identical to the first couple |
| following criteria: | | | | of lines of text at the very top of the text |
| - The link is contained within single quotes (' ') or | | | | extracted by swf2HTML. Armed with the knowledge |
| double quotes (" "), and | | | | of how SDK parses your content, you can |
| - The link prefix is HTTP, and | | | | manipulate text in your Flash Movies more carefully |
| - The link suffix is HTM, HTML, CFM, SWF, JPG, | | | | and make your content key word dense, easily |
| JPEG, MP3, or WAV | | | | indexable, search engine friendly and, with a little |
| By default SDK extracts the following text from | | | | more skill, even optimized. |
| your flash file: | | | | |