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Thread: Optimizing Flash files for the search engines

  1. #1
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    Optimizing Flash files for the search engines

    What is a Flash Movie?
    A flash movie, or shock wave file (SWF), is the file format published when a Flash movie is exported. A SWF file can also be exported by several other Macromedia or Adobe Products. The SWF is usually an animation, dynamic menu, or highly interactive web-based application embedded into an HTML page. Flash files, when exported correctly for the best web-based optimization, are compressed, thus making their file size lightweight. The SWF format is ideal for presenting vector-based, interactive and animated graphics with sound and video for the web. Vector images are ideal because they will not “pixilize” if stretched or compressed. Flash files can also contain text which can be animated, static or dynamically populated from external sources, such an XML file or a database. Text embedded in a Flash file, for many years, could not be read by search engines. However, recent updates by Macromedia are making this a possibility.

    Problems with Flash and Search Engines
    Historically, it has been difficult to get Flash content indexed and ranked by search engines. In the past, search engines, such as Yahoo and Google, did not spider Flash content as they could not read the compressed file and much of the text inside the SWF appeared as graphics to the search engines.

    The main page of a web site, if Flash-based, rarely ranked well, unless off-page factors such as link popularity or link reputation were sufficient enough to carry the page. Flash files that were indexed by Google, Lycos and other search engines, which did not have any text or key words associated with them in the search engine results pages (SERP).

    Techniques Used in the Past to Make Flash Visible to Search Engines
    Traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques would help your site get indexed, but not rank for search terms. Every web site needs at least one HTML page to load into a browser. For a web site developed completely in Flash, developers would embed their flash files into an HTML document and then create the meta tags in the head section of the HTML file. They would also add descriptive HTML text for the search engines in the body section of the HTML page, then use CSS positioning and percentages to load the Flash move in a pixel-perfect location over the top of text. This particular technique should not be used any longer, as search engines will view this technique as an attempt to add hidden text, and hidden text will incur a penalty from the engines.

    Another technique which could help your Flash ranking is to not compress your SWF files. One of the reasons search engines could not read flash files in the past is that the files are compressed. If the SWF is uncompressed, search engines can read the static text. This technique can be accomplished easily. Upon exporting a Flash file, you can set the compression to "not" if you want your text inside the Flash movie to be readable by the search spiders. However, this is not a good practice, as not compressing your SWF will increase the file size, consequently negating a major benefit to Flash file – a lightweight file.

    What Macromedia has Done to Make Flash More Visible to Search Engines
    In the past, Google did index Flash files. Anyone can test this fact out by searching in Google using the “filetype” operator to restrict your search. For example, try the following search: "Casino Games filetype:SWF”. The SERP will include over 200 Flash files, which are indicated by the “Flash” text to the left of the listing.

    Some search engines are now using the Macromedia Flash Search Engine SDK (Software Development Kit). For example, Google, AllTheWeb, Lycos, and other sites can readily display links to Flash content. Flash Search SDK is and open source tool that allows search engines to modify it to suit their needs. With this level of customization, it is likely that the major search engines will modify SDK, making it difficult for website owners to know exactly what information will be pulled out of the SWF file or how it will impact actual rankings.

    The Macromedia Flash Search Engine SDK can be found at http://www.macromedia.com/software/f.../search_engine. According to the Macromedia/Adobe web site, The SDK includes an application named 'swf2HTML'. Swf2HTML extracts text and links from a Macromedia Flash SWF file, and returns the data to an HTML document. Swf2HTML is provided as a compiled application and as a static library for linked library implementation. SDK can interoperate any links that are in the action script so long as adhere to the following criteria:
    • The link is contained within single quotes (' ') or double quotes (" "), and
    • The link prefix is HTTP, and
    • The link suffix is HTM, HTML, CFM, SWF, JPG, JPEG, MP3, or WAV
    By default SDK extracts the following text from your flash file:
    • Text on stage in the current movie (dynamic text, static text, or input text that has an initial value assigned)
    • Text on stage in a movie that is called with movieClip.attachMovie()
    Google can see certain text in Flash files now, but how and where certain text gets extracted depends on what you do with that text in the Flash presentation. For example, text that is static or is used in a motion tween can be read as a single instance with SDK. However, some animation involves converting text into a symbol and then using multiple copies of that symbol to achieve a desired effect. This will create duplicate instances of your text to the SDK output, which may be viewed as duplicate content and not given much importance by Google.

    Using the SDK tool, any developer can get the text output from the SWF and see how search engines view the extractable text of any SWF. On a Windows operating system, you can go to the DOS prompt and execute the swf2HTML application very easily. The following is an example from the DOS prompt: C:\sdk\swf2HTML -o test.HTML C:\sdk\crt_webfiles\test.swf

    Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Techniques Used Historically for Flash
    Each Flash file does not need to be uploaded independently and called as a SWF file; rather a Flash file can be embedded in a standard HTML document. One of the best techniques is to create a modular web site, where there are several Flash files which make up the web page combined with standard HTML elements. A hybrid site such as this, works especially well, if your navigation uses traditional HTML links. You can use cascading style sheets to give the appearance of flash text links. This type of hybrid site will always rank better than an all Flash site – all other factors being equal. It's also important to have your HTML page title correct, regardless of anything else. Several search engines look at meta titles first. In addition to the page title, you can add meta tags to the head of the file. Outside of the actual HTML page, off page factors are important. There has been much written in recent articles that reciprocal links are not as important any longer, but certainly, one-way links pointing to your site from highly relevant and high ranking pages will increase your page rank. In addition links from prominent directories, such as Yahoo and Business.com, placed in the most relevant categories will help. One-way inbound links from relevant sites is still the best way to increase your ranking with or without Flash.

    There are programming techniques which work while in the Flash authoring environment. While you are in the Flash authoring environment, with your FLA open...click F12. It will generate the HTML page for you. Look at the code of the page; it creates a place for you to put the text and URL's used in the Flash. For an example:

    <!-- URL's used in the movie-->
    <A HREF=http://www.yoursite.com></A> <A HREF=mailto:info@yoursite.com></A>
    <!-- text used in the movie-->this is some text found in the flash file
    <object classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="550" height="400">
    <param name="movie" value="flash.swf">
    </embed>
    </object>

    New SEO Techniques for Flash
    Today there are many techniques which can overcome the limitations of the past, where Flash files are concerned. With the inception of the new Macromedia Flash 8, there are techniques which can be implemented to greatly increase the ability of search engines to index Flash files and even rank for key words.

    In the past, SWF files could not have titles. This is one important reason why Flash files didn't rank well. This title limitation has now changed. Flash 8 does allow you to input meta data. Flash 8 defines two fields with meta data for all Flash files. These two fields are Title and Description. You can access the meta data fields under Document Properties. To add meta data, fill in the text fields and the search engines will know what info to display about your Flash file.

    SDK is fairly intelligent in terms of recognizing text and links that are embedded in the file. If text is static or dynamically driven by an XML or text file, it can be read. If your content is dynamically driven it must be done so using the latest version of ActionScript 2.0. The SDK does parse ActionScript 2 byte code looking for links. It could conceivably find the link to the XML file that way and hand it back to a search engine.

    As referenced earlier, certain text can be modified into a symbol rather than strait text. For example, a button might have the text output two or three times. Alternatively, tweened text has motion associated with the action. Tweens result in a single occurrence in the output from the extraction process. You should also notice that the link text in the Google results page is identical to the first couple of lines of text at the very top of the text extracted by swf2HTML. Armed with the knowledge of how SDK parses your content, you can manipulate text in your Flash Movies more carefully and make your content key word dense, easily indexable, search engine friendly and, with a little more skill, even optimized.

    What is the gist of all this? Flash is still not the best solution for a pure SEO-based project, but their have been giant leaps forward by both the search engines and Macromedia in allowing your flash files to be indexed and even rank for the key word phrases you covet.
    This Article was written by Mike Goldstein. Mike is the SEO Manager at Rock Coast Media, a Boston-Area search engine marketing firm that provides results-driven custom search marketing solutions.

  2. #2
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    Finally some help with Flash and Search Engines

    I really like the point you brought out about using SDK by Macromedia. It is nice to see Macromedia taking the initiative to work with search engines so that all of us Flash developers can feel more comfortable building Flash sites. My question to you is how do I use the SDK tool.

    I downloaded it to my computer and put in to DOS:
    C:\sdk\swf2HTML -o output.HTML intro.swf, but I keep getting an error message, which states the swf2html can not run?

  3. #3
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    Lightbulb SDK Help

    Animal 57, thanks for your compliment on my article. I hope this inspires others to write what they have found about Flash and SEO. I think you posted this same question to me on search engine watch, where I have also posted a response. However, if you come here first...

    When I look at your command for using SDK, it looks like your file intro.swf is in your computer's root directory. What I mean by this is that you are telling the SDK that the path is: C:intro.swf. I am not saying this is not where you file is, for it may be, but that is always a possiblity. also, C:\sdk\swf2HTML is the location of my swf2html.exe, (C:sdk/...) if you did not create a directory on your C drive called sdk, DOS will not be able to find your file. What the gist of all this means is make sure you are using the correct paths, for example lets say you do have an SDK directory on the C drive and inside that you have both the executable file and the SWF, you command would be:

    C:\sdk\swf2HTML -o output.HTML C:\sdk\intro.swf

    Then you would look in your C drive and find an html file called output.html which would have all the text and links extracted from your file. If you look closely, the first few lines of text in the file should match the text (even if you have images set as text) in your flash file, as well as in the search engine results for the .swf. This of course assumes you are not using Flash 8, and used the meta data feature, which I also talked about in my article.

    I hope this helps.

    Quote Originally Posted by animal57
    I really like the point you brought out about using SDK by Macromedia. It is nice to see Macromedia taking the initiative to work with search engines so that all of us Flash developers can feel more comfortable building Flash sites. My question to you is how do I use the SDK tool.

    I downloaded it to my computer and put in to DOS:
    C:\sdk\swf2HTML -o output.HTML intro.swf, but I keep getting an error message, which states the swf2html can not run?

  4. #4
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    proof this stuf works

    Hi all,

    I just ran a test using a position report to check on an older site I created in Flash 5, Boston Subway Maps and saw that it came up on the first page for boston map, boston subway map, MBTA map etc. I also saw that SDK picked up all those terms. I wounder what will happen when I convert this site over to Flash 8, and add in the metadata title and description?

  5. #5
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    Thanks for all the great info on the SDK, not the easiest thing to do. Hopefully it will progress to something with a UI. Anyway, I am having some problems running this thing. When I type in:

    C:\Documents and Settings\Owner>SDK\swf2html -o output.html C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\SDK\Website.swf

    It says "inputFile specified more than once"

    I have tried a number of different things here in regards to chaging the root specification and some other small changes. But I know nothing about DOS, so I'm not sure where to go from here, Any ideas, thanks.

  6. #6
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    SDK Help

    Hi platinum2151,

    I agree with you, the SDK would be much easier if there was a UI to use with it. I wounder if any of those great C++ developers who create Macromedia Extentions might try to build an extention to be used in Flash which would output a file. SDK is an open source code, so a competent person could do this.

    In any case, you might want to try removing the ">" from your string. Try this:

    C:\Documents and Settings\Owner SDK\swf2html -o output.html C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\SDK\Website.swf

    Also, go to your C drive and make sure you do not have a file called output.html with a file size of 0 kb already there.

    Let me know if this works. If not, I would be happy to help you out and run it here at my company, rock coast media.

  7. #7
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    Well, it was a no go. Im not sure what I am doing wrong. I tried what you said plus a number of other things, and I either get what I previously entered, or can't open file. So I'm not sure where to go from here. I have searched online for tutorials or instructions on this thing, to no avail. It should not be hard, setup is easy, so I'm not sure where I'm going wrong. If anyone has a source provideing instructions or a tutorial, or anything on SDK for PC or Linux, please let me know. Thanks for the help thus far, any ore info would be appreciated. Thanks again.

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    SDK Tutorial

    OK, here is exactly what I would do to get your file to work

    1. In the root of your C drive make sure there is no file called test.html
    2. In the C driectory, create a folder and call it "sdk"
    3. Add just the EXE file to that folder
    4. Inside the sdk folder which is inside your C directory, add a new folder and call it test
    5. add your SWF file there, and rename it, XML.swf
    6 Go to start and then run
    7. Enter CMD
    8. Type cd\
    9: Tyepe: C:\sdk\swf2html -o test.html C:\sdk\test\XML.swf
    10. Look in your C drive root, and there should be a file called test.html

    If this still does not work, send me a private message with your email and I will give you my email and run the file for you at Rock Coast Media

  9. #9
    Flash Game Developer mesmerize's Avatar
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    rockcoastmedia, wonderful wonderful read. Helped me a lot. Thanks.

    I used to find adding META description worked very well with google in giving it some content for the embedded .swf

    Lets hope they keep working together.
    David

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    I am glad I could help.

    You might also want to make sure you are using the new meta data in Flash 8. If you don't know how to do this, go to documet properties.

  11. #11
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    Hello,

    Just wanted to let you know I appreciated your article. Very informative read.

    Do you know if it is possible to use the meta tags within the Flash object tag if you are displaying a Flash 7 swf, as oppossed to 8? Thanks!

    Luke

  12. #12
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    Thank you for your complement on my article. I am not sure, but I do not believe that the metadata in Flash 8 can be applied to the flash object tag in Flash 7. However, you can always use XML to power your flash site, and have the XML document read by the search engines.

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    Links are important

    According to a Google article I just read, of the three factors, meta tags, written text within the web page and links to outside resources, the links are a very important determinant of the overall score the page is given by their search engine.

    Does Flash 8 cover all those bases?
    Dave S.
    Creating, the ultimate passion
    www.dittomark.com

  14. #14
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    Page references for ranking

    Here is some info on page ranking by google

    www.google.com/technology

    And another page is

    www.searchnerd.com/pagerank/

    for The Handy Dandy Google Page Rank Figurin' Guide

    Dave
    Dave S.
    Creating, the ultimate passion
    www.dittomark.com

  15. #15
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    Hi Rockcoastmedia,

    Thanks for the advice. I actually do have a site that is completely powered via XML documents. I've been searching all over the web for some information on how to get those XML documents spidered by the search engines but haven't been able to find anything.

    The first issue is how will the search engines even find the XML documents? Do I need to link to them from some sort of sitemap on my HTML page?

    Secondly, once the search engines do spider them will they link directly to the XML document, or will they link to the SWF file that displays it?

    Any insight is greatly appreciated, as I'm having trouble finding much information on the issue.

    Thanks!

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Outshine
    I've been searching all over the web for some information on how to get those XML documents spidered by the search engines but haven't been able to find anything.

    The first issue is how will the search engines even find the XML documents? Do I need to link to them from some sort of sitemap on my HTML page?

    Secondly, once the search engines do spider them will they link directly to the XML document, or will they link to the SWF file that displays it?
    This is exactly the same question I have.

    Once you throw the flashtext.html or flashtext.xml in a directory within your web site, how will Google get to it? It's technically not linked from anywhere else on the web site.

    Does Google crawl EVERY page within a directory or only those that are linked from somewhere else?

    edit- hmmm after doing more research why not just do this at the bottom of your footer include:

    Code:
    <div style="display:none">
    	<a href="/txt/flashtext_home.html">Home</a>
    	<a href="/txt/flashtext_services.html">Services</a>
    	<a href="/txt/flashtext_contact.html">Contact</a>
    </div>
    that way the user won't see it but Google will?
    Last edited by Relaxasaurus; 10-25-2006 at 12:07 PM.

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