Search Engine Marketing | Do Flash Sites Measure Up?
By Linda Sevier
Most web site development companies have tools that they prefer to work with and languages they prefer to code in. We become comfortable over time with what we feel works best for our customers and for ourselves. Since the focus of my business is Internet Marketing (or Search Engine Marketing), I tend to develop web sites that can be search engine optimized to the fullest.
Organic search engine optimization is a passion of mine. So, I find myself a bit frazzled when I see a company selling web sites built totally in Flash. Don't get me wrong, Flash is a nice tool and can turn out some impressive looking web sites. But, do the companies that sell full Flash web sites to their clients do so because they like working with Flash? Do they feel it is better to have a beautiful web site than one that will rank well organically? Or, do they know something that I don't know about optimizing Flash sites?
A fully Flash web site in my mind is one that has no content other than what resides in the Flash files (.swf). It contains Flash navigation, all text is part of the Flash file and does not use HTML landing pages or a blog. Many successful sites embed pieces of FLash content to add visual interest. I am sure that some have built a Flash site and supplemented it with landing pages and a blog to keep it fresh and ranked organically.
Second, in my opinion, a web site that cannot be maintained by the client makes it difficult for them to implement an Internet Marketing Plan. Fresh, optimized content is the key. If an outside designer is needed to update title tags, description tags or add new pages the site will not become an effective marketing tool. Although it was the norm for many years to hire a web site designer to maintain the company web site, content management systems have become necessary and more desirable.
With these two things in mind, I struggle with believing that a company who builds a full Flash site for a client has their Search Engine Marketing needs in mind. I have had a number of Flash developers argue the point with me. They sight the fact that some advances have been made by the search engines that allow them to read Flash files. Some point out that an HTML version of the site can be used to submit to the search engines or XML copies of the site can be created. I remain unconvinced. If a second copy exists how are they kept in sync without a huge development budget. I assume that you would want all versions to have the same content. If the intention is to submit a version to the search engines and serve up a different, less up to date Flash version to the visitors, that seems a bit silly and black hat to me. Is a Flash web site so appealing to the eye that companies are willing to pay for the high cost of development and upkeep? Or, does the customer not understand that the site will not rank well organically if it is not search engine optimized and appealing from a content perspective? Is it worth adding pay per click costs on top of the development costs in order to draw visitors?
I have researched this topic on a regular basis for many years and have not found convincing evidence that a Flash web site (as stated above) can compete with an HTML site for organic ranking. So, I am challenging any one who believes that have done so to comment here. If you have created a fully Flash web site that ranks well and competes head to head with HTML sites for a set of keywords, please comment. I am not trying to get you to reveal your secret but would appreciate some proof. I am genuinely interested in knowing if it is possible and I am sure I am not alone. Please send me a link so I can analyze the site. If you believe as I do that a Flash site is not the best choice from an Internet Marketing perspective, please comment as well. I will continue to gather information and will post on this topic again.