Macromedia patch sheds light on flash based sites

Traditionally websites with Flash files have been a complete no-no in terms of search engine optimisation. Spiders are unable to read the Flash files (.SWF), making them all but invisible to the engines and also causing various accessibility issues. This is set to change as of last month, with Macromedia introducing Flash search engine SDK. Designed to be incorporated into existing or new search engine code, the patch will allow search engines to view a flash file as a standard html page.

It is still too early to tell whether this development will solve all the issues involved with Flash sites and search engine marketing or web accessibility. It is a step in the right direction, though it will be a long time before SEO’s will actively recommend using Flash.

Related articles:
‘Search Engines Can See The Movies - Macromedia FLASH’
http://www.webpronews.com/ebusiness/seo/wpn-4-20040923SearchEnginesCanSeetheMoviesMacromediaFLASHSDK.html

‘Getting Flash sites ranked in search engines’
http://www.webpronews.com/ebusiness/seo/wpn-4-20040927GettingFlashSitesRankedinSearchEngines.html

30/10/2004

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