Using Flash, Bad for SEO?

Flash is bad if you use it as the full page of your website or to build substantially all of your website. For instance, some sites use Flash as the intro page of the website with virtually no text on the page. That's a no no. Likewise, it's a no-no to have pages that are almost all Flash.

The search engines index text. If all you have is a Flash image, they won't have much text to index, will they? How will anyone find your site in a search for "Cleveland graphic designers" if the only words indexed for your home page are the words "enter site"?

So remove the full-Flash pages from your website, and instead put good keyword-rich text on the pages. Also put text links leading to other pages of your site.

It's usually fine to use Flash on a small portion of your website, such as a Flash movie on a single page or a small Flash graphic. For example, you might use a Flash movie to demonstrate your product or to explain your services.

Just don't overdo it with Flash.

One good way of helping to get around this issue is to detect whether or not a visitor can support Flash and if not provide an alternative text version of the Flash content.

This way the search engine bots will still be able to parse your website for content, plus this will also increase the handicap accessibility to your website (i.e. blind individuals who use software to read webpages to them). All at the same time enabling you to use Flash elements to enhance the the user experience for those who can support it.

But of course always use Flash elements within reason. They should accent and enhance the site, not control and drive it.

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On the same note using a Flash introduction as the homepage is a bad idea considering they are generally annoying to the visitor who just wants to find information and the homepage is always the most popular entry point for a visitor and should contain the best information/content possible aimed at keeping the visitor from leaving.

The caveat to replacing Flash is that if you have a site with multiple pages or dynamic content loaded from a database such as e-commerce or a directory, your additional pages will stay invisible.

You can still place links in your replaced text, but then you will have to create two versions of your site. Developing a "non-flash" version may not be a bad thing if you are doing an all Flash site.

Visitors, especially those with older computers and software - and as Jordon said, those with accessibility needs - may not all be able to view Flash. Which could have huge effects on your success rates.

So, Flash can be used and have some Search Engine Optimization, but is a very complex decision and requires expertise in multiple areas.

The best thing is to evaluate it from a business stand point:

- who is your audience, will they most likely have the technology to view your site?

- is seo important to you and building an audience?

- if you use Flash and turn away visitors, how will this affect your bottom line - will less people convert to buyers, contacts or participation?