Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings

cmo140 · 09-15-2010, 02:12 PM

If I switch my website over to a flash, will that hurt my rankings in the serps?

Loren Woirhaye · 09-15-2010, 02:15 PM

yes. probably. You can use meta tags and things, but
SE's cannot read flash content or know what it's about.

Caleb Spilchen · 09-15-2010, 02:29 PM

YES..

Flash is not indexable by Google... They index HTML pages, and text, not flash.

Caleb

jewin · 09-15-2010, 02:32 PM

I would worry more about page load times and how flash will affect your bounce rate. I'd skip the flash...

Loren Woirhaye · 09-15-2010, 02:49 PM

Flash can be super-cool. Check out this site, which loads very
fast and makes a powerful point about the business:

Branding Company Corporate Branding Internet Brand Identity Marketing Company

Try view source on that flash page and you'll see how it's optimized -
it's well done all around.

BillLudwig · 09-15-2010, 02:50 PM

Google does indeed index flash websites and with work they can rank quite well. Getting ranked with a flash website is much more difficult though and takes extra work. That said there are dozens of reasons why making a flash website is a bad idea but getting indexed in Google isn't one of them.

GameVoid · 09-15-2010, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loren Woirhaye

Try view source on that flash page and you'll see how it's optimized -
it's well done all around.

They took a bunch of text that WOULD be indexed by google and hid it from the viewer on the page. That gives them the advantage of both flash for User Experience and text for SEO.

I had heard though that google doesn't like text hidden that way, but that could just be another one of those Google myths.

cmo140 · 09-15-2010, 02:55 PM

I built my site and its pretty nice, but I see there are alot of templates out there that are pretty cheap and blow my away. What would you suggest of type to upgrade to. Of Course I want to keep my indexed pages.
Styles are jquery, html and css, what do you suggest and do you know any good template sites, looking at the most to spend about 100. I also have a prestashop install on the site.

Loren Woirhaye · 09-15-2010, 03:06 PM

If the site takes a long time to load because of the Flash, that's
a problem for SEO.

Whether Google penalized sites for having flash elements with
hidden text I don't know. I think Metatags for flash sites are
probably a good idea, but stuffing hidden content behind the
flash or whatever might be bad.

Justin Jordan · 09-15-2010, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmo140

If I switch my website over to a flash, will that hurt my rankings in the serps?

Beyond that, bear in mind a certain number of people will be turned off by flash. There are, for instance, a lot of flashblick add ons for browser, and if I click on a site that is just flash, I am likely to click elsewhere.

So you should probably ask yourself whether you actually need flash, and whether it will help or hurt your site. These days, quite a lot of people prefer to just get to whatever without a bunch of fancy crap getting in the way and slowing down their computers.

yukon · 09-15-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loren Woirhaye

Flash can be super-cool. Check out this site, which loads very
fast and makes a powerful point about the business:

Branding Company Corporate Branding Internet Brand Identity Marketing Company

Try view source on that flash page and you'll see how it's optimized -
it's well done all around.

LOL, at all that hidden text!

Branding Company Corporate Branding Internet Brand Identity Marketing Company

cmo140 · 09-15-2010, 09:00 PM

I am looking at template, that only the headers are flash not the rest, will that hurt me?

nettech · 09-15-2010, 09:57 PM

If your site is developed so that you drive the majority of your traffic from SE's then I wouldn't touch Flash with a barge pole. If you HAVE to use it then there is no harm in adding some elements of Flash within the site, just don't completely convert it over. Chances are and from my experience, it WILL hurt your rankings!

cmo140 · 09-15-2010, 10:16 PM

how will a flash header hurt my ranking. I will have the same content with tags and everything. I get my traffic from backlinking anyway. I am ranked for words that are not even on my site.

cbpayne · 09-15-2010, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmo140

If I switch my website over to a flash, will that hurt my rankings in the serps?

I hope it does. Flash sucks and I do not want flash sites in my search results.

hearme · 09-16-2010, 12:18 AM

Well flash is not a good option if you want better ranking in search engine but their are some ways you can do the on page optimization . Do google it.

cmo140 · 09-16-2010, 08:33 AM

I am already ranked because of my backlinking not my content, also how would one flash header change my ranking.

09-15-2010, 02:12 PM	#1
cmo140 HyperActive Warrior Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 266 Thanks: 19 Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts	Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings If I switch my website over to a flash, will that hurt my rankings in the serps?

09-15-2010, 02:15 PM	#2
Loren Woirhaye Who'm I kidding? War Room Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Easthampton, Massachusetts Posts: 4,554 Blog Entries: 15 Thanks: 118 Thanked 921 Times in 659 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings yes. probably. You can use meta tags and things, but SE's cannot read flash content or know what it's about.
	HOT! $25,000,000/yr Copywriter's Secret Book—FREE! \| The "Automated Free Traffic Formula" ArticleBot Secrets Revealed! Breakthrough Marketing Blog (+ goodies) CopyWriting Services

09-15-2010, 02:29 PM	#3
Caleb Spilchen Unique Marketer War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,861 Blog Entries: 3 Thanks: 904 Thanked 776 Times in 483 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings YES.. Flash is not indexable by Google... They index HTML pages, and text, not flash. Caleb
	-- Caleb Spilchen

09-15-2010, 02:32 PM	#4
jewin HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: MD Posts: 168 Thanks: 36 Thanked 24 Times in 20 Posts	Re: Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings I would worry more about page load times and how flash will affect your bounce rate. I'd skip the flash...
	JoshEwin.com - Marketing & Success Blog. Earn up to 125% Rev Share with DedicatedDollars Is Your Website Secure? Find Out at HostingArmor.com Web hosting uptime ratings & coupons

09-15-2010, 02:49 PM	#5
Loren Woirhaye Who'm I kidding? War Room Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Easthampton, Massachusetts Posts: 4,554 Blog Entries: 15 Thanks: 118 Thanked 921 Times in 659 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings Flash can be super-cool. Check out this site, which loads very fast and makes a powerful point about the business: Branding Company Corporate Branding Internet Brand Identity Marketing Company Try view source on that flash page and you'll see how it's optimized - it's well done all around.
	HOT! $25,000,000/yr Copywriter's Secret Book—FREE! \| The "Automated Free Traffic Formula" ArticleBot Secrets Revealed! Breakthrough Marketing Blog (+ goodies) CopyWriting Services

09-15-2010, 02:50 PM	#6
BillLudwig Warrior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 22 Thanks: 6 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Social Networking	Re: Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings Google does indeed index flash websites and with work they can rank quite well. Getting ranked with a flash website is much more difficult though and takes extra work. That said there are dozens of reasons why making a flash website is a bad idea but getting indexed in Google isn't one of them.

09-15-2010, 02:55 PM	#8
cmo140 HyperActive Warrior Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 266 Thanks: 19 Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings I built my site and its pretty nice, but I see there are alot of templates out there that are pretty cheap and blow my away. What would you suggest of type to upgrade to. Of Course I want to keep my indexed pages. Styles are jquery, html and css, what do you suggest and do you know any good template sites, looking at the most to spend about 100. I also have a prestashop install on the site.

09-15-2010, 03:06 PM	#9
Loren Woirhaye Who'm I kidding? War Room Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Easthampton, Massachusetts Posts: 4,554 Blog Entries: 15 Thanks: 118 Thanked 921 Times in 659 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings If the site takes a long time to load because of the Flash, that's a problem for SEO. Whether Google penalized sites for having flash elements with hidden text I don't know. I think Metatags for flash sites are probably a good idea, but stuffing hidden content behind the flash or whatever might be bad.
	HOT! $25,000,000/yr Copywriter's Secret Book—FREE! \| The "Automated Free Traffic Formula" ArticleBot Secrets Revealed! Breakthrough Marketing Blog (+ goodies) CopyWriting Services

09-15-2010, 09:00 PM	#12
cmo140 HyperActive Warrior Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 266 Thanks: 19 Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings I am looking at template, that only the headers are flash not the rest, will that hurt me?

09-15-2010, 09:57 PM	#13
nettech AdSense Crazy Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: London, United Kingdom & one day Dubai (UAE) Posts: 731 Thanks: 86 Thanked 81 Times in 71 Posts	Re: Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings If your site is developed so that you drive the majority of your traffic from SE's then I wouldn't touch Flash with a barge pole. If you HAVE to use it then there is no harm in adding some elements of Flash within the site, just don't completely convert it over. Chances are and from my experience, it WILL hurt your rankings!
	Thanks Zaheer

09-15-2010, 10:16 PM	#14
cmo140 HyperActive Warrior Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 266 Thanks: 19 Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings how will a flash header hurt my ranking. I will have the same content with tags and everything. I get my traffic from backlinking anyway. I am ranked for words that are not even on my site.

09-16-2010, 12:18 AM	#16
hearme Hear me CLear Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Washington Posts: 124 Thanks: 12 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Contact Info	Re: Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings Well flash is not a good option if you want better ranking in search engine but their are some ways you can do the on page optimization . Do google it.
	Technology Blog cheap laptops Wireless Headsets Medical billing Software review

09-16-2010, 08:33 AM	#17
cmo140 HyperActive Warrior Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 266 Thanks: 19 Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Switching to Flash, will that hurt my rankings I am already ranked because of my backlinking not my content, also how would one flash header change my ranking.