How Flash Websites are So So Bad for SEO

By Rugeley Web - June 2008

If I had a pound for every heartbroken individual I have addressed in Rugeley UK that is distraught about the current rankings and search results of the high-spec website they bought for thousands of pounds, I would be considerably richer than I am right now.

This is a corking example of how it acquires more than money to get good search results in this world. Moohla helps, but only if the right heads are behind it. I am not saying that stunning websites that cost an arm and a leg aren't useful. They can serve a very useful purpose for many types of businesses. But what if you're a business that depends upon something that people would use the web to find, like a web designer or an SEO expert, then you couldn't afford to throw away your hard earned cash on a flash and fancy website that gets you abosultly no where. And there's no need when you have Rugeley Web.

Alright, I will get to the point? Here's 4 Reasons that a flash website can be So So bad for SEO:

1. It takes a hell of a lot of big images and web graphics to make a website flash. Flash websites are usually ladened with fancy images, that's what makes them look so flash. The problem is, search engine crawlers (Google Bots) can not get data out of images or graphics, so it's like having a big bad, expensive, white space of a website. The equivalent of having an Aston Martin but without having any fuel.

2. It acquires a lot of Javascript and Flash Coding to make a website flash. All the ever-changing movement on a really flash website is built using well, Flash and /or Javascript code. This computer code can hinder not only website usability but also search rankings. Search engines just can't read Flash or Javascript, and specific studies show that people find too much of it annoying. Unless your visitors are gamers, they are likely more information hungry than anything.

3. Flash websites have no text. The designer look of most fancy websites is achieved by using massive amounts of images, plenty of code and virtually no text. Text isn't flash, and it sure isn't fancy. Designers of flash websites are usually very accomplished and great at what they do. I will go out on a limb here, chances are these flash web designers couldn't give "Two Hoots about the text on your website. This is a big problem for those trying to achieve top rankings on Google,Yahoo, and other search engines though because text is the way that search engines find you. Not to mention, people are usually hungry for information, not a bunch of flash images.

4. Flash websites use fancy navigation. Most flash websites use fancy navigation based in Flash or Javascript rather than keyword text. This is a massive mistake because search engine crawlers and spiders determine the relevancy of your website by the text links within it. If you don't have a strong showing of text links in your navigation, your giving up alot in terms of search engine optimization for a flash, website design.