Go Ahead, Build it in Flash

Sunday, October 8th, 2006

Roger Johansson recently wrote about “Full Flash websites and SEO” pointing to the “Flash Website Flowchart” as a tongue in cheek reason for why you shouldn’t do it. I say, go ahead! Build it in Flash! Be my guest! Why bother wasting your energy trying to point out the obvious drawbacks when your client will come back to you shortly after launch and say something like “uhmm… so how do I get on Google?” anyway? I mean really, for the most part, buidling an entire site in Flash is like throwing a huge animated GIF online as your website, or maybe a PDF (since I’ve heard that Google can now read the contents of SWFs). But seriously, Flash builders will argue till they’re blue in the face about how you should build a whole site in Flash. My philosophy is “everything in moderation”. I believe Flash has it’s place, just like JavaScript has it’s place, and PDFs have theirs. But if you go full bore Flash, well, be ready to deal with the issues that come up, like “why can’t I find my site on Google?”

Just my 2 cents.

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4 Comments

franky says:
October 8th, 2006 at 2:56 pm
But hey, at least no issues with IE! ;-)
Actually I might publish my next site as a 14MB pdf. Google can read it anyway.
Luke says:
October 8th, 2006 at 6:23 pm
Dude! This is awesome! I always thought that All-Flash websites are annoying as hell because of the loading screens, inability to link to specific sections, accessibility issues and all that. But all those things are simply end-user issues.

But SEO is the one thing that really hits the company where it hurts, and it has nothing to do with whiny, annoying users. :)

Thanks for posting this.

Btw, Google can read PDF’s without much problems and transcribe it for you. Note how almost all PDF links in your page have View as HTML option.

Here is how you make PDF file unreadable to Google:

1. print it out
2. crumple the paper into a ball, dip it in water and smear it with grease (to throw of OCR)
3. scan it in as PDF
4. post it on the web

This is actually a standard procedure at many companies I visited. People are actually quite amazed when I tell them you can simply convert their documents to PDF’s using Distiller or one of the 500 free utilities avaliable on the makret.
Terminally Incoherent » Blog Archive » All-Flash Website Flowchart says:
October 8th, 2006 at 6:42 pm
[...] I found this awesome flowchart via Ara Phelvians blog. He gets the full credit of finding this gem. tags: web design, flash, flash website, seo, google, page rank [...]
jon deal says:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:39 am
The design firm where I work is currently re-branding/rebuilding our site. We are moving from nice (though somewhat boring) HTML/PHP/JS site to a horrible, horrible hybrid Flash/drupal monster. (mostly flash, I fear)

All because these guys all come from print backgrounds and can’t wrap their heads around the paucity of font choices.

I have tried, stomped my feet, wept, and begged that we maintain some semblance of web standards and finally they just stopped inviting me to the “re-branding meetings” because we “tech guys” (I’m a lowly SysAdmin) just don’t get it.

But when the Creative Director/Owner sees that we no longer get ANY organic search hits on our site… I guess I know what I can point to.

Sorry… this was long.. just had to get it off my chest.