Google Now Reads Flash Files

[Garrett]

While Google's inclusion of Flash files in their index is not new, their ability to read the binary in the files themselves appears to be.

To see the flash file content in the search results, search for "help filetype:swf (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=help+filetype%3Aswf&btnG=Google+Search)".

The snippets from the results appear to have been taken from within Flash files:
0% LOADING 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% ...
Loading. Please wait. SKIP BACK Intuitive Intuitive Friendly ...

If you're still not convinced try this search: "Kingdom Ceramics enter (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=on&c2coff=1&q=Kingdom+Ceramics+enter)" and look at the 5th listing (as of 4-27). Now compare the text from the Google snippet:

0% LOADING 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 70% ... Enter Virtual Tour Enter Exhibition (Exit Virtual Tour) "Welcome to the Kingdom Ceramics Virtual Tour!" "How may I help you today?" "Please show me the...

...to the text in the site's Flash file.

I've contacted Google to find out when this went into place and see if there are any official announcements regarding the reading of Flash files.

So, for all you Flash designers out there, it's time to start (http://www.webpronews.com/authors/sharithurow.html) learning (http://www.webpronews.com/authors/danthies.html) some (http://www.webpronews.com/authors/jimhedger.html) SEO (http://www.webpronews.com/authors/andybeal.html).

This news comes from the Cre8asite (http://www.cre8asiteforums.com/) forum by way of SEORoundTable (http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/000374.html).

[flood6]

Not to mention the little [FLASH] tag next to the snippet. Similar to the [PDF] tag.

Wow, this is huge. I'm suprised we haven't heard more about this.

[hawkwind dave]

This is realy quite interesting, does anybodt know how to optimise flash sites, or is it a case of replacing "5%...10%...15%...20%" with "dog...dog bowls...dog bowls and...dog bowls and dishes"?

[flashedit]

This is great! I wonder how far behind, Yahoo! search is or if they have even started on something like this?

Another way to tell is it gives the file format under the link.

File Format: Shockwave Flash

I can't wait to hear more about this!

[synergytheory]

That is damn cool. There goes the flash haters bread and butter gripe.

It obviously looks fairly new, hopefully they will improve on it.

[flashfast]

I must be in a time warp here. Google has been able, as far as I know, to extract textural content from flash files for well over a year. I also stated this in a forum weeks ago, when there was a strong opinion that flash was dying due to non compliance. Perhaps they've just implemented it's practise within their search results? That sounds what u r saying.

I first optimised for google in flash over a year ago.

How it is done? I'm not quite sure of the algorythmic math, but proceduraly within flash it is quite simple. On the timeline, within the movie, make sure any text u use is not broken apart (turned into a vector graphics). Also use standard web fonts, though this severely hinders design (as most flashers know, using a fancy font design means you have to 'break apart' the font so it can be seen on other computers, but gives a better look).

The only problem as far as I can see is the repetitive words a Google search finds. This seems to happen if the font is animated (moved across the stage), and each cell frame instance generates it's own word, over and over in the Google results. The viewer might see the word Flash floating across their screen, but Google will find Flash Flash Falsh Falsh Flash etc. I'm not sure if they'll fix this annoying aspect due to macromedia security concerns which are quite valid within themselves (if they 'complied' on the many levels thay are asked to, flash could turn into a virus factory). I also doubt that many people will be led to click on a result that is just one word ad infinitum, unless developers are allowed to add hidden keywords that are not animated. Who knows?

[clint317]

I'm not moved or excited about this at all. Who really searches for results using filetype:swf or anything like that? What average consumer do you know of?

And besides, the return is a link to the swf file itself and not the html page it resides. So the swf is expanded in the browser and all distorted.

If Google can return results of text in swf files and the html page it's embedded from thier "normal" search, I'd be impressed. Other wise, this doesn't help me out at all.

[TheWebDoctor(tm)]

OK Garrett,
I pulled up and looked at the source of a flash file.


 "g3 0 (Sys
 g_ 0 (_
 #g= 0 (Syst
 g_ 0 (_
 %o10 (Syste
 g_ 0 (_
 &oq0 (System
 g_ 0 (_
 'oY0 (Systems
 g_ 0 (_
 'oY0 (Systems
 g_ 0 (_
 (oM0 (Systems


If you call that useful I'd like to know what isn't useful.

Now, the source code above is from a Flash MX swf file. Flash Player 6 presents the information. This has been done since Flash MX came out, but still it's junk.

There are people that say that Flash MX is accessible to the disabled. Well, la-de-da. You show me a person that can understand that garbage. For Flash to be accessible all the animation must be removed. So, who wants to do a Flash presentation if it can't be animated and have text flying across the screen?

And now you're going to tell me that Flash is going to stand up against a properly designed page using proper HTML, XHTML and CSS coding?

And as Clint317 pointed out, who in their right mind would be looking for text inside an SWF file? They want information that can be found through normal searches like "web design company". Google hasn't been able to join framed pages; so what makes anyone think Google can join SWF files with their parent HTML file? Do the first and I might believe they can do the second.

Flash files will never be as highly optimized as standard web page.

[flashfast]

'For Flash to be accessible all the animation must be removed.'

This is a narrow and limited view because flash programmers can easily optimize for google, and I'm sure u will be seeing an increase in optimization soon. There is absolutely no reason to remove any animation from the flash file- just move it along a few frames, or into another scene.

Firstly, many flashers use what are called pre-loaders, so the slow connected user can view the % of file loaded. I noticed that google's results have many preloaders, and not the main swf file. Google reads the first text within the the flash files. So, to optimize i would just place keywords, phrases e.g "Harry Potter books now on sale at Amazon. Please wait while the movie loads..." in the preloader. Very simple. Also remember that many broadband users wont even see the preloader...but Google will.

And it doesnt have to be a preloader - maybe one frame with all the phrases and words u want to appear in Google - which may not be seen by the public. of course this may be open to abuse, but I think for the short term optimisation can be used wisely.

Also, why can't a flash file contain releveant links back to html with keywords and phrases to the results the searcher is interested in? This is something new to consider when developing flash, and i think it is great.

And, to go further, I would suggest that this is now a reason to use flash even more.

[Kevnn]

I hope this is just a start. Flash offers so much, but I would bet that we are a long way from anything we do in Flash being given any relevance by the search engines. It would be too easy to create Flash pages and ads with text and links embedded inside that was never displayed.

While the search engines may have found a way to discredit text hidden that uses the same background color of the page, are the spiders reading Flash files smart enough to know that text in Flash is not necessarily ever shown on the screen? My guess is they are not yet, and for this and other reasons I doubt that anything in a Flash file will help much in the way of SEO yet. But, every little bit helps and I will be sure and begin making sure that my Flash work takes full advantage of this capability.

I still won't suggest sites being built using just Flash, but it might change my mind on some things I do for my clients if text is readily spidered and SEO friendly now.

[cooper]

I'm not moved or excited about this at all. Who really searches for results using filetype:swf or anything like that? What average consumer do you know of?

And besides, the return is a link to the swf file itself and not the html page it resides. So the swf is expanded in the browser and all distorted.

If Google can return results of text in swf files and the html page it's embedded from thier "normal" search, I'd be impressed. Other wise, this doesn't help me out at all.

<SPECULATION>
I think the reason they haven't publicized this ability is precisely because it isn't perfected yet. They may be releasing it, as it is right now, so we web developers, the people that look for things like this, can optimize our sites that contain Flash media for future inclusion and higher rankings in the Google results. Assuming they aren't already doing this of course.
</SPECULATION>

<FACT>
Google has always been an industry leader and is constantly improving its services and the quality of those services.
</FACT>

To think that this is the end result is being too narrow minded and short-sighted. This is exciting because the CONTENT within the swf files can finally be considered when doing search engine optimization. And that will improve the overall quality of the search results for the average consumer. Try to look at it beyond what it can do for you right now.


... many flashers use what are called pre-loaders, so the slow connected user can view the % of file loaded. I noticed that google's results have many preloaders, and not the main swf file. Google reads the first text within the the flash files. So, to optimize i would just place keywords, phrases e.g "Harry Potter books now on sale at Amazon. Please wait while the movie loads..." in the preloader...
Yet another reason to use pure ActionScript for your preloader.


And it doesnt have to be a preloader - maybe one frame with all the phrases and words u want to appear in Google - which may not be seen by the public. of course this may be open to abuse, but I think for the short term optimisation can be used wisely.
...
And, to go further, I would suggest that this is now a reason to use flash even more.
AMEN!

[jomariet]

As a user I hate flash websites. With very few recreational exceptions I want to go to a site, extract info quickly and move on with life.

As long as flash sites were not SEOable my internet experience has been preserved.

[flashfast]

clint317 wrote:

'I'm not moved or excited about this at all. Who really searches for results using filetype:swf or anything like that? What average consumer do you know of? '

There are hordes of em! :) Flash files are indeed searched for and sought after. I should know- i am a flash mad collector myself (mostly animated movies). I have also long-planned for a flash components section of my site to take advantage of the growing amount of people wanting flash content that arrive there due to it's having flash in the name. And a lot of flash content it is not solely for the web, but used for video, film production, applications, presentations etc. I know flash is indeed searched for - my site statistics can attest to that.

[Nuno]

great article.. end result ?? everybody got their own opinion,,

and i've got mine

what it seems to me is that .. flash lovers out there are getting rejoyced and striving for arguments to support , for those that sticked to the basics and droped flash or went other ways its just a question of luck .. jeaulosly? or just the future of programmin

So far from my experience ( not too great but learnin) what it sucks with flash is that if you need to copy something .. forget it ( unless you grab a great flash decompiler.. still you would need to download and decompose .. how many out there are doing this ???. a hand full probably.

Even if Google gets it ... ( seems like reading in fine print over a bowl full of water .. now you see it now you don't ..

attaching keywords and content to a flash site ? then why does one bother to flash the all thing then ?

i think the closer your programing language gets to the original thing the better .. Natural search optimization.