Search Strategies for Rich Internet ApplicationsPresented by:

Damien Bianchi ~ @DamoBRegional Director of Client Strategywww.GlobalStrategies.com

About Me

• Global Strategies International (GSI)• Enterprise Search Marketing Agency

• What I Do:• Consult with Enterprise-level Search Marketing Programs• Spent 6+ years as a Flash Developer & Flash Dev Manager

• Follow Me At:• @DamoB

My Work With Adobe• Adobe’s New SEO Technology Center - www.adobe.com/go/seo

• How To Factor Search Into Your Interactive Strategy• How To Establish Search-Related Goals• How To Provide Alternative HTML Content for Search Engines• Code Samples and Examples• Importance of Unique URLs• Design and Animation Recommendations• How To Create XML SiteMaps• Other Helpful Tips

Uh Oh!... Flash & Search…

• They don’t play well together, right?• Many opinions out there & Different techniques• Sure, it works if you enable:

Flux Capacitor + Christmas Lights + A Full Moon

What We Know

• Dynamic content does not consistently get indexed.• Google does not index “deep links” within SWF applications

(# marked URLs)• It’s not just a Flash Challenge – indexing dynamic content is an

issue with other technologies (AJAX, Curl, JavaFX, Silverlight, etc.)• New Adobe Flash Player For Search Engines is a step in the right

direction.

Deep Linking Is Not There Yet

One URL – multiple pieces of content Common Solution is to add # for deep linking

Great! So….What Are We Supposed To Do?

• This conversation tends to focus on the “accessibility” aspect of providing Search Engines with content they can understand.

• Now that we know the challenges, you still need strategy…

• Lets say you have answered YES to the following:

Flash Is a Must-Have For My Site

My Flash Site MUST Rank In Search Engines+

What’s Your Strategy?

• The fundamentals don’t change…• Always start with your business objectives:

• You want to increase awareness of your products, solutions, or services

• You are targeting a new audience that is not familiar with you• You want to take down your competition

• Apply that to your web site objectives:• Flash is the medium that will give your audience the best branded

experience• Must drive traffic to the important PLPs• 10 Business-Critical Keywords = Rank in the Top 5 • Push your competition off of the SERPs

Applying the Strategy with a Flash site

Search Goals

1 - Drive traffic to the important PLPs2 - Rank in the Top 5 for 10 Business-Critical Keywords

Site Architecture Decision = Must Establish 10 Unique HTML URLs

Applying the Strategy with a Flash siteOne SWF for

Entire Site

HTML URL #1

SWF shows content for

Keyword #1

FlashVars = Show State #1

HTML URL #10

SWF shows content for

Keyword #10

FlashVars = Show State #10

HTML Text <no script> HTML Text <no script>

Disney World is heavy Flash but…

Easy to navigate to all the inner pages

SWF Content

What the Search Engine Sees

Testing Is Easy

• Turn off Javascript to test out your PLPs• Firefox Plugin – Web Developer Tool

Use XML data source for BOTH the HTML and the Flash content.

Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) can be used to alter the format of XML data, either into HTML or other formats that are suitable for a browser to display.

Makes for easy maintenance and accuracy of content

Easy Content Maintenance

XML + XSLT = HTML

XMLSWF

HTML

Visual Site Maps

HTML Site Maps

XML Site Map - example

Process

To set up an individual Google site map requires the following:1. Google Webmaster Tools account2. List of pages on domain (or directory)3. XML document of list (Sitemap Protocol 0.9) uploaded to

root directory4. Verification code (to ensure site owner is approving site

map)

Search and Flash Nirvana

HTML

SWF

HTML

SWF

HTML

SWF

HTML

SWF

HTML

SWF

HTML

SWF

HTML

SWF

HTML

SWF

HTML

SWF

HTML

SWF

10 Unique URLs (1 for each Keyword)

XML SiteMapPoints the

Engine to your Unique URLs

1 - Unique URLs = Get Indexed, Link Building2 - Content to crawl3 - Keeps the Flash functionality and interactivity

Applying the Strategy with a Flash site

• Organizational Tips: The Planning• In-House Flash Developers or Agencies – make sure they are

up to speed with best practices • Search should ALWAYS be a part of the project “scope”• Ensure that your Developers are part of the initial planning

stages and avoid oversimplifying the IA decisions like this:

FLASH CONTENT

Applying the Strategy with a Flash site

• Organizational Tips: The Production Cycle• Developers should apply the best practices• Designers and Content creators should be on the same page

regarding the Search Goals• Make strategic design decisions. Don’t “overdesign” the

animation and transition effects between the PLPs since the browser will have to reload the SWF

• Save this for the content you don’t care about ranking for.

Resources• Adobe’s New SEO Technology Center - www.adobe.com/go/seo

• How To Factor Search Into Your Interactive Strategy• How To Establish Search-Related Goals• How To Provide Alternative HTML Content for Search Engines• Code Samples and Examples• Importance of Unique URLs• Design and Animation Recommendations• How To Create XML SiteMaps• Other Helpful Tips

Next Steps

• Follow @DamoBRegional Director of Client Strategy• 10+ Years Enterprise Marketing

• Visit our Web site: www.GlobalStrategies.com

• Twitter: http://twitter.com/DamoB

Thank You!