Furthermore, even if a search engine could figure out how to interpret a Flash file or AJAX application
adequately, parsing and indexing its pertinent content, there would be no way to navigate to that particular
part of the application using a URL. Therefore, because the primary goal of a search engine is
to provide relevant results to a user, a search engine will be hesitant to rank content in those media
well. Lastly, both Flash and AJAX would invite several more innovative and harder-to-detect forms
of spam.
The Blended Approach
But before you assume that we vilify Flash and AJAX completely, there is somewhat of a solution. A site
designer should only use Flash and AJAX for the areas of the site that require it. This is called the blended
approach. He or she should design an HTML-based site, and employ Flash and AJAX technologies where
they will provide a tangible benefit to the user. He or she should attempt to keep as much of the textual
content HTML-based as possible.
Frequently, a mix of HTML and JavaScript (DHTML) can also approximate most of the interactivity of
these technologies. For example, clicking a button could hide or unhide an HTML div element. This will
involve employing the use of smaller Flash or AJAX elements placed inside a traditional HTML layout.
In other words, you should use Flash and AJAX as elements on a page, not as the page itself.
Some SEM authorities also recommend providing a non-Flash or AJAX version of content using
or <noscript>, respectively. Unfortunately, because those tags are invisible (and have</span><br><span style="font-style: italic;">been used so pervasively for spam), their efficacy is questionable. Search engines may choose to ignore</span><br><span style="font-style: italic;">the content therein completely. They may, however, enhance usability for users with disabilities, so it is</span><br><span style="font-style: italic;">not unwise to employ them for that purpose.</span><br><span style="font-style: italic;">This solution also misses the mark for another reason — a typical Flash or AJAX site exists on a single</span><br><span style="font-style: italic;">“page,” therefore further limiting the utility of the tag, because all content would presumably have to</span><br><span style="font-style: italic;">exist on that one page!</span><br><span style="font-style: italic;">Figure 6-15 shows an image of a site that looks like a full Flash application, but was changed to HTML</span><br><span style="font-style: italic;">with DHTML and hidden layers. The presented link is http://www.xactcommunication.com/</span><br><span style="font-style: italic;">WristLinx-9/X33XIF-WristLinx-TwoWay-Wristwatch-Radio-35.html</span><br>