Hi there,
First of all, be aware that Google does not index the content of Flash
files. So, if someone searched for "california pizza acrylic", a
phrase that appears within the Flash content of your site, your site
won't appear in the results.
://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22california+pizza+acrylic%22
However, Google does have Flash sites appearing in search results.
Here is a random example I found:
Muffin Films
http://www.muffinfilms.com/
If you search for "Muffin Films" using Google, their Flash homepage
appears in the #1 position:
://www.google.com/search?q=muffin+films
They have been included primarily because other sites have linked to
them. Here are important techniques that are worth doing:
Get Links
---------
Muffin Films has many links pointing to their site:
://www.google.com/search?q=link:http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Emuffinfilms%2Ecom%2F
One of the most important links you can get is from Google Directory,
a place where Muffin Films are listed:
http://directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Multimedia/Flash_and_Shockwave/Animations/?il=1
To get listed, I suggest going to this category at Open Directory (the
source of Google Directory), and clicking on the "Add URL" link at the
top of the page:
http://dmoz.org/Arts/Visual_Arts/Personal_Pages/P/
It can take anywhere between a few days and several months before your
site is listed.
Otherwise, getting links to your site is one of the most difficult
webmaster tasks there is. A good plan is to investigate as many
similar sites to yours as you can (use the above directory) and see
where they are getting their links from. This can be achieved by
installing the Google ToolBar and using the Backward Links function of
the Page Info button.
http://toolbar.google.com
http://toolbar.google.com/button_help.html
Because Google will not be judging your website on any content
contained within the Flash files, you need to pay extra attention to
the other ranking criteria Google uses. One of these is link text.
Google looks at the words used in and around a link to your site, and
these count in search results. So it is preferable that links and
directory listings use the phrase "Claire Prussian".
Titles
------
Google will index the title of your page, and how you have it on your
homepage is fine:
<title>Welcome to Claire Prussian's House</title>
The title tag is a very, very valuable place to describe a page's
content. Unlike the meta tags, the title is visible in a web browser,
and more likely to genuinely reflect the content of the page.
Consequently Google places quite a lot of importance on the words
within the title. Make sure the title of each page in your site is
different from the other, and try to make it between 2 and 10 words
long, describing what appears on the page.
Descriptions and Keywords
-------------------------
These are the Meta tags that appear in the <head> section of the HTML
of each page in your site. Ordinarily Google pays scant attention to
these, because so many webmasters fill them with keywords that are
unrelated to the content of their site.
Because you have so few ways to indicate your site's content to
Google, make sure you put some effort into describing each page using
these tags. Try to make the description and keywords of each page
different, at least partially so.
The description will appear in Google search results, so keep in mind
that searchers will see it, and may base their decision to visit your
site on how it reads.
Domain Name and File Names
--------------------------
Google also pays some attention to the URL of the pages in your site.
You have your own name as a .com, so that is excellent. Make sure that
any files within your site have meaningful names. For example,
gxc.html would be of more use to search engines if it were named
group-exhibitions-chicago.html
Include plain text content
--------------------------
Google can index the text on pages like this:
http://claireprussian.com/awards.html
Although Google can follow links within Flash files, it is best to
make sure Google indexes any pages which contain plain text by
submitting them individually.
The more information that appears on such pages in plain text, the
higher your chances of being found via Google search results. More
words = matching more search queries.
Keywords
--------
I have made the assumption that you wish to be found via Google
searches for "Claire Prussian". With your name being so unusual, a #1
ranking would be expected. If there is a word of phrase you would
prefer to be found under, use that instead of "Claire Prussian" in
everything you do - site name, page title, link text, file names and
Open Directory submission. Just be aware that if the word of phrase is
more common than your name, you might not be able to achieve a #1
ranking for it.
Submitting to Google
--------------------
There has only ever been two ways to be listed on Google - by telling
Google where your site is, or by Google following links and finding
the site itself.
The page where you can inform Google of your site's existence is:
Google - Submit Your Site
://www.google.com/addurl.html
Don't use any third party services, they are less reliable and
pointless.
Submitting to Google alone might not be enough to make a difference.
You need links to your site as well - the more the merrier, but make
sure you have at least one from somewhere, even if it is only from a
friend's free Geocities page.
Be Careful
----------
Make sure you read through Google's Webmaster Guidelines, and abide by
them:
://www.google.com/webmasters/guidelines.html
(otherwise your site might receive penalties)
Search engines that DO index Flash content
------------------------------------------
AlltheWeb is the only major one, and it also feeds the Lycos search
engine. Although it is not nearly as popular as Google, it is
worthwhile submitting your site to AlltheWeb, for it is free and easy
to do. Go here:
http://www.alltheweb.com/add_url.php
Please note that:
- the Google Answers service is a separate entity to Google the search
engine. My answer has come from personal experience, browsing Google's
help pages and searching the web.
- the Google search engine is constantly being improved and updated,
and policies are never set in concrete. What has happened in the past
is not necessarily what will happen in the future, like they might
start indexing Flash content (although there are no indicators to date
that they will).
If there is any part of my answer that is unclear or incomplete, or
there is another aspect of your question you wish me to cover, just
ask for a clarification and I'll get back to you.
Best wishes,
robertskelton-ga |
,
0 Comments
)