Redirect Flash Site for Google Only - Is this against TOS?
-
A photographer client has a flash website, purchased as from a (well respected) template company.
The main site is at the root domain, and the HTML version is at www.example.com/?load=html
If I visit the site on a browser without Flash installed, I am re-directed automatically to the HTML version.
I'm concerned as the site has some great links and the HTML version is well optimised, but doesn't appear anywhere in Google for chosen keywords (ranks perfectly for brand related searches).
Google is indexing the Flash version of the site, but I would rather it didn't (there's no real content (just Javascript to load the SWF) and all of the pages load under one URL).
How can I block the Flash version from Google but still make the incoming links count towards the HTMl version of the site?
If I re-direct Google to the HTML version, is this cloaking, and is it frowned upon?
Thanks for any advice you can offer.
-
My suggestion: redirect mobile browsers to the HTML version as well as for the search bots. If the browser is not a search bot or a mobile device, and has Flash installed then redirect to the Flash version (not using a 301!) with a parameter to take the person to the same content on the Flash site (in the swf you can read the parameter and load the relevant part). Mobile users or search bots arriving via those links with parameters can be 301'd to the HTML version.
Now mobile users and search bot get a nice HTML version. Flash users get the 'rich' experience. Search engines can crawl all the content nicely. Furthermore, it would stand up to a manual review.
Many more details in answer to a similar question here:
http://www.seomoz.org/q/converse-com-flash-and-html-version-of-site-bad-idea
-
I am not sure if I understand your intention correctly but canonicalization sounds like a solution for your problem (to the point of not having to do redirection for Google at all). Apply rel canonical from flash towards html version and juice will flow towards the correct one. Flash will no longer be indexed but its HTML equivalent.
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
301 Redirects
Hi, I have switched my site from a http .co.uk site to a https .com site. I have set a 301 redirect in the .htaccess file pointing all traffic going to the original .co.uk site to go to the new https: RewriteEngine on
Technical SEO | | imoprojects
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^up-bus.co.uk$ [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www.up-bus.co.uk$
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ "https://www.up-bus.com/$1" [R=301,L] however when i search in google for keywords the original .co.uk site is still registering in search, is there something else I am required to do to tell google to use the new https site instead? Do i need to do redirects for every page, or is what I have done above sufficient? Hope you can help, I am struggling with getting our site to register on google search, any advice greatly welcome Thanks in advance, Ian0 -
Site removed from Google Index
Hi mozers, Two months ago we published http://aquacion.com We registered it in the Google Webmaster tools and after a few day the website was in the index no problem. But now the webmaster tools tell us the URLs were manually removed. I've look everywhere in the webmaster tools in search for more clues but haven't found anything that would help me. I sent the acces to the client, who might have been stupid enough to remove his own site from the Google index, but now, even though I delete and add the sitemap again, the website won't show in Google SERPs. What's weird is that Google Webmaster Tools tells us all the page are indexed. I'm totally clueless here... Ps. : Added screenshots from Google Webmaster Tools. Update Turns out it was my mistake after all. When my client developped his website a few months ago, he published it, and I removed the website from the Google Index. When the website was finished I submited the sitemap, thinking it would void the removal request, but it don't. How to solve In webmaster tools, in the [Google Index => Remove URLs] page, you can reinclude pages there. tGib0
Technical SEO | | RichardPicard0 -
Can a 307 Redirect Pass on a Manual Google Link Penalty?
Hi, I am using a 307 redirect to redirect traffic from an old site which has a google manual link penalty against it to a brand new site. My understanding is that 307 will not pass on link juice which is okay as I'm starting fresh with the new site, but I would hate to risk having the penalty from the old site being passed onto the new site. I am using a 307 in lieu of have a "Click Here to be directed to new site" page.. Thanks in advance.
Technical SEO | | Robdob20130 -
My site was Not removed from google, but my most visited page was. what does that mean?
Help. My most important page http://hoodamath.com/games/ has disappeared from google, why the rest of my site still remains. i can't find anything about this type of ban. any help would be appreciated ( i would like to sleep tonight)
Technical SEO | | hoodamath0 -
Small business sites banned by google. Please help.
Hi. My 2 sites http://www.painterdublin.com and http://www.tilers-dublin.com were banned by google update in November 2012. Both were ranking fairly well in search results: painterdublin generating cca 600/month and tilers-dublin cca 300/month organic traffic from google. After update it is about 70% less. Is there anyone willing to take a look at my pages and give me some advice about what to do to improve the situation? thank you very much
Technical SEO | | jarik0 -
How can you get the right site links for your site?
Hello all, I have been trying to get Google to list relevant site links for my site when you type in our brand name, Loco2 or for when Loco2 comes up in a search result. Different things come up when you search Loco2 and Loco 2. We would like site links to look like how they do when you search Loco 2. However Loco2 is our brand name, NOT Loco 2. Does anyone know why Google is doing this and whether we can influence results? We have done as much as possible via Google webmaster, in terms of specifying the links we DO NOT want Google to list for Loco2. However, when you search "Loco2", results only show simple site links. Ideally what we want is: Loco2 to be recognised as the brand NOT Loco 2 The same results (substantial, identical) for Loco2 as for Loco 2 (think o2 and o 2) For the site links to reflect the main pages of our site (Times & Tickets, Engine Room forum etc.) Many thanks in advance! Anila
Technical SEO | | anilababla0 -
Site:www.tld.com rank is it a measure of googles per page importance?
Hello, does the order of pages in a site:www.tld.com search show how important each page is to google? what if the homepage is not the first result?
Technical SEO | | adamzski0 -
What are the pros and cons of moving one site onto a subdomain of another site?
Two sites. One has weaker sales. What would the benefits and problems for SEO of moving the weak site from its own domain to a subdomain of the stronger site?
Technical SEO | | GriffinHansen0