AlltheWeb includes Macromedia Flash files in search engine index

AlltheWeb.com is the first Web search engine to index Macromedia Flash content and applications.

Web search engines are good at indexing text, and as traditional Web pages are based on plain text files (HTML) they have found it easy to crawl this kind of content.

The Web contains more than HTML Web pages like this one, however. Webmasters upload all kinds of file types, and when combined with various forms for "plug-ins" modern browsers may read many of them.

This is why modern search engines have tried to expand the number of file types. Both AlltheWeb and Google will, for instance, analyze the text of Acrobat PDF-files, a popular format for delivering documents on the Web.

Until now, however, no search engine has crawled Macromedia Flash files. (Yes, Google has included Flash files in its index. Google has, however, not indexed the textual content of these pages.)

Flash is a popular format among Web designers who want to go beyond the limitations of traditional HTML. They will for instance include more dramatic animations, multimedia presentations and advanced menu systems.

It is possible to design a complete Web page with Flash, including links to other pages, and if the visitor has a Flash plug-in (a significant "if"!) he or she will be able to read it.

Alas, the search engines just skip these files. With no links to follow, the spider will go elsewhere, and the site can -- in the worst case scenario -- remain unindexed.

This is why most search engine optimization experts argue that Flash always should be combined with plain HTML text links that search engine spiders and people with no Flash plug-ins can follow.

This remains good advice.

However, the times are changing. Fast is now indexing Flash content, meaning that the indexes of AlltheWeb, Lycos, Tiscali and others will include such files.

"Macromedia Flash content is included in nine of the top 10 most visited websites," says Param Singh, director at Macromedia.

"This new, advanced search feature from FAST presents a winning solution for the millions of people looking to perform highly-specialized searches for relevant information contained with Macromedia Flash content on the millions of sites which include our technology."

And yes, the AlltheWeb advanced search form has got a new alternative for "embedded content": Macromedia Flash. In regular search Flash files are included by default.

Atomz also includes Flash

Atomz has also announced the inclusion of Flash files.

Atomz powers a large number of site search search engines, including the one you find here at Pandia (see search field in the right hand column).

"By enabling its users to search the vast repositories of information found in Macromedia Flash content, Atomz is providing amazing value to its end users who want to find relevant information quickly," says Param Singh, director of product management of Macromedia.

More search engine news...

The Pandia Post is our free bimonthly newsletter on Internet searching, search engines and directories.

We will give you the latest news from the world of Internet exploring, useful tips on how to improve your searching skills or search engine ranking, as well as information on the development of the Pandia Search Central.

We will never give your address to any other company or organization.