Creative Retailing

Google’s starts flashing...SEO gurus take note

2008-08-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

Google’s starts flashing...SEO gurus take note.

With the recent announcement that Google is indexing Flash files and flash-developed e-commerce sites, this is especially good news for web developers and seo gurus of the world.

Google will see all of text on a site as they interact with Flash files. If your site contains Flash, the textual content in your Flash files can be used when Google generates a snippet for your website. Also, the words that appear in your Flash files can be used to match query terms in Google searches.

Google says in addition to finding and indexing the textual content in Flash files, they’re also finding URLs in Flash files, and feeding them into their crawling pipeline—just like they do with URLs that appear in non-Flash web pages. For example, if a Flash application contains links to pages inside the website, Google may now be better able to discover and crawl more of the website.

Google has been developing a new algorithm for indexing textual content in Flash files of all kinds, from Flash menus, buttons and banners, to self-contained Flash websites. They've improved the performance of this Flash indexing algorithm by integrating Adobe's Flash Player technology.

Previously, web designers were challenged if they chose to develop a site in Flash because the content they included was not indexed by search engines. They needed to make extra effort to ensure that their content was also presented in another way that search engines could find.

With Google’s new Flash indexing algorithm, web designers can expect improved visibility of their published Flash content, and can expect to see better search results and snippets.

Which Flash files can Google better index now? They can index textual content in SWF files of all kinds. This includes Flash "gadgets" such as buttons or menus, self-contained Flash websites, and everything in between. What content can Google better index from these Flash files? All of the text that users can see as they interact with your Flash file. If websites contains Flash, the textual content in your Flash files can be used when Google generates a snippet for your website. Also, the words that appear in Flash files can be used to match query terms in Google searches. What about non-textual content, such as images? At present, they are only discovering and indexing textual content in Flash files. If Flash files only include images, they will not recognize or index any text that may appear in those images. And they do not generate any anchor text for Flash buttons which target some URL but which have no associated text.

Google "sees" the contents of a Flash file via an algorithm that explores Flash files in the same way that a person would, by clicking buttons, entering input, and so on. The algorithm remembers all of the text that it encounters along the way, and that content is then available to be indexed. Designers do not need to do anything to their existing Flash files. If designers have Flash content on their website, Google will automatically begin to index it. That said, you should be aware that Google is now able to see the text that appears to visitors of your website. If you prefer Google to ignore your less informative content, such as a "copyright" or "loading" message, consider replacing the text within an image, which will make it effectively invisible.

There are three main limitations though: Googlebot does not execute some types of JavaScript. So if the web page loads a Flash file via JavaScript, Google may not be aware of that Flash file, in which case it will not be indexed. They also do not attach content from external resources that are loaded by Flash files. If your Flash file loads an HTML file, an XML file, another SWF file, etc., Google will separately index that resource, but it will not yet be considered to be part of the content in the Flash file. Finally, there are difficulties with Flash content written in bidirectional languages. Until this is fixed, they will be unable to index Hebrew language or Arabic language content from Flash files.

Be a Multi-Channel Basketball Marketer

2008-07-27T06:04:00.000-07:00

Multi-channel marketing must take all retail channels into consideration. That's why we must be multi-channel basketball marketers. While we're all obsessed with site optimization, rising in the rankings and converting browsers to buyers, and links, we've got to bounce links and connections through out our own internal channels such as our stores, catalogs, signage, and store associates.
We've got to complete the connection and become true multi-channel marketers. Basketball marketers. It can only lead to stronger sales.

Five Guerrilla Marketing Tips You Need To Implement NOW!

2008-02-23T04:50:00.000-08:00

It's tough out there in the retail marketplace. Costs are escalating while customer traffic counts are falling drastically. You need to take a fresh approach with new marketing tools while keeping costs in check. Guerrilla marketing tools will help you weather the storm.
Here are five guerrilla marketing tips that can help when you need it most:
1. Be where your target is. If your customers attend sporting events, park a big fat truck outside the arena or park. Company trucks are best but renting a truck or step van with a banner hung on the side works too. Use a canvas banner you probably already have stored away or pick up a new banner at the local print shop. Be sure the graphics are bright and high contrast that will read clearly from a distance.
2. Make a statement. Let everyone know who you are. Use the same truck and drive through neighborhoods around your stores. Put a boom box in the window and blast out your company ad campaign. Staff the truck with models and pass out coupons to drive traffic.
3. Create a company street team. Enlist outgoing company employees, the ones that really love what they do. A team of four or five would work just right. Drop them off at a busy, customer targeted area. Provide merchandise and coupons. Coach them on how to be effective without being to overbearing. Friendliness sells.
4. Street signage. You've seen the signs, "Vote for...", or "You're just a 100 yards from the best coffee in the county...". These two-post signs are a simple, inexpensive way to get your message out quickly. Post the signs at busy intersections. Use as many as possible. Post on the weekends (Post Friday after 5pm and remove Sunday night) keeps township officials off your back if there are local restrictions.
5. Create a parking lot event. Grab the customer's eyeballs. Place an inflatable balloon on your roof or hold a carnival in the parking lot. Bring in as many street performers you can find. Schedule a car show. Everyone will want to know what the excitement is about. Make live announcements about one day specials the crowd won't want to miss.Well, that's just five guerrilla tips to get you started. Check back next week and I'll give you 10 e-commerce tips that will rock your on-line marketing. Stay creative!

Contact Information:
Creative Retailing
Richard Baron, President
196 Wompatuck Road
Hingham, MA 02043
617-264-0299
rbaron@creativeretailing.com
http://www.creativeretailing.com
http://creativeretailing.blogspot.com/
http://www.creativeretailing.com/RichardBaronsResume.pdf