Search Engine Optimization for Flash

Chapter 6. SEO for Rich Internet Applications Using Flex

So far, you’ve optimized webpages that contain Flash. You can also create Flash applications by using Adobe Flex Builder. Using Flex, you can quickly create powerful and robust Rich Internet Applications, or RIAs. This chapter discusses how you can optimize your Flex applications to increase their visibility on the Web.

Getting to Know Flex

You may already be familiar with Flex. If not, you can read more about it at http://www.adobe.com/products/flex/. This section explains the Flex basics, including why you would want to use it, how Flex applications work, and a brief overview of the Flex interface.

Note

You can download a free trial of Adobe Flex Builder at http://www.adobe.com/flex. If you’re a student or a teacher, you can get a full-featured free copy of the software at https://freeriatools.adobe.com/.

Reasons to Use Flex Instead of Flash

Understanding the missions of Flash and Flex is essential in choosing the right application for the job. Flex was created primarily to build RIAs, whereas Flash was originally created to build animations.

Flash is the best choice for animations or any applications that require a lot of drawing, because Flex doesn’t have tools for creating art without using code. Also, Flash easily lets you connect custom created symbols to classes through the Library. Flash has a timeline where you can place code, so it works great for applications like games that contain both animations and interactivity. ...