Will hosted videos be indexed and pulled into search results if a video sitemap is submitted, but the video itself is in an iframe?

[RedDoor58]

We're working with a client to create and submit a video site map. All of their videos are on separate pages, with unique copy, etc. The problem is that the videos may have to be within an iframe. Will this be an issue with regards to being included in video and universal search results? Or will the video site map take care of it?

While we're on the topic of video site maps, does anyone know conclusively what the best thumbnail size is? Google has conflicting information, one resource says 160 x 120, and another says 120 x 90.

Thanks in advance!

[kwoolf]

First thing's first; I found that only Google will validate extended sitemaps. Yahoo/Bing states in SE/WMT that they will parse the valid information in the sitemap regardless, but I'm not perfectly clear on this. You can search within sitemap category on the search engine pages.

Remember now that the src attribute is not a link, so if this is how you are adding multimedia to your pages, I'm not sure how you will include them in your sitemap. There are many discussions about iframes passing page rank, and the consensus is that they currently do not. If this is the way it has to be for this project, then of course you should add alternate text for iframe and frameset elements, add a title, and maybe include a link inside the iframe. Really, what else can you do?

But some good news can be found here http://www.stonetemple.com/articles/interview-matt-cutts-012510.shtml. It's possible Google may change the way pageRank flows through these kinds of links.