To Flash or not to Flash?

Personally I’ve seen some Flash sites that have just been breathtaking. I think they can really add a touch of elegance to a site and they can even showcase a webmaster’s creativity. Still, I never advise my clients to use entire flash pages, or rather splash pages, as part of their sites. This is one of the basic SEO errors and should be well known by now, but some people still persist in wanting to include such elements.

So what’s the big deal about splash pages? Oh nothing really, just that for the most part they’re not recognized by search engines. I’d say that’s a big deal. What’s the point of having great content when it’s embedded in a Flash website and can’t be indexed? Not only are you going to be invisible to the search engines but also to potential customers. Even if visitors do make their way to a splash page, chances are they’ll leave just as quickly. Very few people have the time and patience to sit through a long, drawn out introduction. I know I don’t. Even if you include a ‘skip intro’ link, you’re still asking visitors to make one extra click to get to your site.

If you absolutely have to use Flash as part of your website, use it sparingly. This is best done as headers or within small areas of your content. Too many animations can be annoying and can also drastically increase the page’s loading time. Take my silly advice and rely on quality content to entice visitors, not flashy graphics.

About Musa Aykac

Musa is the founder of SEOTops and has been in the internet marketing industry since a young age.
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  • http://www.loudable.com Suhasini

    I would it is not advisable to use flash as it increases the load time.