Web Site Tip of the Month
- May '07
This Month's Tip - To Flash or Not to Flash
In the old, dark, days of the early web, there were only still, static pages where nothing moved except for (shudder) blinking text. Then came the animated gif and there was life on the page. Then came more animated gifs and more animated gifs and finally we just wanted web pages to stop all that jumping around. But then we got tired of that. Then came Flash.
Officially Flash is a "multimedia authoring program" but to most people it's those cool animations on flashy web sites. Flash can be used to create animations, advertisements, interactive games, video, those annoying splash screens I complained about last month and even entire web sites.
Ok, Flash is wonderful but now you're waiting for the other shoe to drop. What's wrong with using Flash on your web site? Nothing, when you use it right. We've all seen those sites that take forever to load and have too many animations bouncing all over the place. The important thing is to make Flash work for you, instead of using it for it's own sake. To get the most out of using Flash, ask yourself a few questions:
Will it enhance my site or just add to overhead?
That hamster dancing with the leprechaun might be cute the first couple times you see it but what does it have to do with your web site? And does it drive people crazy by reloading that same song every time you come back to the home page?
It's much more powerful to use Flash to emphasize or clarify the main idea of your web site. You can animate a flowchart or show animation or video of your product/service in action. And keep sound to a minimum on the main pages.
One exception: you can include Flash games as a way to encourage return visits. Just keep it off the home page.
Can potential customers see it?
One business rep wanting to show off their new all-Flash web site was stymied when the computer he was using didn't have the latest Flash plug-in installed. Designers tend to want to use the latest and greatest features. The general public, on the other hand, tends not to upgrade their browser plug-ins that often and are not always interested in doing it just to see your site. So, unless you are targeting the up-to-the-minute techno-savvy, save your Flash files to a version or two prior to the latest and include the link to download the plug-in.
Can search engine bots see it?
One of the dirty little secrets of Flash is that search engine bots cannot read Flash. Maybe one day, maybe soon, but not now. If you use Flash just for a few animations, this won't be a problem. If you're using it to show key information or for your navigation, you will need to include this information elsewhere on your site, such as text navigation at the bottom of the page.
If you have an all-Flash web site, things get more complicated. Basically, search engine bots can't see your site content and this can seriously hurt your search engine ranking. There are ways to get around this, which usually involves making an identical site for search engines. I know, a lot of big corporations like Pepsi and MTV use all-Flash sites and it doesn't hurt them. But if you're that big, you're getting all the traffic you can handle without the search engines.
For a small to medium business, it's important to talk about this with whomever is making your web site. Some designers consider this issue to be Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and out of the scope of their duties. But if you are informed, you can include enough leeway in the design to make sure you're not left invisible to search engines.
Am I using too much Flash?
If you're asking the question, the answer is probably yes. Do you recall when people started to go overboard with animated gifs? The last thing you want to do is chase people away from your site. Remember, less is more.
All in all, Flash can be your friend when used wisely but it's far from necessary. In fact, most of the sites we do at High Tech Center don't use Flash at all. You need to ask yourself: Does Flash enhance your site or just add bandwidth? It's up to You.
Remember, on the web, your web site is you
