Flash Websites - The Problems

Last Updated: 24 October 2006


"Flash" is a tool for making web sites look very pretty with moving graphics that look like movies. If you're not sure what we're talking about, here is a site that uses Flash on their home page:

www.lighthousehotel.com.au

While Flash can be used to make excellent looking sites, there are some very important things to remember if you are going to use it. We're not saying you should never use Flash in your web sites, we're simply saying that you must take into account the following points:

  • Remember that not everyone has a Flash plugin installed on their computer. More importantly, remember that some people won't or even CAN'T install a Flash plugin on their computer. I know of some people, especially those working within government departments, who cannot install Flash plugins because their computer is locked by their IT department. Therefore, these people will never be able to view your site properly unless you give them an alternative.




  • Pure flash sites are bad for search engine ranking. Search engines use "robots" or "spiders" (computer programs) to search the web, including your site, and try to determine what it is about. That way, they know to place it in their search results when someone searches for your product. The thing is, these spiders can only tell what your site is about by reading content (ie. simple text). So if you're site, especially your home page, is made up entirely of Flash, there is nothing there for the search engine spiders to read, and therefore they won't know what your site is about, and your site is unlikely to appear anywhere important in the search engine rankings.

  • Even if you do get around those two problems (see below for how to do it), don't forget that Flash can take a long time to load. Many people still connect to the Internet by dialup, especially in regional areas, and Flash can take a long time to load via a 56k modem connection. Maybe in a few years when more people are on Broadband it won't be so much of a problem, but for now, a lot of your web visitors won't want to wait for the download. And in that time you could lose them to another site.

So how to do get around these problems? There is one simple answer to them all. If you have a website that is all Flash, YOU MUST PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE SITE THAT DOES NOT USE FLASH. This means providing an alternate copy of your site with less or no Flash.

How do you make sure that people with Flash plugins see your Flash site and those without go to your "normal" (static) site? By using a Flash sniffer. A Flash sniffer simply a bit of coding that works out whether a web visitor has Flash installed on their computer or not. If so, it automatically directs them to the Flash version of your site. If not, they are automatically referred to the static version.

A web page that contains instructions for building a Flash sniffer is at:
http://demo.doubleclick.net/tools/sniffercode/sniffer.html

Also, on your Flash pages you should have a link such as "Skip Flash Intro". This gives people, even those with Flash installed, the option of skipping the great movie and getting straight into the content of your site.

It's all about getting more visitors to your site, and keeping them there longer.


Contact us for further information about this topic.


Disclaimer: This page is designed to provide information only and is not a substitute for advice that is specific to your business. Before acting on any of the information above it is important you seek further advice from a professional who has taken into consideration the nature and circumstances of your business.

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