Flash Sure is Nifty But…

I am constantly in awe of some of the Flash sites out there. The creativity, design and functionality that Flash offers is next to none. So, it is not so strange that customers see Flashed presentations and templates and want to have them as their Web site. Then, I have to talk them off the ledge…

Search engines have become much better at reading Flashed sites. But it isn’t anywhere near what you would need to be able to build strong natural rankings. In addition, Flashed sites are very expensive to modify and change (not for those with small budgets) and considering many site owners want to dabble in the maintenance of their own sites, Flash takes that right out of the picture.

Flashed sites are great for fancy-schmancy artsy-fartsy type sites where showing your use of colors, technology and creativity are crucial to your core competencies. Most site owners are not in that category.

Even with all that neato Flash stuff going on, the clicky-clacks and mouse over noises combined with the background music can be distracting and annoying to the site visitor who you are trying to make comfortable and encourage to stay at your site.

So as tempting as a Flashed site may be, from a visual POV, even I am not going to Flash my site. I want it to be accessible to most, crawlable by all search engines and down to business to service my target market who doesn’t land at my site to be entertained.

Most Web site owners would do well to consider the same.

At your service,
Judith