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Why does anyone still use flash?

May 14th, 2008 – 2 Comments

Flash is a bad idea for any website - it’s bad for SEO, it’s not seen as classy, and it certainly isn’t simple.

Please, if you are using flash … just stop. It’s lowering the value of your brand.

Same with pixilated, bad quality images. Look at your site. If your pictures look grainy or less than clear, please redo them. It’s not worth leaving such a bad impression on someone just so you can have a picture. Better no picture than a bad quality picture.

So, to summarize, bad quality pictures and flash are not good for your site. Unless you sell flash as part of your service package. Then have flash to show what you can do. Other than that, it’s a lose-lose situation. Longer load time is a lose for your potential customers, and the fact that most anyone that would want to work with you either doesn’t care about flash or thinks it’s a waste of time isn’t going to help either.

That is all on my design rant for today LOL

Tags: Blog Yumminess

2 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Amanda Moore // May 14, 2008 at 10:46 pm

    So is there an alternative? If there is, I’m interested. I want to have a slide show on my blog and flash is the only thing I know of that can offer that. Can you point me in another direction?

    Thanks!

    BTW - I do agree with you about flash intros - particularly if there is not a skip function.

  • 2 Jennifer Gniadecki // May 14, 2008 at 11:38 pm

    A slide show wasn’t quite what I had in mind, I was thinking of intros and busy things that just didn’t need to move.

    But it does take a lot of memory. You could consider using Camtasia (the version that’s not the new one is available free) and records your desktop - I would think it would be far easier for you to create a slideshow using Camtasia vs. Flash.

    Here is the link to the entry on this blog with the Camtasia download (http://www.atypicalva.com/blog/2007/11/21/free-video-recordingediting-software-yea-camtasia/). I know that Patty Dost has created videos for VAnetworking using Camtasia (her contact info is at http://www.timeisoftheescents.com) and you could ask her, but I remember her saying it was pretty easy once you got the hang of it.

    But for informational pieces, I think flash is fine. As long as the file isn’t so big no one can load it. Most small business owners don’t have the super-best computers.

    Thanks for your comment, I hope I was able to help!

    Jen

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