Pros and Cons of Flash-based Sites

Pros and Cons of Flash-based Sites Flash-based sites have been a craze since the past few years, and as Macromedia compiles more and more great features into Flash, we can only predict there will be more and more flash sites around the Internet. However, Flash based sites have been disputed to be bloated and unnecessary. Where exactly do we draw the line? Here's a simple breakdown.

The good:

Interactivity

Flash's Actionscript opens up a vast field of possibilities. Programmers and designers have used Flash to create interactve features ranging from very lively feedback forms to attractive Flash-based games. This whole new level of interactivity will always leave visitors coming back for more.

A standardized site

With Flash, you do not have to worry about cross-browser compatibility. No more woes over how a certain css code displays differently in Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera. When you position your site elements in Flash, they will always appear as they are as long as the user has Flash Player installed.

Better expression through animation

In Flash, one can make use of its animating features to convey a message in a much more efficient and effective way. Flash is a lightweight option for animation because it is vector based (and hence smaller file sizes) as opposed to real "movie files" that are raster based and hence much larger in size.

The bad and the ugly:

The Flash player

People have to download the Flash player in advance before they can view Flash movies, so by using Flash your visitor range will decrease considerably because not everyone will be willing to download the Flash player just to view your site. You'll also have to put in additional work in redirecting the user to the Flash download page if he or she doesn't have the player installed.

Site optimization

If your content was presented in Flash, most search engines wouldn't be able to index your content. Hence, you will not be able to rank well in search engines and there will be less traffic heading to your site.

Loading time

Users have to wait longer than usual to load Flash content compared to regular text and images, and some visitors might just lose their patience and click the Back button. The longer your Flash takes to load, the more you risk losing visitors.

The best way to go is to use Flash only when you absolutely need the interactivity and motion that comes with it. Otherwise, use a mixture of Flash and HTML or use pure text if your site is purely to present simple textual and graphical information.

Web Hosting the Pros and Cons
Managed hosting is a type of internet hosting using a dedicated server. For you, the client, this means that you have the server to yourself and you do not share digital space with anyone else. This is also called a dedicated hosting service...
SEO Company Pros and Cons - What To Look For
When trying to find a cheap seo company or quality seo company you must look for several things that will make sure you are hiring someone talented and credible. Unfortunately any one out there can say that they perform SEO, however you must learn what tactics they use and what results they can prov...
Flash Intros On Websites - Why It's Time To Ditch The Flash Intro
The designer who wrote this article makes some very good points about Flash Intros. After he explains the pros and cons of Flash Intros he gives great advice in deciding for yourself, with new understanding.
Measuring the Pros and Cons of Online Advertising
Just like any other advertising medium, online advertising has pros and cons. Here are a few of the advantages to using online advertising:
The Good and Bad Things about Flash Based Web Designing
Flash based websites are being widely used all across the web world by web designing agencies for creation of websites and this is predicted to increase in numbers too.
Flash Web Design: Pros And Cons
Flash is a powerful web technology that achieves a high level of visual impact from the graphical point of view. Unfortunately, it is widely misused in web design. There are still many problems with Flash, especially related to usability and search engine behaviour; we need to thoroughly understand ...
What Type Of Website Design Fits Your Needs?
In the big, wide online world there are millions of websites and billions of webpages. In the increasing sprawl of this virtual jungle there must be an evolution. Some of these webpages must grow stronger and thrive whilst others will weaken and die. There are 3 types of websites in this jungle. ...
Liquid VS Fixed Layout Debate In Modern Web Design
This very informative article will help you to understand the continued comparison of benefits and liabilities of Liquid VS Fixed Layout. The author explains when a mixed approach works best.
Organic vs PPC Traffic - What Are the Pros and Cons?
People often ask us for advice on how much they should focus on pay-per-click traffic efforts, vs their natural, content-based search efforts. We always tell them that, while every site is unique, it usually makes sense to include both as part of a diversified marketing effort for your site.
4 Things You Should Never Do In Your Online Network Marketing Business
Online anonymity is becoming less of an option due to searches and cross referencing. What we write impacts others. The following make my list for the top 4 marketing faux pas...