In the design armoury, flash technology is regarded as a useful tool for web designers. Indeed, it can spice up a simple webpage and give an artistic feel to your website. A flash-based website can look impressive because of neat graphics and animations. However, using Flash can be unfavorable to the performance and ranking of your website. The following are some of the biggest disadvantages of Flash:
1.Longer loading periods – Flash files contain sound effects, bitmap images and embedded movies that are big in size. Those who have hi-speed Internet connections will have no problem at all loading flash-based websites. However, they can take a while to load for those who have slow Internet connections.
2.Lack of platform support – not all users have Flash installed on their operating systems. Some of those who have it installed occasionally do not have the right version. This does not apply to desktop computers alone but to mobile devices as well. For instance, if you own an iPhone, you probably know that you cannot access flash-based websites on it.
3. Not all information embedded in Flash are seen by search engines – if the goal of your website is to gain high search engine rankings, then it isn’t wise to make your site Flash-based. You may not be aware that search engines such as Google and Bing struggle when trying to extract textual information from Flash objects. If your website is constructed entirely in Flash, it will offer very little or no textual information at all. As a result, your website receives poor search engine rankings.
4. Flash animation can be too “flashy”. In an attempt to make websites look attractive, many owners feature complicated Flash animation sequences. The downside to this is that it can be distracting for users, and can seem a little over the top. Also, because of complex animations, important bits of information may be overlooked.
Although there are instances when Flash is necessary, you need analyse whether it will allow you to better communicate with your audience or not. Flash is a great way to thrill your visitors with exciting animations, but when used improperly, it can repel instead of attract them. Knowing the disadvantages of Flash will help you decide whether it is necessary or if a static HTML content is already sufficient for your needs.
