Why you should not have a flash video opening page…

I’ve had clients ask me to create a flash or video opening page that will play prior to the user entering their website.  The problem is, using this technique you will most certainly lose visitors who could have become clients.  Here’s why…

The majority of people find web intros annoying, they don’t serve a specific purpose or function other than allowing the website owner to believe that he has something eye catching on his website.  It’s commonly known that the “Skip Intro” button is the most commonly used button on the web.

Read more about this:  http://www.infoworld.com/archives/emailPrint.jsp?R=printThis&A=/article/06/06/14/79274_HNhateaboutwebsites_1.html

Flash intros detract visitors to your site...I always ask my clients, “Have you gone to a page, saw a flash intro was loading and then clicked back to go visit a different page?” If you have, that site just lost you as a visitor and potential customer.  It works the other way, you don’t want to lose potential visitors to your site because you have a barrier preventing them from reaching it.

Furthermore, full flash websites and flash intros will hurt your website search engine optimization and page ranking..topics that I am constantly trying to explain to my customers.  According to the official google blog:

“As many of you already know, Flash is inherently a visual medium, and Googlebot doesn’t have eyes. Googlebot can typically read Flash files and extract the text and links in them, but the structure and context are missing. Moreover, textual contents are sometimes stored in Flash as graphics, and since Googlebot doesn’t currently have the algorithmic eyes needed to read these graphics, these important keywords can be missed entirely. All of this means that even if your Flash content is in our index, it might be missing some text, content, or links. Worse, while Googlebot can understand some Flash files, not all Internet spiders can.”
Read more about this at:  http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2007/07/best-uses-of-flash.html

Google further states: “Avoid “doorway” pages created just for search engines, or other “cookie cutter” approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content.”
Read more: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2007/06/more-details-about-our-webmaster.html

In closing, flash content should always be used to enhance your site.  For example, a flash video included as part of your site content that shows a process that better serves your customer by allowing them to see what you are talking about.  Doing something like this is obvious to the user that there is a specific and beneficial purpose to your flash video. Your number one goal of having a website should be to quickly and efficiently provide your customers and visitors with the information they are looking for.

What is the process for creating a website and getting it on the web?

Often, I will get clients who are new and unfamiliar to the website design process and how it works to get a site up on the web.  This entry is designed to provide a little more information and break down the process into layman’s terms.

Step 1:  Domain Name

The first step is to register a domain name.  This is done by purchasing a domain name through a registrar.  Although you own the domain name (unless your registrar lists in the fine print that you will not become the owner), you will still need to renew your domain purchase at the end of the contracted term (typically every year).  Two domain registration companies that I recommend are:  godaddy.com and hostgator.com.

Step 2:  Hosting Space

After you have your domain name registered, the next step is to purchase a hosting plan.  This is basically like renting an apartment on the internet.  In order for your site to be visible to others, you must have a space for them to visit; this is your hosting plan...your virtual apartment.  Once your hosting plan is purchased, your domain name can be configured to point to your hosting space.  Typically, your hosting plan will provide email addresses, file transfer protocol (FTP) access and accounts, language support (for PHP, MySQL, etc).  The host I always recommend to my clients, and the host that currently hosts the Lynn-Douglas Media website, is hostgator.com; their plans are affordable, competitively priced, and support all the requirements needed for us to create a database driven website with built-in content management.

Step 3:  The Site Pages

After your domain is set up and pointing to your host, you are ready to upload files to your hosting plan (put the furniture in your new virtual apartment).  These are typically the pages that your designer has created, along with all the databases, scripts, and other functions required to run your website.  Once the pages are on the web, visitors can come to your site and view your home page, etc.

At Lynn-Douglas Media, you don’t need to feel pressured to figure out any of this on your own.  We are here to help you from step one and will assist with the entire process, everything from selecting a domain name, choosing a hosting, purchasing a hosting plan, and finally, designing your site.  Your questions are always welcome and as a client, you are always involved in the process.