| There is a sound of death on the Internet. This | | | | impressed as you were led to believe. |
| sound is often overlooked and rarely acknowledged, | | | | It takes time and money to create flash design and |
| but real nonetheless. The sound is comprised of a | | | | the use of flash design is pervasive. Some web |
| million clicks as they exit from a website that takes | | | | designs have benefited from minor flash infiltration, |
| too long to download - a million clicks that could have | | | | but the use of flash in design features is often |
| translated into significant opportunity, but not today. | | | | overdone. By the time the opening page has fully |
| This 'mass exodus' is usually the result of poor web | | | | developed and can allow your guests to move on to |
| design. These poorly designed sites generally feature | | | | the next point of navigation the customer has either |
| too many graphics that are generally too large in file | | | | lost interest or wonders if the opening page is an |
| size. It could be the page is overloaded with text or | | | | indication of what they can expect on every page. |
| more likely other time consuming add-ons. | | | | Either way, this is the point where many will simply |
| The good news is many individuals have learned the | | | | bail out and look for some way to find what they |
| value of keeping things simple and fracturing | | | | need fast - not flash. |
| knowledge-based content into smaller bite-sized | | | | The truth is I am not anti-flash, but the overuse of it |
| nuggets that can fill multiple pages. Those pages are | | | | has become problematic - for consumers. I could be |
| then able to load much more rapidly at the direction | | | | wrong, but they are the ones you are trying to |
| of a potential customer who is primarily interested in | | | | impress, right? |
| what you have to offer. | | | | The use of flash is not displeasing in itself to |
| This 'click' phenomenon is not exclusive to slow | | | | consumers, but the 'shock and awe' of flash design in |
| loading pages, however. Interestingly as more and | | | | many cases has been relegated to the commonplace. |
| more web designers configure more flash intensive | | | | That being the case the ultimate response to flash is |
| intro pages into their design the excessive | | | | either a collective yawn or a back click of frustration. |
| "hey-look-at-me-I-can-make-a flash-intro' designs are | | | | Template rich web building technology is generally |
| not finding the consumer support many online | | | | flash-free and can still deliver an attractive and easy |
| business want. | | | | to navigate site that can deliver your message to |
| It may be true that the flash design can be beautiful, | | | | time-conscious consumers. It may also surprise you |
| loud, or intricate. It is also likely true that the website | | | | to know that the costs associated with this web |
| owner is immensely pleased with the flash in his or | | | | design process can be minute in comparison to most |
| her web design, but the collective 'click' presents a | | | | web designer's fees. |
| story that many web designers don't want you to | | | | Maybe it's time to develop a flash-less design. |
| think about - the site visitor may not be as | | | | |