Adobe Flash: Why You May Not Want to Use it on Your Website

Often called "Flash" for short, Adobe Flash is used to describe a collection of tools created to showcase multimedia files.

What is the Difference between Flash Player and Adobe Flash Professional?

Adobe Flash Player, does just what it says. It plays Flash files. Adobe Flash Professional, however, allows a developer to create flash files. Adobe Flash Professional users can create content, animated graphics, movie files and games..

Although my company does a great deal of Flash design for customers, personally, I hate Flash. In my mind, Flash is quite unnecessary. Flash is used to bedazzle and entertain. Frankly, if I need to be entertained while using the internet, I'll download a movie. Most of the time, when I visit a website, I am seeking information not entertainment.

Not to long ago, I told a web designer that Adobe Flash was obsolete. Needless to say, he hit the ceiling. "Adobe just purchased Macromedia," he foamed, "how dare you make such a claim!" The chap was pretty upset. He ranted so long that I never got the chance to explain the terms "algorithms and spiders" to him. Algorithms and Flash do not a couple make. Spiders can't see Flash objects. What spiders see and what the average viewer sees will always be different even if there is no alternative content.

However, I do understand that I am in the minority when it comes to this line of thinking. Many web designers find that customers and site visitors not only desire but demand music, animation and motion pictures on a small virtual stage. So what is a web designer to do?

Here are a few points that a web designer must take time to discuss with the customer:

1. Flash should only occupy a portion of a webpage

Flash is also hard to navigate through, slow and for visitors with 64bit Linux computers, it's non-existent.

2. Your content won't be properly indexed

No indexing of your web page means no customers. No customers means no business. That should be easy enough for anyone to understand.

3. Animated GIFs may do the trick

Most people don't know the difference between Flash and an animated GIF. And when you really think about it, you can use an alternate text image tag so that the page is still indexed properly.

4. Create a HTML version of the site.

This is normally only done if an entire website is built using Flash as it is quite resource intensive.

5. Use a "Noscript" tag to display the unindexable content.

This means that search engines will index the content within the Noscript tag and users will see the Flash object. Only replicate the content in the Flash file and don't try to put too many keywords here.

6. Use the SWF Object method.

If the visitor to your site (be it a program or live person) has Flash installed they will be displayed the Flash, but if they don't have Flash then they will be shown the text mark-up in the same div as the Flash file.

Ideally, I would suggest option number 4 and save the Flash for a link or a non-essential page. When considering the use of Flash, it is important to view a website as a live person and a "bot" to make certain that all bases are covered.