The Problems With Using Flash

Flash technology is regarded by some as the ultimate tool in website designer's armoury. It can definitely add interactivity and allows you to incorporate spectacular graphics on any given website. If you're in the middle of creating a website and require pixel-perfect control over your design and font specifications, then Flash is definitely the application that best suits your needs. However? You knew that was coming, didn't you: there's never a straight answer to any question after all. There's a body of evidence that suggests the use of Flash can actually have a detrimental effect on the performance and ranking of many commercial websites. So what's the problem?

Information in embedded in Flash can't always be seen by search engines

Most internet browsers start their sessions via a search engine like Google or Bing. If you want to be visible on the web or remain attractive, it's imperative to maximise your company's profile. Search engines function by scanning the information on the web and processing the best match for each user enquiry. These searches are predominantly based around text processing.

Graphic format information like Flash can sometimes be almost impossible to find and process: even the mighty Google struggles to extract the textual information buried in Flash objects. Websites constructed entirely in Flash offer little, if any, textual information. So search engines will struggle to pick these sites up. Even if a search engine does manage to extract some information, the site still tends to rank poorly.

Website reporting on Flash navigation can be problematic

Web Analytics systems are tools that help SEO professionals evaluate website visitor behaviour. The information gathered from analytics can be used to help and improve a website's business performance. Analytics will demonstrate which parts of the website work better than others. You can run similar analytical tools for Flash, but it's far more convoluted and requires considerable time and effort. Even then the statistics that gathered aren't as comprehensive and therefore aren't as useful.

Flash doesn't always do what it says on the tin

Flash-based websites can be frustrating. They often can't carry out certain guaranteed functions common to all HTML and CSS sites. The back button doesn't work, it's impossible to highlight and paste contact information into Outlook, you can't increase the font size and bookmarking any particular page will not work. Other than that it's all fine and dandy.

There's a lack of consistent cross-platform support

We've all grown accustomed to the universality of the internet. One of the cornerstones of the internet is the basic understanding that any website should function on any browser. That's what's made the internet so powerful. However, not all users have Flash installed on their systems, and even those that do occasionally find they don't have the right version. If you own an iPhone, you'll already have noticed that you can't navigate Flash-based websites.

Flash-based websites need continual updating

All successful websites share one fundamental characteristic - they continually update their pages with new and interesting content to reflect the latest company news and industry trends. This is what keeps them alive and right at the top of the listings. Flash navigation sites need the input of a Flash designer every time new information has to be incorporated into an existing site. If your company does not employ one, it will expensive and time-consuming to outsource the work.

Flash won't allow search engine site previews

Some search engines allow the user to preview option to view the contents of a site before visiting. This is useful as it helps the user verify whether the site in question will provide the information they are searching for, thus cutting down on unnecessary site visits and saving us all a little bit of valuable time. Unfortunately Flash doesn't have this function.