"The Desktop Global Marketer" (tm)

   A free on-line newsletter of Sidereal Designs, Inc.,
   for Internet Entrepreneurs, and those who are
   considering becoming one.
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                 February 2002

In this issue: "The common-sense rules for the use of
Flash presentations and splash pages are essentially
the same. Use them where they perform an important
function and/or present real information. Don't use
them just for display, and don't ever let them stand
between your visitor and what they're looking for!"


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You have undoubtedly seen increasing use of opening pages that
feature dramatic, animated graphics, often with sound, that
are intended to make a strong initial visual impact. Usually
these are quite artistic but present little information. Most
commonly the message is little more than some sort of complex,
animated presentation of the name of the firm owning the web
site.

The technology behind these is called "Flash" and it is
becoming increasingly popular as a means of delivering complex
animations and sound. Almost all browsers are now equipped to
view it.

Without question it is an attention-grabbing medium and can
add impact and interest if properly used, but it has several
downsides. These are:

1. It takes time to load - much longer than ordinary HTML
code.

2. It can quickly get annoying after you've seen it a few
times.

3. It can be a hindrance to people trying to get to
information.

(This last point is sometimes addressed by including a link to
"click here to skip intro" but why put any barrier in the way
of your clients?)

My own feeling is that such Flash introductions do more for
the ego of the site owner than for the convenience of the
visitors; I always advise clients against it unless the
material serves a truly informational purpose that can not be
presented in any other way.

This is not to say that Flash is a bad idea on a web site -
far from it. It can be used on internal pages to draw
attention to important points, to present information
effectively, and to add to the general interest of the site.

In these contexts it usually should be small, focused on its
mission, and not delay or impede the visitor in any way. One
good method where appropriate is to let the visitor click to
see the presentation if it's germane to their interest. I use
this myself on our site to help people answer the common
question about the pronunciation and meaning of the word
"Sidereal," but if they're not interested it doesn't appear,
and even when it does it does so in an auxiliary pop-up
window that doesn't interfere with the rest of the page.

The kind of initial page where Flash presentations are often
used is called a "Splash Page," but certainly not all splash
pages use Flash graphics. The line between a real Home Page
and a splash page is a bit fuzzy, but in general a splash page
is low in information density and high in appearance
factors. It stands in relation to the rest of the site much as
a cover stands in relation to a book. Often it may be just a
banner and a logo.

You might think that a splash page is just another bit of
ornamental, web-site foppery, but there are legitimate uses
for them. For example:

1. When there is important information needed to orient the
visitor to the site that should be presented before the
regular content.

2. When a site has several diverse areas of content that each
requires it's own separate home page but a "landing pad" is
required for the site as a whole.

3. As a means of presenting some initial information to read
while important graphics are loading in the background to appear
on subsequent pages.

4. When it is important to screen visitors before entering the
site, such as sites that may be multi-lingual, or contain
material inappropriate for minors, or members-only sites.

5. When the material that must be presented on the home page
is not rich in the keywords that define the site's content and
may thus be inappropriately ranked by search engines.

In these cases a splash page may serve a useful and important
function, and there is certainly nothing lost by dressing it
up as an attractive "cover" for the site.

The common-sense rules for the use of Flash presentations and
splash pages are essentially the same. Use them where they
perform an important function and/or present real
information. Don't use them just for display, and don't ever
let them stand between your visitor and what they're looking
for!

Nothing will send your visitor clicking away faster than a
forced viewing of a lengthy, content-free page (except one
they've already seen once before!)

Thanks for reading this edition!

Best,

Ernie

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"Sidereal" is pronounced sy-DEER-ee-all, and means "of
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_______________________________________________________________________
Sidereal Designs, Inc.               "Putting your business on the web"
http://siderealdesigns.com    301-916-5702   info(at)siderealdesigns.com