Flash Takes a Another Hit and Your Website Could be the Worst Hurt

February 5, 2010 by Jeune Ortiz

Flash used to be the darling of the internet. It’s ability to interact with databases while still being simple enough for graphic designers to pick up made it seem like a perfect solution. Site after site popped up with splash pages, full flash navigation, and amazingly clever animation from slide shows to photo albums. Then all the fun died.

The first hit was delivered to Flash by the search engines. Because Flash content is not indexable by the crawlers, good developers and SEO professionals started coming down hard on the use of Flash. Web designers and SEO experts started recommending that it be kept to a minimum and used only for added design flair.

Now, Apple seems to be giving the hardest hit to Adobe’s Flash application.

When Apple released the iPhone it came out without supporting Flash. Though browsing the web via mobile devices is becoming more common, the experience has always been lacking. Users have come to accept this “second class” experience. However, with the release of the iPad, (which also has no support for Flash) users could be less forgiving if your site relies heavily on Flash.

Thankfully, there are other technologies that can accomplish Flash-like functionality while being supported by all browsers–and without added plugins.

Don’t get left behind

If your website relies heavily on Flash, now is the time to start thinking about how to minimize or remove it altogether. Flash, though not dead in the water, is quickly being surpassed by superior technologies.

Contact us if you need help making the transition from Flash. We can make recommendations, and in the end you’ll end up with a fantastic site that is user-friendly, browser friendly, and most of all search engine-friendly.