Going Flash Crazy

I get a number of requests from clients for flash-heavy sites, and a lot of these requests are founded on the belief that using flash automatically makes the site better and more appealing. Now, there is some truth to the fact that flash can make for a pretty slick presentation (when it's called for), but there are a lot of situations where Flash isn't that appropriate, and can actually be detrimental to a website.

What's Wrong With Using Flash? Flash has a few drawbacks for a website worth mentioning. Some of these drawbacks includes:

• Browser Usability Problems - Heavy Flash content renders the forward and backward buttons unusable and can be very frustrating for users. The reload button will reload the entire flash movie rather than starting a user where he was.
• Increased Loading Time - Flash files can be very bulky, and even with the use of a pre-loader, users stuck in the stone-age (dial-up) are not going to be happy.
• Poor Search Engine Placement - This is the big one right here - Not all search engines can index flash content, and one's that can (Google for example) can't do it very well. Google can read text and links embedded in Flash files, but it can't read image-based text and even worse it can't determine the stucture or context of the content it can read.

So When is it Appropriate? Flash can add a nice touch to a website. Uses like encapsulating video, providing 360 degree views of products, etc... make for a richer experience on a website while not overdoing it. Flash should be used to make media elements stronger on a website instead of becoming the website. So, I suppose the short answer is - use sparingly.

A word of Advice / A Pet Peeve of Mine "Never Use a Flash Intro" - There's no point. It's annoying for users. It doesn't help your search engine placement. It causes unnecessary load time. Don't do it.