The trend today to overuse animation in a website's opening pages only serves to confirm that style often overshadows substance. Sometimes a "flash" in the pan ? often courtesy of Macromedia Corp.'s web animation program ? is simply a flash in the pan.
These often-clever animations succeed in doing two things consistently: 1) wasting precious time getting the information to site visitors and 2) delaying delivery of the message that the company or organization wants visitors to see.
Effective web design relies on communicating information and the message in an attractive, efficient manner. The concept of "you only get one chance to make a good first impression" is jeopardized when a new visitor has to endure the "loading" message.
Often, the Flash opening has little to do with the reason the visitor typed in the URL or clicked the link in the first place. For example, one marketing firm's homepage opens with a Flash montage featuring a boy looking out over the ocean through a telescope, cats playing on a floor, a close-up of a man's lower face covered with powdered sugar and the interior of a cab festooned with mosaic tile. The relevance of all this to the firm's capabilities as far as meeting marketing communications needs escapes us.
But don't misunderstand. Using programs that add some spice to your site or your message is a smart use of current technology (see www.zyman.com, for example). Designers just have to make sure that your message ? "We can meet your business needs" ? are part of the Flash effort.
Also, make sure that the Flash introduction includes an opt-out link ("Click here to skip intro") and doesn't run for more than 15 seconds or so. The idea is to draw visitors into the site and engage them, not to overwhelm them with cool gimmicks or how much money you spent developing your site.
As non-engineers or non-designers put it, just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should just for the sake of doing so.
Chris Scott heads Hodge Media Group, the custom publishing arm of Hodge Communications, Inc. Hodge specializes in strategic public relations and marketing communications for businesses, entrepreneurs and professional associations.
Formerly an award-winning journalist, he brings over 20 years of experience to client engagements. Subscribe today to Communic@te! our free bimonthly e- newsletter and get a free special report: "Using Buzz To Create a Groundswell For Your Business."
Visit http://www.hodgecommunications.com
Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareTo build a website, there are four methods to choose... Read More
They say the eyes are the window to the soul.... Read More
One of the challenges of moving a web site up... Read More
Read the title of this article over a couple of... Read More
When you start building your online business and search for... Read More
Here's a really simple way... any novice can create a... Read More
Whether you're hiring a designer who has created 10 sites... Read More
This article is the result of a conversation I had... Read More
What is the relationship between Marketing and Web designing? How... Read More
You know... Before purchasing your product a person comes to... Read More
In the early years of the internet the actual design... Read More
Over the years, the internet has grown into a marvelous... Read More
This article may come as a surprise to you.Especially since... Read More
Choosing the right typeface for your website copy is important,... Read More
Websites that have multiple pages usually have a Frequently Asked... Read More
CNN.com's designers have gone out of their way to make... Read More
The internet continues to grow and has become the default... Read More
If you are trying to sell a product or service... Read More
It's been said again and again, when it comes to... Read More
Just about every list of the "Top 10 Web Design... Read More
It starts off simply; a few HTML pages, a few... Read More
Before you take a road trip it is usually a... Read More
ASP.NET is a new programming framework from Microsoft for developing... Read More
The Psychology of ColorAre you using the best colors for... Read More
We would all like to have the best looking website,... Read More
Antigo wedding limo ..Do your web pages, sales letters or personal presentations include... Read More
The most important person that you need to please when... Read More
The Basics You have a flourishing business ? everything is... Read More
Since I'm a web designer, I have a tendency to... Read More
There are several very good reasons why you should consider... Read More
We all want high impact graphics for our Web sites... Read More
Creating your web site can be a tricky process. Choosing... Read More
The Internet is a relatively new medium. What works for... Read More
I do site reviews. Needless to say, I see a... Read More
You just created a new web site but want to... Read More
10 Ways Web Site Text Can Impact Your Reader's Buying... Read More
These days, it seems that everyone has a website. Unfortunately,... Read More
As a graphic designer, you are sitting on a gold... Read More
Learning how to convert visitors to your web site into... Read More
You've designed your logo, and you're ready to print your... Read More
Geared Up with a website and lots of energy to... Read More
You spend time and money promoting your website; but what... Read More
New Web sites are springing up online by the millions.... Read More
I'm not a professional web site designer and openly admit... Read More
The most popular method to build webpages today is to... Read More
So, what's in a website design anyway? And, how do... Read More
My mother used to take me along when she visited... Read More
They may look cutting edge, but if you want a... Read More
When you design a website how do you start ?Do... Read More
Not too long ago while looking for businesses that do... Read More
Web Design |