An introduction to flash design



First came the Internet, which contained only plain unformatted text. Then came the web, which gave us text formatting and graphics. As the web has developed and images we see on TV and in movies have become more spectacular, uk flash designers have looked for ways of delivering ever more animated and interactive web experiences.

Flash designers use software created by Macromedia to add sound, movement and interactivity to a website. Whether creating an entire site or just adding elements of interactivity to a standard site, a good flash designer can give a website that WOW factor.

When do you need a flash designer?

The main advantage of hiring a flash designer is that they can enhance your visitors' experience. Sites built in flash suit products whose success depends on separating yourself from your rivals on factors other than how competitive your prices are. To this end, a good flash designer can help to build your brand and add value to your product. It is important therefore to recognise what type of product you are selling and identify your target audience.

On the downside, the content of a flash website is not currently indexed by search engines. This makes it difficult to get websites built entirely in flash good search engine rankings. For those looking to expand their online presence through the search engines, a full flash site may not be the best option but your designer can still include a flash presentation on your site.

Vector graphics and animations in flash load quickly but they don't load as quickly as text and graphics. As a result, download times can put visitors off unless they are confident your site contains content they want.