Animations on a web site can be irresistibly inviting and they can also be truly annoying. In surfing the Internet, one can easily find an example of each. A good starting question to ask yourself ... "Can Flash help better serve my web site visitor"?
Whether it’s a visual emphasis on your company’s tag line, or a more complex delivery of company information, an animation should always have purpose and be non-obtrusive. Even a slight animation can enhance user experience. The key is to use it sparingly, wisely and appropriately. Unless the intent is to "show off", keep it simple. There are a multitude of choices when deciding what to animate. However to keep it simple I've outlined below a few basic categories animations fall under:
Visual intrigue
An interactive resource
The full media experience
Lastly, introducing animation to your web site should be a decision made based upon your web site audience, the message your company is trying to send and also the web site’s budget.
Please, use Flash wisely:
... your search engine results depend on it. Relevant copy and keywords (such as the text on this page) is one of the single most important factors weighed in when search engines return search results. Embedding copy into a Flash document can render that copy undetectable from search engine spiders. Full flash sites can be vibrant & rich, but if search engine results are important to you, don't miss out on potential results by sticking your web site content in a full Flash environment.
