Once you know why your website cannot do without a Flash intro, it is very important to remember when creating one. Following these points will provide your customers with a pleasant experience on your site, right from proper navigation to handling the control of the intro.
- Provide a “Skip” button: Always provide a “Skip” button from the start so that your visitors can either view the intro if they want to or skip it if they don’t want to. Never test your visitor’s patience by forcing them to view your entire Flash intro.
- Provide HTML Links below or above the intro: Always remember to put in static HTML links in all the important sections of your website. This is very important if you have the navigation menu built into the Flash intro. These static links can be either placed below or above the intro. Static HTML links will provide your visitors with the option to jump from one page to another directly without having to wait for the intro to load. It will also help the search engine bots to index all the pages on your website.
- Provide a “Loading” Message: If your Flash intro exceeds 50Kb, then put in a “Loading” message. Always remember to put in numbers so that visitors will know how much time it will take for the intro to load. You can create fancy “Loading” bars as well.
- For very large Intros: If your intro is very large, then it will take more time to load. This is why it is good to keep your visitors engaged by displaying interesting animation or messages. Always keep your visitors engrossed if you want them to wait.
- Prove a link to the plugin: Though nearly 90% of web browsers have Flash installed on their computers, it is always important to provide a link to the plugin download.
- Music: If you have music on your intro, make sure you also provide your visitors with the option to mute it.
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