While the verdict is still out, using Flash on your site has its pros and cons. However, before you decide if you will be using Flash or not you need to think about if Flash is right for you.

Pros

Flash does indeed have its many advantages. In fact some of the best looking sites on the web today are flash based sites. One of the biggest reasons for this is the fact that using Flash improves the interactivity of the webpage. Because it is much easier to create interactive buttons on Flash, users will be able to interact with your site much more than without it. In addition, Flash enables you to get very creative with your website and offers you endless creativity. Depending on what you want your site to convey, this creativity can greatly improve your companies image. Yet another advantage of using flash is that you do not have to worry about browser capability because all browsers have the ability to see Flash pages.

Cons

Just as there are many advantages to using flash on your website, there are just as many disadvantages. For one, using Flash will dramatically increase the load time for your page. In addition, some users may not wish to install Flash onto their computer, effectively losing them for good. However, the largest disadvantage of using a flash based site is that it is very hard to optimize for search engines. In fact, it is nearly impossible and doing so assures that your site may never be found by potential consumers.

The decision to use Flash is entirely up to you, however it is good to know the advantages and disadvantages of using it. What works for one site is not going to work for another, so before you choose what you are going to do make sure to evaluate which option will work best for your company.