Are you thinking about using a splash page when you create a web site? You would be wise to think again.

What is a splash page?

Generally, it is a fancy entrance graphic which requires your visitor to click in order to enter the main home page of your web site. It may include a movie-like presentation with lots of sound effects and moving, flashy, animated graphics. These are often created using a technology called Macromedia Flash.

Top three reasons

Here are the top three reasons why you shouldn't use a splash page when you create a web site:

1 - Your visitor's don't like them

According to test conducted by web site research firm Marketing Sherpa, 80% of visitors surveyed preferred a web site without an entrance splash page. One quote by a survey responded summed it up: "When searching the web, my most immediate concern in generally time, how quick I can find/do it." Since a splash page just takes up your visitor's time without providing real and useful information, they generally don't like them.

2 - They are slow to load on a dial up connection

Even though the world is slowly moving to fast broadband connections, there are still millions upon millions of web users who connect to the internet using slower dial up connections. Putting a splash page on your web sites makes them wait - in effect, putting a block between them and your chance to present them with information. Why would you want to do that?

3 - Search engines generally can't read splash pages

While technology is evolving, the search engines like Yahoo and Google search and index the text on your web site. If you don't provide text (meaning you have only a graphical splash page), the search engines may not be able to find your web site - and that means that your potential visitors won't be able to find you either.