Macromedia Flash

In general the answer is yes, but use it minimally. That said, it is highly dependant on the type of site you are operating.

While our servers certainly have the ability to host websites that include Flash animations, or even Flash-only sites, other factors come into play.

Using Flash can significantly increase the load times for your visitors. This is the principal reason why you should use Flash sparingly. Sure the animations look nice, but visitors may leave your site if it takes too long to display.

Another consideration when using Macromedia Flash on your site is that Flash is generally not "understood" by search engines. Google has recently started to decipher the text inside Flash, but less advanced engines will miss your content.

This is especially important when you are attempting to get a Flash-only site listed.

That said, Flash can be useful in the following situations:

• You only need a small area of your site displayed in Flash
• You have a broadband-only audience who will not be affected by increased load times
• Getting listed in search engines is not important
• You require an interactivity with the visitor that cannot be achieved better using another method

See further general website hosting FAQs or our FAQ categories for more information.

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