To splash or not to splash
Article by Nathan George, 08 October 2009

A splash page is an introductory page to a web site that might offer one of the following;

• a graphic or company logo
• an animation or movie
• a technical choice of how to enter the site (hi or low bandwidth)

Splash pages were once very popular as they provide an opportunity to include a unique design element. However more recently their usefulness has become questionable. Before you go all out on developing an amazing animation splash page for your web site, consider the following;

Pros

• A splash page can be fast loading and get a small amount of information on your page without scrolling
• A splash page ensures your site users view your animation or movie at least once
• A splash page is a great way to showcase your branding or design like a portfolio
• A splash page can allow the user to select the version of the site most appropriate for them
• You may wish to divide sections within your company with a splash page

Cons

• Users come to your site to view your site. A splash page forces another step between the user and your site.
• Many users don't like splash pages and some studies suggest that up to 25% of users will exit a site directly after loading the splash page
• Splash pages are generally not search engine friendly, especially if flash is used. An animation provides nothing for a search engine to index
• Animations can be seen as repetitive and annoying for return visitors
• You must ensure approriate navigation to within your site is added as search engines are unable to follow javascript or flash script page redirects.

Although there is no clear cut answer, the definite recent trend is to ommit splash pages due to their detrimental search engine effect and useability issues. That's not to say that there aren't sites where it may be suitable. Just approach cautiously.

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