The Problems with Splash Pages

The problem with splash pages is that it hardly provides any content for the users or the search engines, and there is usually only one link/path into the entire site. So, the users and search engine spiders have to make an addition click (sometimes two clicks or more) to get to the actual content. The more clicks a user has to make in order to get to the goods that you want them to see, the more likely they will go back to the search results page and continue on to the next site.

Search engines generally consider the main page (ie default/index for example) to be the most important page on your site, and we always want to use this to our advantage. So, if you have a splash page on your site, it would be highly advisable that you have this updated and have the actual page that you want your visitors to see (the actual content) when they come to your site.

Ideally, you would want the very first page on your site to have all the info that the user and search engines will need. That includes proper navigation and content.

So, for marketing your business online. You still want to have a visually appealing website, but you also want it to be search engine friendly. Having the best of both worlds will provide to be a great asset in helping your online business succeed in today's competitive market.

It is still ok to use flash on your site, but do not have your entire site done in flash. As always moderation is the key. This goes with graphics as well. We don't want to the site to be too heavy in graphics. You still have to consider that a large number of people are still using dialup connections and we do not want to have a slte that loads slowly. Having this happen can result in the visitor hittting the back button and continue to the the next site.

Lets say you found a web designer that you like, it is still a very good idea to hire a search marketing connsultant/company to help you along with the process. The majority of search marketing firms will gladly consult with you through the development of your site (there'll usually be a fee involved). Making sure that your site is search engine friendly from the word go, and you will save your money and time.

See how your Splash page looks to the Search Engines

Are you interested in seeing how your splash pages looks to the search engine spiders? Check out your page from Lynx Viewer. A splash page with little or no content, will have a much lesser chance of ranking highly in the search engines and it will hinder the convertibility of your site.

The next article will touch on Content Development.

Gerard Manning
Search Marketing Consultant
Manning Search Marketing

Related links:

Designing a Website - Avoiding Some Common Design Mistakes (Part One)
Designing a Website - Writing Content for your Website (Part Two)
Designing a Website - Finding a Reliable Hosting Company (Part Three)