In Defense of Splash Pages.

[mtheory]

I've noticed that most webmasters have a negative opinion of "Splash Pages".

With millions of "Cookie Cutter" sites, the end-user has a difficult time deciphering between sites.

Enter the "Splash Page"
-Creates and solidifies branding
-Sets the tone for the rest of the visit
-Offers a simple, eye-catching and easily more memorable impression of the site.

As the internet evolves, the lines between the internet and traditional media are becoming less defined. People are watching tv on their computers. They are using phones as computers, etc...

A well done book cover will definately enhance sales and a catchy show intro can catapult a tv series to instant success (Think - "I'll Be There For You" - Radio DJ's frantically looping the short intro song to get some more length the morning after the show debut overshadowed the success of the show itself)

Why shoud it be any different for presentation on the internet?

[mikesmith76]

you've made some interesting points there but IMO a good homepage will fulful all the points you listed, and more. If you need a splash page to set the tone of your site then the homepage is either too cluttered or too empty.

[DrTandem1]

I think most webmasters are against them because they know that most visitors find them annoying.

The only reason I would recommend a "splash" page of sorts, is if the site has different languages or maybe wholesale and retail versions. If you have a rock band or a movie to promote, that may be where a splash page could be effective. I still would recommend against anything that took any lengthy amount of time to load or present.

Personally, when I go to whatever.com I expect that I am on the the site. Why would I need to see a page with a link to enter the site or wait for a presentation before I am forwarded to the "real" site?

For most sites, I would stay away from them. If you're concerned about branding, which I agree is important, a small (static)logo on every page should do the trick.

Some people will request splash pages. I would explain the above to them. If they still want a splash page, then I would make it for them. Basically, every barrier you put in front of a visitor on an e-commerce site, the more unlikely you are to make a sale.

[corporateface]

I agree with Mike.
Your points are true enough, but the answer isn't a splash page, but a unique design and layout with eyecatching graphics, etc...

I skip past the splash page whenever, I hit one.
The only time that I have seen splash pages appropriately used is on pro athlete or performer websites. For example, Terrell Owens (can't remember the url) has a decent splash intro into his personal website.

Keith Barnett

[ADAM Web Design]

www.terrellowens.com ?

That thing's just annoying.

[corporateface]

i hadn't seen it in a while.
yep ;o)

However, it does give you the option to enter the site or view the intro. The intro is cool if you are just coming for the 1st or 2nd time.

What would be even better is a box to check that says I don't ever want to see this page again :o)

[tomfoolery]

It depends on the site, and your goals for the site. If your site is there to entertain, then a splash page is fine. If you are trying to sell something, then you need to determine if the spash serves the customer's needs, or gets in the customer's way. IMO, 9 times out of 10, a splash will detract from the user experience/sales cycle (and if you don't have a clear "skip this screen" button then you're going to tick a lot of people off -- I personally click the skip button so fast that it conjures memories of the Speed-"Reset Game" button on my old Atari 2600). If the spash has a clear and definitive reason to be there (Like showing a video clip of your product in use), then it absolutely should be there. If it is just there to be pretty, and satisfy the self-indulgence of the designer, then it absolutely doesn't need to be there. (this is the problem with most websites, IMO, they are created by designers who really want to be TV commercial producers. The site looks cool to the designer, looks cool to the executives/site-owners, and looks good to all of their friends and colleagues -- but doesn't take into consideration if the customer even wants it or not.)

[Kieto]

I've been designing for a little over 6 years. I guess I'm a bit stuck, but I figure in a good way. I've always had splash pages on all my sites and my clients sites as well. I agree that they set the mood for the rest of the site. I like to think of a multifacited web site as a home, or a business with many rooms. Check out http://www.kieto.com. It's a fun site and the very first web site I designed. Good luck in whatever you do.

[Weedy Lady]

I looked at all 3 of your sites and didn't see a splash page on any of them.

[Andilinks]

I don't design sites, what I DO is visit sites, lots of them. I find spash pages and flash in general an impediment to whatever it is I'm trying to locate. No matter how beautiful or clever if it is in my way it is just noise. I just read Malcolm Gladwell's book Blink and I agree with him that most yes/no decisions are made in less than a second.

The internet is not a passive medium, if I want to be entertained passively I can slip in a DVD or drive to a local club...

Andi

[James Bull]

Why make your visitors perform an extra step between arriving at your site and finding the information they are looking for?

While you can argue the merits of splash pages depending on the nature of the site and how you interact with your audience, you shouldn't need one just to differentiate your site from others.

It's something that designers and usability people have been debating for years. For example, see the third item on http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990530_comments.html which was written in 1999.

[Syspira]

Personally, I agree with the people who've said it depends on the nature of the site. For some, particularly those concerned with entertainment or the arts, it's expected, and perfectly appropriate. For other kinds of sites, it may not be. When surfing sites, sometimes I like splash pages and sometimes I don't, and when designing sites, sometimes I use them and sometimes I don't.

But I would add that it also depends on the splash page. A number of people have mentioned not wanting to have to take an extra step to get into a site, but if a splash page incorporates some form of navigation, then there isn't necessarily any kind of extra step involved. You can have your "book cover" and still allow visitors to go directly to the part of the site they want to go to instead of just having a pointless "enter" link.

I've also seen some in between cases - where the home page of a site is more visually striking than the rest of the interior pages, but still follows a relatively similar structure to the rest. I suppose it's not a splash page as such in those cases, but fulfills some of the same purpose.

[nashville]

I agree for all the sites I don't go to.

And I really like it when my competitors have splash pages - it puts me higher the rankings.

[incrediblehelp]

The only websites that I still see using splash pages are actors, athletes, band websites, basically anything in entertainment and I hate them all. Sure they are great looking and great for the end user, but I cant imagine trying to market them. Most are made in flash and are terrible for search engines. I personally feel website totally based in flash are unnecessary. I am not just kicking on flash here, the topic is splash pages, but most websites I see using splash pages also use flash fro the websites functionality. If they are standard HTML driving websites and using a splash intro page someone needs to tell them to stop unless maybe for an language introduction page like Tandem mentioned.

[corporateface]

http://www.kieto.com

If you haven't visited Kieto's site. Do it. I just spent the last 20 minutes wasting time and laughing my head off.

Good stuff Kieto

[DrTandem1]

Here's a couple of thoughts. If a splash page is so important, why should they have a skip intro button? Another thought, try putting the splash page on an interior page. Then, put a link to it on the Home page and see how many visitors access it.

Also, if you are an entertainment site, be sure that the splash page is entertaining. Very few are.

[CJacobson]

I dislike splash pages for reasons already cited, but mainly I don't recommend them because the index page of a website is such valuable real estate for SEO. Very few splash pages have enough verbiage for good search engine performance. Displacing keywords in lieu of an oversize image or an animation is a big waste of potential!

"Millions of cookie cutter sites"? Obviously you're not talking about MY sites. If YOU "need" a splash page for YOUR site, it's probably because YOUR first page of juicy, meaty content is poorly designed.

[corporateface]

Originally Posted by DrTandem1

be sure that the splash page is entertaining. Very few are.

HERE HERE

[mikesmith76]

Here's a couple of thoughts. If a splash page is so important, why should they have a skip intro button?

Exactly. I personally find it hard to think of a splash page as anything more than a gimic for a personal home page, a way to show off your prowess in flash or graphics design, not a successful business tool

[hmoulding]

I used to have a god-awful splash page on my site. Got rid of it, eventually. I now think of it as my "geocities phase." :-)

People who think that a splash page is necessary for branding think of their site as a magazine cover, which has to provide instant appeal to the buying public. However, I don't think a website works like a magazine. For one thing, most people get to a website not through the splash page, but through an internet search. Or they type in the site's URL because they need something from the site. I know of no cases where people browse random sites in the hopes that they might come across a splash page that looks interesting.

So, no, I don't agree that a splash page is a good idea. Ever. Regardless of the site's purpose.

And if there's Flash on the splash page, then that's not just useless, but downright evil. Flash sites get major down-checks from me. The worst ones rely entirely on Flash, so that without the damned plugin you can't even navigate the site, but even when there are alternate links Flash almost always wastes bandwidth.

[dburdon]

I worked for a company once that had a great splash page with dynamic images. The designers were page £000s to construct it in Shockwave. None of our customers could read the page. It was a complete pain.

I've been against splash pages ever since.

[mtheory]

Originally Posted by dburdon

I worked for a company once that had a great splash page with dynamic images. The designers were page £000s to construct it in Shockwave. None of our customers could read the page. It was a complete pain.

I've been against splash pages ever since.

The problem is not the slash page but the way it was implemented. Shockwave is not as prolific as Flash.

[Tim]

In Mtheory's defence, I have come across some fabulous Flash splash pages and Flash sites. I have even been known to replay them repeatedly! Honestly.

However, they are niche things. They are neither accessible or search engine-friendly. For dial-up visitors they are a curse, for people just looking for information they are a nightmare. Too many are puerile or so basic I wonder how the client agreed to pay for them.

Most are like little bits of television advertising trickery and as such lack credibility. The medium becomes the message and that will ultimately be their downfall.