Flash Template Tips
What you need to know before you purchase or download Flash templates.
A Note of Caution to FindLaw Users About Flash Websites
Before you pay for FindLaw to develop a Flash website for you, read the fine print in your contract and ask a ton of questions. SometimesFlash is the best choice: but not always. And you need to ask yourself "why" if a company is always trying to sell flash services. (Answer: There is good money to be made off you, the client.)
FindLaw typically charges a free for the site development including the Flash setup and then a monthly rental fee to use the Flash. When your contract ends, you may also have to pay once again to own the site if you want to take the Flash with you.
Ask For Editable Flash Files
Unless you are clever enough to ask for the raw files if you purchase your website from FindLaw, chances are you will only be given Flash files that cannot be updated in the future.
FindLaw builds beautiful websites. They have sophisticated programmers. Trouble is, most of their clients do not understand that Flash files slow down the site, and will not help you in search engines.
Flash is a great way for any web design company to "impress" you with fancy features that will cost you a lot. They make money off selling you bells and whistles. Trouble is, Flash will not necessarily impress your site visitors and it definitely will not impress search engines.
Flash Website Tips - Before You Buy Flash Templates
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Filed in: Flash Tips | Tips Blog
Flash Tip #3: About Flash Templates
What you need to know before you buy Flash templates.
There is no shortage of "free" and low-cost Flash template websites. But before you get all excited about Flash templates it is important to understand that if you do not have software to change the Flash files - and the knowledge required to customize these templates, you won't get very far after the download.
If you really love the colors and layout of a Flash template, but do not have the skills or budget to customize the template, trying picking a template version that also has an HTML or CSS version. You will not get the sound effects and movement, but changing HTML and CSS is a lot easier than manipulating Flash.
What about those services that customize Flash for you?
Many sites offer inexpensive Flash templates (expect to pay an average of $40 to $80 per template) and offer to customize the template for you. Before you sign on read the fine print. Every change - including logos, a tag line, images, and colors will cost you. A cheap Flash template could easily end up costing you $500 to $1,000 in customizations.
If you do not have Flash skills and the budget, remember that anytime you want to change something in the Flash files you will have to hire someone to do it for you. For the most part, Flash work ain' t cheap, and even simple changes (like logos) are likely to cost $50 to $100.
A Final Note About Templates: Buyer Beware
Read the fine print before you join a membership template site or even pay to download a single template. Some sites allow you to remove a link to the company or designer; but not all do. Also, templates - even purchased ones - almost always have some coding error, design flaw, or other aspect that will require a "work around."
You will never be able to download a template and take it live - all templates need at least some customization. If you do not like to tinker, find out before you pay for a template how much it will cost you to have someone else fine tune it for you.