Thinking about a splash page or entry page that a visitor has to view or (click to skip) before heading on to view your blog or e-commerce site? Don’t.

What IS a splash page ” A page in a Web site that the user sees first before being given the option to continue to the main content of the site. Often a splash page will consist of animated graphics and sounds that entice the user into exploring the rest of the Web site. Some splash pages will bring the user to the main Web site automatically, and some require the user to click on a link that will load the main page. “ quote Useful design

I can not more adequately get my point across then to simply say “DO NOT EVER use an entry page” on your website. EVER. So now that I have made that clear let me tell you why;

1) It’s outdated. DO you want users to think you are a serious professional website, company, or blog?

Your site needs to not look like a site built in the year 2000 (because, yes, that was TEN years ago. Ten years is a decade.) Are we on the same page now about splash pages?

2) Search engines don’t like splash pages. The best traffic to your site is traffic that WANTS to be at your site and they often arrive through a – search engine. A entry page or splash page often has not indexable content (except maybe a title). Be nice to the search engine – if you want the search engine to be nice to you.

3) YOU think it looks pretty – your graphic designer thinks it looks pretty. Your blof or website is NOT a display ad, its a website.

Why do people use the web instead of opening the yellow pages ? They want INFORMATION. The less clicks the better. So like the search engines your visitors want information that is not found on a splash page or entry page. So this means simply; Your visitors don’t like Splash pages.

4.) Bail out rate. This is the percentage of visitors who land on your site and LEAVE without surfing content, subscribing to your feed, or making a purchase. A splash page has a bail out rate of more then 50% (based on my experiment and tracking).

5.) You don’t want your website to show up on the list of Flander’s Websites that Suck 2010.

“I try to tell clients that Web design should reflect the real world, and you don’t see real-world equivalents of a splash page. Think about Wal-Mart. Are you forced to wait at the front door and watch a thirty-second movie before you’re allowed to enter? No. Then why would you make your visitors wait to get inside your Web site?” (Flanders 2002) Web Pages that Suck

So here it is. If you come to me and ask me for feedback on your website and you have an entry page or splash page.

I am going to tell you that your Blog or website sucks because I will be the 50% that simply close the window at your splash page and I won’t ever see your content. (As apposed to the up to 50% who wait for it to load as they get frustrated before they see your site.)

So please. SAY NO to splash pages. Say NO to entry pages.

My tip for today. No splash pages. Period. Ever.