What Is The Point Of A 'Splash' Page?

[Patranus]

They are annoying.
Many don't include menus.
Many hide the link to the main page.
You can easily put your promo content on your home page.
The fail from a design AND functionally perspective.

So what exactly is the point?

 

[shortylickens]

It might help people who were NOT looking for that page. They can easily see its not what they want, and back out before they see anything else.


Yeah, I guess thats kinda silly.

 

[coldmeat]

Most of the ones I see are either asking me if I'm 18 or older, or if I want the website in french or english.

 

[Zeze]

Why does it fail from design and function perspective?

You gotta think in the mind of an average surfer, not a techie's. When they go to some vodka brand's site, it's nice for them to see an auto splash gif/flash/whatever showing them a quick overview with pretty pictures.

That 'controlled' convenient education beats the hell out of letting the idiot average surfers browsing around the menus and crap (and failing).

 

[darkxshade]

To make a splash

 

[EagleKeeper]

Same point as a movie trailer. Present a sample of what is inside to assist in making up your mind.

 

[nickbits]

They are for creative people to showcase their work.

 

[Gothgar]

Bam!

Its for the snazzy

 

[Snock514]

It's just a 'splash' of the content to come... :awe:?

 

[Cerb]

Why does it fail from design and function perspective?

You gotta think in the mind of an average surfer, not a techie's. When they go to some vodka brand's site, it's nice for them to see an auto splash gif/flash/whatever showing them a quick overview with pretty pictures.

That 'controlled' convenient education beats the hell out of letting the idiot average surfers browsing around the menus and crap (and failing).

Overview? What world are you in? What they all include is a site warning and/or advertisement. I have never seen one that points out what is where on the website.

If you need to be told where to click for what, or what is available on the site, it is a shitty design, and an incomplete website (most corporate websites are, of course). The average surfer is smart enough to notice menus and the like, when they aren't integrated into an animated figure or otherwise obscured by designer masturbation.

Example of outstanding website design. Notice how they have promotion, commonly used menus, and a high-level site map on the main page, in distinct blocks, separated by position and color, it loads quickly, and there is no need at all for a splash page, nor use of flash. The worst is the integrated popup, same as Intel and Dell do.

 

[0roo0roo]

Why does it fail from design and function perspective?

You gotta think in the mind of an average surfer, not a techie's. When they go to some vodka brand's site, it's nice for them to see an auto splash gif/flash/whatever showing them a quick overview with pretty pictures.

That 'controlled' convenient education beats the hell out of letting the idiot average surfers browsing around the menus and crap (and failing).

the average surfer is even less likely to be helped by arbitrary interfaces. basic usability is probably worked out now, unless you think your company has made a break through, probably best not to have everyone visiting your site having to figure out how it works before they can get to what they were looking for in the firs t place.

 

[skyking]

yawn

 

[CZroe]

I've heard time and time again that they are out-dated and should no longer be used in modern designs. In applications where something is loading in the background, fine, but not on websites where you could actually be DOING something while the rest loads.

That said, I see FAR too many programs that just do it with a timer/delay because the devs think it looks professional and it doesn't even begin loading the program's resources while it displays.

 

[gevorg]

Flash vs HTML-only

(i.e. Droid vs iPhone 😛 )

 

[Patranus]

Why does it fail from design and function perspective?

You gotta think in the mind of an average surfer, not a techie's. When they go to some vodka brand's site, it's nice for them to see an auto splash gif/flash/whatever showing them a quick overview with pretty pictures.

That 'controlled' convenient education beats the hell out of letting the idiot average surfers browsing around the menus and crap (and failing).

You have this
http://www.49ers.com/
and then this
http://www.49ers.com/index.html

There is ZERO need for a splash when the home page has a "promo" section.

Perfect example of a GREAT home page with functionality and a massive promo with pretty pictures - http://www.apple.com/

 

[CZroe]

Flash vs HTML-only

(i.e. Droid vs iPhone 😛 )

Droid != Android. It is trademarked by Lucasfilm LTD and used by Verizon with permission. There are multiple Verizon Droid phones from different manufacturers just like there were multiple T-Mobile Sidekick phones from different manufacturers (originally, the Danger HipTop).

 

[gevorg]

Droid != Android. It is trademarked by Lucasfilm LTD and used by Verizon with permission. There are multiple Verizon Droid phones from different manufacturers just like there were multiple T-Mobile Sidekick phones from different manufacturers (originally, the Danger HipTop).

who cares? you get the point... android is too long to spell out 😛

 

[alkemyst]

It might help people who were NOT looking for that page. They can easily see its not what they want, and back out before they see anything else.


Yeah, I guess thats kinda silly.

It makes a nice landing page for computers in their offices.

Once you find the site, it's pretty easy to make a bookmark to their main navigation page.

 

[CZroe]

who cares? you get the point... android is too long to spell out 😛

Really?

 

[Lifted]

"Statistics show that visitors spend x% more time on sites with a splash page, and are x% more likely to..."

So say the graphic designers and web developers when you need work done.

Obviously nothing but more work for them to bill for.