Clients often come to us asking for "flash" on their site. They want pizzazz and attention-getting graphics - they want us to use animated graphics.
There are some really good uses for animated graphics: If you are selling dogs or dog related products, then you might want to use the graphic at the top of this page. It's eye-catching and kind of fun. Where the graphic relates to the product or service - and used very sparingly - animated graphics can add just the right touch to a site.
There are dangers to animated graphics though. For example, the dog at the top of this page won't stop running. It rotates over and over and over. It may annoy your clients or distract them.
Another danger is overuse. Look at the following list with pulsating buttons. Do the buttons, along with the other other graphics on this page, seem a little overwhelming?
 | Animated graphics can be eye-catching |
| Animated graphics might be distracting |
| Animated graphics can be overused |
Finally, sometimes animated graphics make a webpage look unprofessional. It might cause a potential client to lose trust in your company. The line between classy and too glitzy may be very fine. Be extra careful when deciding whether to use animated graphics. |  |
