Question about flash intro. for ranking.

Will it hurt my ranking if my index page is in flash?

[PhotoLord]

I hope this is a good qWill it hurt my rankinguestion. I'm trying to learn a lot about search engine ranking. I've been reading a lot here. I'm a wedding photographer and trying to get my site listed and ranked high. I have someone helping me with the submission, but I think he was using software for that. I believe it should be manual and not submitted by software as I read earlier. I read that the pages shouldn't take long to load. I believe Brett_Tabke mentioned that it should be like between 5-10 kb. I have a flash presentation on the first page. Will this in anyway hurt my new process of getting higher ranked? I need to do some linking as well, but have no idea as to what I should link to. I'm quite new and only understand the process a little. I would list my website for some ideas as to what I should work on, but I'm not sure if that is ok to do that here. I wanted to get some opinions from you guys. You seem to know a whole lot about this. Thanks for any help.

[robotsdobetter]

If it's all flash it will hurt, just make sure you have text on it, but it's better to have all text and html.

If you need links search for wedding related sites, search with wedding, wedding information, wedding dress, etc.

[PhotoLord]

Thank you for the info.

[pleeker]

I have someone helping me with the submission, but I think he was using software for that. I believe it should be manual and not submitted by software as I read earlier.

Avoid submission software, yes. In fact, submission itself is nearly a complete waste of time with the exception of submitting to web directories. There's no need to submit to Google, etc., as their crawler will find your site more quickly after other sites start linking to it (including web directories).

I read that the pages shouldn't take long to load. I believe Brett_Tabke mentioned that it should be like between 5-10 kb.

No disrespect toward Brett, but 5-10k seems exceptionally small to me. There is no hard and fast rule on page size. I prefer to develop pages that have at least a few paragraphs of well-written, relevant text. Add in an image and you're likely well past the 5-10k plateau ... and there are plenty of sites ranking well that are much bigger than 5-10k per page.

I have a flash presentation on the first page. Will this in anyway hurt my new process of getting higher ranked?

Yes. Search engine crawlers like text. Give it to them.

I need to do some linking as well, but have no idea as to what I should link to.

If you're a wedding photographer, you might partner with a local florist, bakery, wedding coordinator, gift shop, etc., and share links amongst your group. Basically, you link to sites that may benefit your customers (even if they don't link back to you).

I would list my website for some ideas as to what I should work on, but I'm not sure if that is ok to do that here.

It's not. :) Good call on showing restraint.

I wanted to get some opinions from you guys. You seem to know a whole lot about this.

Keep reading.... you're in the right place.

[mep00]

I have a flash presentation on the first page. Will this in anyway hurt my new process of getting higher ranked?

With a Flash intro, getting a good ranking is the least of your concerns. I bigger problem is people hitting the back button before the page finishes loading. Macromedia, Flash's publisher, advise on Flash intos is not to have one. Here's thread where someone changed their mind on using a Flash intro:
[webmasterworld.com...]

[PhotoLord]

Thanks a whole lot everyone. I'm busy working with my site after the good responses. I'm also getting rid of the flash intro.