The song Video Killed the Radio Star was the very first music video broadcast by MTV when it launched in the 80s. If written today, the song could likely be HTML5 Killed the Flash Star.

The debate between HTML5 and Flash has been a hot one ever since the launch of HTML5 ADS, which makes animation easier than ever for developers of all skill levels. Whether you still love Flash (many do) or not, there is no denying the impact that HTML5 is having on video, rich media ads and web development.

Is mobile to blame?

One of the key elements of HTML5 that threatens the necessity of Flash is the exceptional mobile capability it delivers. HTML5 banner ads offers an open structure that allows it to work on all mobile devices–and as we all know, the world is going mobile faster than ever. Shopping. Movies. Videos. Gaming. It’s all being done on smartphones and tablets in today’s world.

In fact, mobile has been touted as one HTML’s biggest advantages. Because iOS does not support Flash, it is threatened more than ever. Any mobile device equipped for Flash will soon be able to view fewer and fewer movies and videos.  And since one and five webpage views are occurring on mobile devices, that is one in five people who will soon have bad experiences.

Rich media developers and brands are beginning to focus more on the value of HTML5 Banner

Savvy marketers are already in tune with Flash’s increasing limitations when it comes to mobile and have already started switching their focus to HTML5 for reliable online video.

It’s not just watching video that is impacted, either. For rich media campaigns that rely on animations and gaming elements, the ability for the user to engage in the entire experience with no interruptions is imperative. today thanks to HTML5 Cross screen experiences ad server technology like Spark Flow  designer can build one ad that will work on every screen this cut production time and cost for brands and agencies.

The case with Flash-based ads or campaigns. HTML5-based products are already providing a smoother experience for developers and users alike.

The final blow to Flash may be SEO

In addition to its limitations with online video and gaming, Flash has one other strike against it. Search engine crawlers are not able to penetrate Flash to seen inside it, which limits Flash-based sites to being optimized the best they can be for today’s evolving SEO practices. Search may just be the final nail in the Flash coffin.

Not perfect, but ahead of the game

We’ve highlighted the advantages of HTML5 for online video and rich media, but it is important to note that HTML5 is not perfect. It is still in its infancy stage, so there are plenty of areas for improvement. But with many companies already focusing on fixing HTML5’s problems, it won’t be long before it becomes the worthy champion it is already proving to be.

Yoni Levy

Yoni Levy is the VP Managing Director of Digitaland. He has an extensive knowledge and global presence in managing digital campaigns worldwide, and he is a master in building and developing personal business relationships with key people in the marke