Avoid addition of audio stuff on web
Like splash pages and excessive banners, background music loops in a business website could drive your audience faster. When one is angled towards the goodies a website offers, music could be very annoying. So, it is advisable for professional web designers and developers to avoid using the audio stuff when one is not particularly needed. Also, if a user has got a slower modem then he would not be able to see the best the site has to offer. Will that not effectively drive him off the site? Designers are pretty much familiar with the way internal messaging window starts buzzing. This plays spoilsport at a time when a proper flow at work really matters. At least, that does not help to really focus on the job and get things done. People, quite bored with that noise, developed a way of disabling the alert notifications, howsoever useful they seemed to be.
So, provide the users with a rather clear idea of what they could expect from you. A well designed site allows its visitors to keep flowing from information to the other. Instead of behaving in a cumbrous way, a website should take more care of user interface. It should be easy for them to come back to a page they find useful. Be objective and think whether a music loop serves them better. Audiophiles might like ongoing music as they keep sifting the pages, but the designer must be aware of the nature of the need that would bring most visitors to the site and the nature of a majority of those users has to be anticipated. Then, the extent of user controls too has to be considered. Won’t you like to give the more frequent visitors a choice to decide the level of sound they are comfortable with? Volume or muting controls would be liked more.
While audio files could give added meaning to a business website, it feels quite elementary if not much thought goes with it. Those, just starting to transition from being a developer to exploring the design route cannot help but fall for audio. It’s not that they are going to sell music on their sites. It might be OK to use a background tune if it belongs to some musicians or bands. Personal and off the table websites too can feature music after careful consideration. But, it has to be borne in mind that streaming a full version of a song takes up too many resources. If making unique visitors come back again and again to your site is of interest, then consider the fact that adding audio files could make the site slow-loading and choppy too. So, retaining the visitors would be quite difficult for such websites.
About the author: Amanda Kidd is a writer who is all into machines, cars and Automotive Design. She blogs for health, parenting and beauty as well, but technology band gadgets tops the list of her favorites. Mobile reviews and Mobile Operating Systems have recently caught her interest. She love cars and her favorite one is Audi A8.
