The top 3 reasons not to put music on your website
August 2nd, 2007 • Posted by Seth Gardenswartz • Permalink
"I know our website needs updating. It doesn't even have music." That was how my conversation began with a lovely and successful spa owner at the Harm's User Conference last week in Miami. This is a smart business woman who runs a very successful salon/spa. However, she quickly admitted that website usability is not her area of expertise. After I shared some of our e-commerce experience with her, she quickly understood why music is a great example of how not to update your site, unless you really don't want folks to use it. People go to a spa to relax, but they go to your website for quick and convenient information, to book an appointment or to buy an instant gift certificate (assuming you are using SpaBoom).
Sites with music are neither quick nor convenient. A few years ago they may have been the rage, but today website music is a sign you are trying to make your site "feel" like your spa. It won't work, and customers will wind up relaxing with one of your competitors. Why is music such a bad idea? We could fill pages, but here are the top three reasons:
3: It will slow down your site. They are using the web rather than the phone or a personal visit because it's convenient. Waiting for your music file to load will add rather than relieve stress to your user's day.
2: It will embarrass your visitor and chase them off your site. Where do you think your user is when they visit your site? Personally, I am often at work, in the middle of a long conference call, when I suddenly remember that my sister-in-law's birthday is today (it's actually March 21st). With a normal silent site, I efficiently and quietly multi-task my conference call and instant gift buying. But a blast of music (you never know where the volume is set) will alert the guy in the next cube or professor in the midst of a lecture that the user is surfing. That's when the user vows never to visit your site again!
1: The visitor will hate your music. Really, they will. Do you really know what each of your visitors would like to hear at the moment of their visit to your site? Do you know which website does not have any music playing when you log on? iTunes. Why? Same reason 31 Flavors lets you order before they serve you. Music is about choice. Apple knows that and leaves it to its customers.
Adding these kinds of extras to a website really sends the message that you are not thinking about the user's experience. There is no reason that your site can't be just as elegant without music. The form of your website should follow its function. If your function is to give users information about your business or an efficient way to transact business with you, it's hard to justify the kind of tinny, repetitive website music that makes the "off" or "close" button the most used icon on your website.
[...] something so important as music fails to serve a tangible purpose: your web site. Seth Gardenswartz makes a good case as to why you should avoid music in this medium, for the sake of your visitors and for your [...]
I agree. Not only that, people insist on putting up music that is copyright protected.
Leave it silent. If it's so important to you, make it so they can push a play button to hear your sound while they are at your site. Don't load it automatically.
I listen to the finest headphones in the world while I work. I'm plugged in. Don't disrupt my Progressive Jazz/Bluegrass music.
Thanks.