What Do You Think About Audio On A Website?

Hi everybody!

More and more websites use audio on their website. For example background-music, mouse-overs (menu etc.), audio- or video-ads or even a talking site-guide.

I made a poll about this subject, because it's not really clear to me (And to others) how everybody thinks about audio on websites.

Thanks for voting!

 

It really depends on the website, I'd expect sounds and whatever on a graphic designers site, or maybe a school website. But if I'm on a medical site or something its a no, no.

Background music and photogalleries go down very well for me, especially a photography site, maybe with a little chopin or beethoven.

 

Unless it's something like sky.fm I don't like any music on a website. I visit a website for information or to buy something, not listen to music.

 

I prefer to chose my music - hence when I feel like listening to music I switch on my MP3 or CD-player

site with music I usually get off by the time the music loads - without any further surfing that site

music for some of the profile sites where ppl are finally expecting to meet/make friends or partners for life, music might be ok to reflect your preferences and hence complete your emotional profile.

 

I think what you need to ask yourself is:

Is having music on a website really essentially to the site and its content, does increasing the download time and bandwidth really warrent the use of sounds/music?

If you decide yes it is essentially then you really do need a method of allowing the user to mute the music!

 

Hi,

the only way to know is to put audio and test.

Put on top of page so people can read while listening.

Check your stats after and before and you will see if they stick longer on your site.

then convert them

Mike

 

There's nothing like an illustrated salesperson to help me buy online

 

Well its good to put sum background score to ur website, it adds to d overall feel of the site, but u need to make sure u limit the sound file size, afterall u wudnt want he customers to wait a long time for the site to load...

 

Background music is absolutely pointless, considering how many people listen to their own music while they're on the internet

 

I use talkr which allows users to listen to my post. Using the MyBlogLog feature on my frontpage, you can see that people actually listen to the posts.

Obviously it is not forced upon them, they click if they want.

 

It absolutely has to be the visitor's choice whether or not any audio is played. Otherwise you will get a situation where it interferes with the music they were listening to whilst surfing. So audio can enhance a site, so long as it doesn't play unless a user specifically clicks a "play" button.

Bandwidth is getting cheaper, and more people are upgrading to broadband, or faster than standard broadband, so audio and video is getting much more practical. I think we will soon move to a situation where these things are expected on certain types of site, particularly in the entertainment niche.

 

Personally, I think it depends on what kind of website....also I'm concerned about the copyright issue....is it actually legal? Or polite to use music or songs of that you did not create/compose to be used in your own personal site...even if it's just a background music?

 

My opinion is just the same as Sabian's.
If music is not essential, there's no need to have it on your website at all. But in some cases it really does a great job - serves as a nice finish to the design of the website...
And something more I wanted to add - checking your stats - just as Myvideoseminars.com proposed - proves to be veeeeery useful.

 

for me its irritating, i usually have an mp3 playing in the background already and even if its not i wudnt want it.

 

I find it most interesting because I normally have my own music playing and getting web sounds layered over it just doesn't fit well.

 

I voted No music. I cant tell you how much i hate loading a page at 2am onlky to here crap music blasting.

 

I voted "Audio on a website is okay for me, BUT it must be functional! (No background-music etc.).".

Hate backdround music and mouse-over sounds, clicks, bangs and stuff like that. Kiddie website, unprofessional.
When I choose to accept a "functional audio", what I actually mean - sound is ok on a media website, and that's pretty much all about it. Audio previews, music samples are the main keys..

 

I'm costantly video calling thru IMs, so I do not like any kind of audio on websites. It screws up my calls LOL!

 

Music is really annoying on a website if ya can't mute the thing..

If you get a choice of tracks etc.. It gives the viewers summit to do while browsing your site

 

This is like placing a digical clock on a website when everyone has got it in the systray. I see no logical use for that.
We all have at least one media player on our computers (don't we..) and a music collection to play while browsing if need of that.