All the Leaves are Brown
One thing I spurn more than anything as I surf the web is sites that automatically blast me with audio, be it background music, talking characters, or a video. I may be deep in the middle of a teleconference with bigwigs all over the world, and "OOPS! Sorry guys!" as I click the back button to save myself from the inevitable silence on the other end of the phone. I wish there was a browser that would allow me to leave these sites off of my search results or that would flash a warning signal before I clicked in. Oh, the embarrassment that could have saved me!
Sound a bit harsh!? Well, I am not alone on my feelings about sound on websites. It is definitely a love or hate relationship, and the majority of people fall into the hate crowd. Rather than take the time to find a shut-off button, they simply click the back button or close the browser. Ouch! All that time and effort you just put into that new beautiful site and now, the majority of your visitors are leaving before they even know what you have to offer.
Did you realize that the sound on your site even overplays the music that I am listening to on my computer?
So, when is sound justified? Hmmm. Let's see. Before we answer that question, let me point out that it is never justified as an autoplay. Your visitors should always request that your audio begin playing. That being said, musicians, record companies, movie sites, news media, games, and children's interactive websites are the only instances that I can think of that truly justify sound. Oh yeah! And, on occasion, you might consider a few short sound bytes for rollover effects or effects that simulate movement on your site, but beyond that, stay away, far, far away.
As a final note, even if you follow all of these rules, allowing your visitors to start and stop the audio on your site on a whim, you should never, never ever, use copyrighted songs without permission. BMI, ASCAP, SESAC, and RIAA actually do pursue copyright violations. And, unfortunately, obtaining permission is not an easy task as it requires you to get permission from the music publisher (for the song itself) and the record company (for the recording).
And the sky is gray....
Sound a bit harsh!? Well, I am not alone on my feelings about sound on websites. It is definitely a love or hate relationship, and the majority of people fall into the hate crowd. Rather than take the time to find a shut-off button, they simply click the back button or close the browser. Ouch! All that time and effort you just put into that new beautiful site and now, the majority of your visitors are leaving before they even know what you have to offer.
Did you realize that the sound on your site even overplays the music that I am listening to on my computer?
So, when is sound justified? Hmmm. Let's see. Before we answer that question, let me point out that it is never justified as an autoplay. Your visitors should always request that your audio begin playing. That being said, musicians, record companies, movie sites, news media, games, and children's interactive websites are the only instances that I can think of that truly justify sound. Oh yeah! And, on occasion, you might consider a few short sound bytes for rollover effects or effects that simulate movement on your site, but beyond that, stay away, far, far away.
As a final note, even if you follow all of these rules, allowing your visitors to start and stop the audio on your site on a whim, you should never, never ever, use copyrighted songs without permission. BMI, ASCAP, SESAC, and RIAA actually do pursue copyright violations. And, unfortunately, obtaining permission is not an easy task as it requires you to get permission from the music publisher (for the song itself) and the record company (for the recording).
And the sky is gray....
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