Comments on: Small Business Website Design Tips: 9 Things to Avoid

By: Research against auto-playing background music? - Webmaster Forum

Research against auto-playing background music? - Webmaster Forum — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:59:51 +0000

[...] hard time finding some numbers but found some interesting articles that have some info about this. http://www.scribizzy.com/website-des…hings-to-avoid http://www.zigpress.com/2009/10/30/1…ot-play-music/ In my own opinion, i really dislike it when [...]

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:52:41 +0000

Thanks Misael. I agree that there are always exceptions, but these are good, general rules of thumb to follow

By: Misael

Misael — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:13:43 +0000

Definitely a good reminder of things we should generally stay away from. Of course there are always exceptions that make some of these “no-no’s” appropriate to use.

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:14:20 +0000

Don’t worry Michele. Some people prefer links to open in a new window. I had this discussion with a friend a couple of years ago, and she liked new windows because when a link took her off-site, she didn’t lose her place at the site she started out on. So that’s one possible exception (i.e. only external links open in new windows). I’ve also seen sites where portfolios and galleries open in new windows, and I think that works well. There are plenty of other exceptions too. Since I do a lot of web surfing every day, I find that if too many sites use this feature, I end up with more windows than I can keep track of — and I end up closing most of them. I’ve also been sitting with someone and seen them get frustrated: “where did all these windows come from?” It’s really a user preference and I personally prefer to go with the default/standard.

By: Michele | aka Raw Juice Girl

Michele | aka Raw Juice Girl — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:19:37 +0000

Wow. I thought the “open in a new window” was a good thing. Hmmm….

I usually choose that feature manually each time I write a post and include a link.

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:04:32 +0000

I know, it can be maddening when a website’s design interferes with the user experience instead of enhancing it. I’ve unsubscribed from blogs that have the same mouse-over ads or pop-ups that you’re describing, and sometimes these pop-ups are inviting me to subscribe. (Well, I was subscribed but now that you’re all up in my face about it, I’m unsubscribing.) Some online marketers insist that these tactics generate results, and they probably do, but I just don’t think they’re good solutions for regular small businesses (they’re more for online-only endeavors). Anyway, what irks me the most is automated music or video, which I find completely imposing.

By: Tweets that mention Small Business Website Design Tips: 9 Things to Avoid | Scribizzy -- Topsy.com

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:03:53 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by –Deb, melissadonovan. melissadonovan said: 9 Website Design Elements that Small Businesses Should Avoid: http://bit.ly/8wShGj [...]

By: --Deb

--Deb — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:30:26 +0000

Amen. Especially about the music (or any auto-playing videos). They drive me bonkers and leave me scrambling to find my mute button. I also hate mouse-over ads that expand to take over half the page when you innocently try to move your mouse from one spot to another on your screen. (“I wasn’t trying to see that ad, I just wanted to reach the scroll bar to keep reading the article!”)

When will (other) web designers learn that simple is better, that “eye-catching” is just another way of saying “distracting”? Why would you want to distract people from the reason they came to your site in the first place? Because, most of the time, you don’t pull them there just so they can click on an ad and go away!

(Grumble, grumble)