# Music on Websites



## DecadentDashes (Jan 15, 2011)

First off, I did a quick search and didn't see any topics about this, but if I missed any, I apologize for being repetitive.


It's been a rather lazy Saturday for me and out of curiosity I spent some time googling local photography studios to see what kind of services they offered etc. Out of a dozen or so websites, nearly all of them had some type of music start playing as soon as the page loaded. My immediate reaction whenever this happens is to x out of the page asap to make it shut up because I can't be bothered to search around for the (usually) tiny pause button. Had I been a customer that alone would have prompted me to look elsewhere for services.

And so I'm wondering how many of you put music on your photography websites or enjoy it when others do? I know the sites I visited represent a rather small cross-section of a greater collective, so is this common nationally/globally as well?

If you do enjoy/use it, what kind of benefits do you think it provides?
If you dislike it, how would it affect your likelihood of becoming a customer?


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## PASM (Jan 15, 2011)

I find piped music on websites cheesy and a waste of bandwidth/time. The same goes for autoplay embedded videos - annoying..or pretentious flash animations with 'skip this' buttons.


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## Formatted (Jan 16, 2011)

PASM said:


> I find piped music on websites cheesy and a waste of bandwidth/time. The same goes for autoplay embedded videos - annoying..or pretentious flash animations with 'skip this' buttons.



This ^^


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## Buckster (Jan 16, 2011)

I dislike it and usually just kill the page and move on.  If I'm really interested to see what they have though, I'll hit the mute button on my keyboard.


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## flightless_beaker (Jan 16, 2011)

I hate music and auto playing videos on a website. Mine doesn't have it, nor will I ever do it. I browse the internet listening to my music and I hate when something else is trying to compete.


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## wuint (Jan 16, 2011)

I hate it, I'll mute it or leave the page. It seems like every time a thread or discussion comes up about it everyone dislikes it so it's a wonder there are as many people who have it on their site.


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## Drake (Jan 16, 2011)

I hate it when I visit a website and music starts playing out of nowhere. Doesn't matter if the music is good or bad. I am usually listening to my own music when browsing websites, and when I am not it means I don't want to. That's why music on a website is generally a bad idea for me.


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## KmH (Jan 16, 2011)

People web surfing at work love the univited music that comes blaring out of some web site. :thumbup:

It lets everyone around them know they aren't working. :thumbdown: :lmao:


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## oldrich12 (Jan 25, 2011)

Thanks for the stuff


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## Russell Johnson (Jan 26, 2011)

Can't stand it......


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## Big Mike (Jan 26, 2011)

I'm always surprised at how people on photo forums vehemently hate music on web sites....as Keith mentioned, it's probably because many of them are browsing while they should be working 

Personally, I don't mind it...although I don't use it myself.  It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the right music can add emotion, pizazz, wow factor to a slide show of image.  That's why I think it's weird that so many people hate it.  
And remember, a typical photographer's website isn't made to impress other photographers...it's made to impress brides (to be), or mothers etc.  

And yes, there is certainly the issue of music copyright.  Many do illegally use popular songs without paying for them.  A better way is to buy royalty free music...or better yet, get some music right from a musician and work out a deal.


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## KJlayland (Jan 26, 2011)

It depends on the music. If it helps in setting the mood for viewing the images, I like it and my clients have told me that they love the music on my site.  But if it doesn't match the images then it's annoying, but you can always turn it off.


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## christinacraft (Jan 27, 2011)

There was a recent study (sorry... can't remember by what company)... they did focus testing with real clients. MOST said they hate music on sites and that it is the most annoying thing about photography websites. I know it's a great way to display work... but ... in context of an actual client meeting wher you show a slideshow set to music.

If you're targeting consumers (brides, portrait clients) they are most likely doing their research while they are at work (another study showed this to be true as well). They don't want their boss to know they are researching this stuff (and photogrpahy is an easy thing to research secretly at work)... if the music suddenly comes on when they click on your link they will immediately close your site... and now they have alerted their boss that they were doingn something personal at work.

So... IMHO no music.


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## tuumbaq (Jan 30, 2011)

I hate it to death...an absolute no for me


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## Overread (Jan 30, 2011)

Honestly anyone at work should learn to turn their speakers off anyway 

As for music on websites I would say that if you are going to have it make sure the controls (ie the volume and on/off) are very clear and easy to find on the page. I can find music annoying, but more annoying is when I can't find the button to turn it off. If I have to scroll around the page to find a little control point; or magically hover my mouse over the right section to get the controls to appear then its annoying. 

I agree that the right music can indeed enhance a viewing experience so I don't think its totally out of the door - just so long as I can control it


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## Joseph Westrupp (Feb 1, 2011)

DecadentDashes said:


> First off, I did a quick search and didn't see any topics about this, but if I missed any, I apologize for being repetitive.
> 
> 
> It's been a rather lazy Saturday for me and out of curiosity I spent some time googling local photography studios to see what kind of services they offered etc. Out of a dozen or so websites, nearly all of them had some type of music start playing as soon as the page loaded. My immediate reaction whenever this happens is to x out of the page asap to make it shut up because I can't be bothered to search around for the (usually) tiny pause button. Had I been a customer that alone would have prompted me to look elsewhere for services.
> ...


I'm with you; I've shut many a page because of music. I'm not entirely sure why I find it so offensive (notwithstanding the possibility of having my system volume up too high and getting an ear-splitting surprise). 

As for the likelihood of my becoming a customer, the chances decrease drastically if there's a musical site.


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## cliffy13 (Feb 1, 2011)

Nothing annoys me more than surfing and finding some site music drowns out the decent music I am listening to on Real Player,and as others have said its a complete waste of bandwidth and to my mind serves no purpose at all


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## dnavarrojr (Feb 1, 2011)

cliffy13 said:


> Nothing annoys me more than surfing and finding some site music drowns out the decent music I am listening to on Real Player,and as others have said its a complete waste of bandwidth and to my mind serves no purpose at all



I feel the same way about Flash Only web sites...  They are annoying and I hate not being able to bookmark a specific page because it's embedded in flash.  I don't mind flash videos or galleries as much, but make your main site HTML.


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## GerryDavid (Feb 2, 2011)

99% of the time I hate it when a website has music, but I was checking out a local photographers website and the music he choose really added to the atmosphere of the page and viewing the pictures.  In this case I didnt mind it, and it got me thinking about putting some music on my website down the road.  But from the response here, I think 99% of people hate it and may close the page before looking at it.  I know ive done that in the past.


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## Canon AE-1 (Feb 2, 2011)

PASM said:


> I find piped music on websites cheesy and a waste of bandwidth/time. The same goes for autoplay embedded videos - annoying..or pretentious flash animations with 'skip this' buttons.



:thumbup:


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## Infidel (Feb 2, 2011)

I equate it to email spam....why do spammers even bother? Do they think it works? C'mon...deliberately circumventing spam filters? How is that a good way to win customers? Does anyone fall for that anymore? Has anyone actually tried to buy a Rolex or some Viagra because of a poorly spelled email that they received? I guess I find it rather invasive to have music start cranking out when I'm web-browsing; the vast majority of the sites I visit do NOT have music, so the ones that do really get under my skin. Almost everyone hates it, why bother?


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## xjoewhitex (Feb 2, 2011)

Annoys me, I usually close the site if it has some type of music playing.


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## Joseph Westrupp (Feb 3, 2011)

Infidel said:


> I equate it to email spam....why do spammers even bother? Do they think it works? C'mon...deliberately circumventing spam filters? How is that a good way to win customers? Does anyone fall for that anymore? Has anyone actually tried to buy a Rolex or some Viagra because of a poorly spelled email that they received?


You'd think that, but the fact they continue must indicate some success.


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## flightless_beaker (Feb 5, 2011)

Joseph Westrupp said:


> Infidel said:
> 
> 
> > I equate it to email spam....why do spammers even bother? Do they think it works? C'mon...deliberately circumventing spam filters? How is that a good way to win customers? Does anyone fall for that anymore? Has anyone actually tried to buy a Rolex or some Viagra because of a poorly spelled email that they received?
> ...



Yeah but 30 emails a day on male enhancement I'm sure only goes so far


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