Comment from reader:
Automatic music – I’ve commented on it sometimes on blogs but was often told “you can turn it off if you want” – well yes but I shouldn’t have to – I should have the choice to turn it off – or “sorry you don’t like my choice of music” – it is not a matter of whether I like the music or not.
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I don’t like music automatically turned on either. Not because of the song choice, but because the music player is typical buried way down low in some obscure location and I have to find it, and turn it off every time I visit that blog.
My OPINION: put your music player at the top, and INVITE people to listen and enjoy your selections. If you choose turn the music on automatically, at least put the OFF button up high in an immediately discernible location and make it CONVENIENT for people to turn off.
That is just good manners and being courteous to your readers.
But… it’s YOUR blog. There is no “right or wrong”, just opinion.
I don’t let CRITICS dictate what I do on my blogs, but I also DO NOT turn a deaf ear to legitimate criticism or common sense standards that help you give the best experience to your blog visitors. After all, should we embrace a personal choice that alienates people? Sometimes, yes, depending on the issue (if it’s a matter of integrity). But as a rule, we should very thoughtfully consider what we choose to do with our blog in light of the “visitor experience”.
Automatically playing music can keep readers AT WORK from visiting (but they shouldn’t anyway, right? However, statistics show that work day visits to blogs are by far the highest percentage in general), it can hinder visitors with slow Internet connections, and it can put off readers who just simply get tired of all the blogs that start with music every time they visit.
Do whatever YOU want for YOUR blog, but at least make it easy and convenient to turn off the music for those who don’t prefer it.
Final Advice
Put your music player at the top and INVITE people to listen to your favorite selections. Or, if you want to start the music automatically, put the OFF BUTTON at the top so it can be immediately accessed. Readers who do not LIKE automatic music will recognize your courteous gesture.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
One of my pet peeves also. I never go back and revisit a blog with autoplay music.
I say no to the music… It wakes up my cats
Automatic music playing on blogs is one of my pet peaves! Who can concentrate on reading the blog with all of the music playing? I don’t know why people think they need music on their blogs. That’s what the radio is for….that’s my “two cents worth”. LOL Kathy
So true. I agree 100 percent.
Thanks for this. It’s not only annoying to have music auto start {as well as video}, and I know this is hard for some ppl to believe in this day and age but… we have satellite internet. Sat-net puts bandwidth limits on us. We only get 200mb of d/l allowed at any given time and after that our internet goes slower than dial up and is generally un-usable for 24 hours. Then the cycle starts again. So even in the time it takes me to find the off button the amount of data that has already been d/l-ed to my computer is quickly eating into my allowable bandwidth.
So what happens is that when I notice music playing, or see the widget trying to load, I quickly shut the page & make a note not to go there again. ever.
It sucks but this is our only source for internet {except for dial up}.
So thanks for the psa regarding this issue.