Should I Use Music on my Website?

Almost everyone loves some form of music. It’s an expression of who you are and what you like. This expression is also found in websites no matter if it’s a personal or commercial site. Many people wonder if they should incorporate background music on their site to help visitors identify with the website owner so they will take more time to explore the site. Before you decide to play music on your website, consider the advantages and disadvantages.

Music on Your Website: The Advantages

The reason department stores and restaurants often play background music is that it helps soothe customers while shopping or eating. Calm customers are happy ones, which means they might purchase or eat more. The same goes for your website visitors as long as the music is soft and pleasant.

Identifying with your target audience will also help you boost traffic and sales. If you know the type of music the visitors to your site prefer, you can play that and make an impression on them. Your visitors will enjoy the music and remember that your site was the one with the great music. This means that they will most likely return and refer others to it.

Music on Your Website: The Disadvantages

Even though there are some good reasons to play music on your website, you need to consider the disadvantages of it. If you play music that some people do not enjoy, they may leave your site before browsing. Some music turns people off and that feeling will transfer to your site if you aren’t careful with the type of music you choose.

Another problem with playing music on your site is that some computers may not be able to handle the program you are using. In many instances, the visitor will simply not be able to hear the music but for some it could mean the web browser or computer freezes causing the person to reboot and become irritated.

Deciding to Use Music

If you do decide to use music on your website, just keep the above disadvantages in mind and try to avoid them. If you have a good idea of what your visitors would like, make sure to play that genre of music. If possible, find a program that allows the visitor to turn off the music, which would help prevent computer problems as well.