Web Site Turn-Offs

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There are a number of ways guaranteed to turn-off visitors to your web site.
These are worth considering as you either design a site, or revise a site.
Turn-offs generally can be defined as anything that impedes the user from quick and easy (intuitive) use of your site.
Turn-offs also are often the result of gratuitous use of technical 'bells and whistles'.
One of the major turn-offs is a sloooow loading site.
There can be a number of contributing factors to this:
  • Large graphics files (meaning the file size in bytes).
    Graphics files need to be optimised to reduce the file size to a minimum to enable them to travel through the Internet in minimum time.
    Most graphics software enables you to do this.
  • Splash Screens.
    These are often Flash graphics and can take a long time to 'load', especially where there is limited bandwidth.
    Bandwidth is the carry capacity of the Internet, the bigger the faster - a bit like comparing a fire hose and a garden hose.
    Splash screens also annoy repeat visitors, as they revisit the site and have to wait for the screen to load (not everyone knows how to properly Bookmark).
  • Excessively long pages.
    Pages should generally be no longer than three screen-fulls (scrolls).
    Also, bear in mind that most people scan web pages rather that read in detail (until they find the specific page they seek).
    So, unless the page is a scholarly article, make use of short sentences and/or bullet points.
    Other turn-offs include:
  • Background music that automatically starts as the page loads.
    As well as slooowing the page loading down, your choice of music is unlikely to please everyone.
  • Set a screen resolution too wide for the majority of computers in use.
    You would be surprised how many computers with 800 pixel x 600 pixel screens are still in use.
    So, set Table widths as a percentage of screen width, otherwise many of your visitors will be annoyed by needing to utilise the horizontal scroll bar.
  • Requiring obscure 'Plug-Ins' as essentials to effectively use your site.
    A Plug-In is a piece of software that works in conjunction with a browser to display specific material, e.
    g.
    a movie clip, sound, etc.
    As your visitor probably won't have them, they then need to download the Plug-In and install it before they can continue using your site.
    This is a guaranteed annoyance.
    Often people do not know how to do this.
  • Persistent little 'Pop-Up' screens that appear on top of the web page, particularly if they contain advertisements.
  • On subscription and order forms don't ask for excessive information.
    Research indicates that response drops off almost proportionally to the amount of information requested.
  • Source...
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