Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Talking Human Walking On Your Screen
One of the “creative” things I have been seeing lately on a few more “expensive” websites is a talking person appearing or walking onto the home page. A large contractor referral website, was one of the first I saw use this technique to capture a visitors attention. I then began to see other sites mimic their example. It is typical to see the CEO or the “voice” of the company walk onto the home screen (using flash) and begin all the reasons you should continue on his or her website. The idea behind video and music on a home page seems good on the surface. It is typically attractive, well planned, organized but can be invasive! Sometimes, you can’t figure out how to turn it off! Now, do you really want to listen to a person start talking to you when you did not begin the conversation in the first place? It makes me feel like walking by a sales booth at a home show and hearing the salesman call out to me to hear his sales pitch as I try to avoid eye contact and move quickly by him! Most website visitors are probably sitting at their office with other employees nearby. The second their computer starts playing music or has a loud voice rambling on about the their company, the visitors get a little embarrassed knowing that others may be thinking they are “searching the web” during business hours! If there is a way to pause the music or voice or simply turn it off, video and music can be used, in moderation!
