Should You Add Audio or Video to Your Website?
Most websites are text based, but many now also include audio—and video keeps popping up all over the Internet. So what’s the right media for your website? Let’s take a look: If formatted properly, text is easy to scan and print. You can’t do that with audio or video; so a little text is right for most sites. Audio conveys the tone of your voice and therefore can clarify your message. If you work on the phone as a consultant or lead teleseminars, a sample audio could show off your skills nicely. Video is not essential—yet. Just the same, if you’re a professional speaker or teach martial arts, video might bring your message alive. Could a mix of audio, video and text bring you closer to your goal? Start with this question, “What do I want my website to do?” Then ask, “What do my visitors want? Will adding audio, video or both help them get it?”
May 25th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Hi,
Thanks for a great article. I have to say, from my point of view, audio is one of the most annoying things that can be on a website. I often listen to music on my computer, and say I’m navigating to a new site and some guy comes on, speaking about why I should buy his product, I don’t turn the audio off, I just leave the site.