Love and Hate-regarding Websites
I admit, I am a Google Search Addict
I love to search out different subjects and visit websites. So when I joined WA, and built my own website with WordPress, I already knew what I did and did not like or love about websites in general.
Websites are a bit like the Love Hearts candies that I have in the Image. They all come with different messages, and some are better than others with their message.
What do I hate about a website? I'll give you a list
#1-When I encounter a website that has videos that turn on automatically, that annoys me. If there is only one that I can turn off, that's okay. I am there because I want to read something first, on a subject that I did a Google Search for. However, if there are more videos turning on as I scroll the page, I leave the website. The sound is often turned on high on those videos, nearly giving me a fit, when I am not expecting the video!
#2-When there are Ads popping up in my face, interupting my reading, making me close them before I can finish reading, I leave the website. Especially annoying is when I am asked to do a 'survey' before moving on with a page. Some websites are so plagued with ads plastered into the article, that I get tired and move on.
#3-I will also leave a website early, if it's hard to read. Maybe the font is tiny and the background is really 'busy', with a pattern of some sort. Some of the older websites have really wild patterns, like Grandma's wallpaper pattern! A pet peeve of mine (no pun intended), is pet websites that have the pattern of paw prints or bones all over the background. That stopped being cute a long time ago.
I don't mean a tasteful border, I mean having a pattern BEHIND the content. It's hard enough to read small fonts, without the pattern behind the words. Sometimes a website background is black with almost invisible text, or the entire website is white everywhere I look. Some colour is important to keep my interest and too much has me rubbing my eyes.
#4-As Language Arts was my forte in school, the information in a website needs to be accurate with minimal grammar mistakes for me to keep reading. A few here and there are normal. When the grammar is so bad that one cannot understand the context, I am out of there in a flash. I do a lot of research, reading many many articles from a large number of websites to get the correct information. So when I encounter an article that is completely inaccurate, I do not read further. It makes me wonder how accurate the rest of the posts and pages are.
For example, I recently encountered a very knowledgable looking site on Hemp. They had a knowledge base that was inaccurate. They stated that Hemp buds or flowers had no use, and that CBD concentrates only came from Marijuana. This is completely wrong! I sent them an email and politely corrected them on this....yes, I did it politely and respectfully. They thanked me :)
Now what do I love about a website?
In order for me to love a website and want to bookmark it, it cannot have the above problems. I already mentioned accuracy, grammar, readability with no distasteful ' in your face ads'.
#1- Generally easy to read, written in layperson's terms so I don't have to reach for a dictionary search too often. Lots of paragraphs to create 'white space', easy on the eyes. I often have to remind myself to do that when writing!
#2-The posts are medium in length, easy to read with relevant images. A very long article is extremely difficult to read on my Iphone for one. When I am doing a Google Search, I want to get the information fairly quickly, I am not there to read a novel. I do that on my E Reader :)
#3-Videos are great, as long as they are less than 10 minutes in length. I love YouTube and Vimeo. A video is often worth a thousand words, and can explain something better visually than with words. However, I want to have the choice of choosing to watch it, rather than having it turn on automatically.
#4-When I make the effort to make a comment to interact with the author, and the author replies quickly, I love that too. It gives one a warm welcome feeling :) I have visited many websites where you can see the comments from the readers, went unanswered, for weeks, months or even years..I often wonder why? I believe you should treasure your readers, as it's an honour to have them to choose YOUR website long enough to comment.
I guess that's it, maybe you can think of others. What do you Love or Hate about a website? These are MY opinions, but I suspect many of you share the same views about websites that you have visited. Cheers!
Recent Comments
17
The dislikes and likes shared were really good to remind us about most readers searching the web.
Some websites are like walking into a store so packed with stuff in narrow aisles you just want to get out of there.
Thanks for sharing.
Bob
Interesting....when we create our websites we have to do so from a readers perspective.
Debbie
As I started reading your post I had the question in mind of whether I would agree with all of your points. I have to say I do. :)
Probably my worst is a cluttered website, in whatever way - content, ads, banners, etc - I just don't read them.
I have purchased products from niche websites many times, but never from one that annoyed me or was hard to understand :) Thanks for participating Mark :)
Maddy, Thank you for that walk through ,websites.
Yes we and our websites are different.
But that is the beauty of it all
Imagine every shop being the same.
Books and Newspapers the same layout.
No individual, is what we are and glad we are different.
So there is the beauty.
There will always be ones you like and many to dislike.
Bill
I love unique websites Bill :) I agree every website will be and should be different but there is basic framework that needs to be in place. The framework of creating a website that is welcoming, helpful, easy to navigate, minimal pop ups (if any), respectful ads, and that is easy to read and understand.
Like the framework of a house, being built according to code, but the dressings like finishes (colour,texture,design) are individual choices. I have been told by friends, that the colours we chose for our walls, and our furniture arrangement is very soothing and welcoming.
One friend even said that her stress levels go way down when she spends time in our home. Every house, in order to be comfortable to stay in, must have some basics in place, like environment controls for heat,cooling, humidity to encourage people to stay. If a website is too jarring for readers to stay and get comfortable, then that website business is doomed.
LOL! I realized yesterday that there are certain sites that I keep going back to for research, because they tick all the right boxes for me. One in particular is the top in their niche, and keeps coming up in Google Alerts and on the first page when I search. Google loves this site! I do too :) They don't make ANY of the annoying 'mistakes' that I listed above. They are huge and have many writers, so therefore have established theirs as an authority site. They are number one for many reasons.
If these sites you keep going back to are what you really look for in a site, then I'm not surprised you pay them regular visits. I'm also not surprised they are ranked so well by Google.
The framework of such sites must be worth a mint, and a good point of reference for others trying their best to rank.
I really think that Google actually does go through some sites, and checks them out for annoying 'mistakes', like the ones you listed.
Having professional writers working on a site is worth its weight in gold... I bet that's every marketer's dream.
I think it's also somewhere in our training (Kyle or Jay?), to emulate the websites that consistantly come up number one. Those websites set the bar for the rest of us. To make our websites special and unique like Bill has mentioned, but to make sure our own websites are respectful to our readers.
No Reader likes to be bombarded with a collection of video ads or a bunch of pop ups. It's kind of like going into a furniture store and being followed around by a salesperson who listens to every word. That salesperson then interrupts every now and then to offer information that you never asked for.
I was in a furniture store like that once, and my husband and I did not stay long... A website, like a brick and mortar store, should be welcoming, helpful, easy to navigate, easy to find products etc. right?
I'm guilty of not yet having covered all the training in here, so most probably I haven't come across those given by Kyle or Jay yet.
I certainly don't like to be bombarded with a collection of video ads or a bunch of pop ups. Normally, I won't stay for more than a few seconds on such a site, and very much doubt if I would go back again. I like the example of the 'pest' salesperson.
I agree, a website should be welcoming, helpful and also easy to navigate, making it a pleasure to visit, and return once more to.
LOL! Yeah that salesman was strange, we could see him hanging onto every word! I get a little creeped out by native ads on many sites, products that I have recently ordered or shopped for, will pop up in those ads! You start thinking.... how did they know? Google knows.... ;D When the website has more than one, like three or more that start playing back those products to my face, it stops being funny. They remind of that salesman.
Hey Maddy:
This is great information that I will keep in mind as I go forward and build my sites!
Thanks, I think knowing what we like and don't like about websites we encounter while Searching, gives us a good framework on our own :)
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Hi Maddy I am often amazed at the variety of website designs available and the wealth of information on them. I need to know more about website design in order to get the best possible, optimized for mobile as well. Best Alan