Annoying Websites

Today I decided it was time to check the validity of the hyperlinks from my Steelstrip Resources site.

Now I am used to encountering flash animations on “free” news sites, where they appear “right in the middle” of the article that you want to read. I assume the marketing gurus and web designers have convinced the client that visitors will enthusiastically click on the offending link to learn more about the exciting product on offer. If you have nothing else to do, or enjoy seeing coloured boxes flying around your screen, (my grandson does) that’s fine, if however you are busy and just need to access information quickly, they are a serious pain in the arse. I can however, understand that if the site is not selling or promoting products directly, then it needs to generate revenue. I am not sure though that the online equivalent of “assault and battery” is the best marketing technique.

I still persevere if I believe (often mistakenly) that beyond all that crap there is interesting information to be found, sometimes employing the time with something useful like making a cuppa or visiting the bathroom. Experience tells me that invariably my optimism is in vain, but I can be obstinately persistent at times (it’s a Yorkshire thing).

Back to the subject, whilst checking Steel Producer’s sites this morning, what should have been a five minute job dragged out to an hour because of flash animations. Exactly what the webmasters believe these added to the visitor experience is beyond me. If I want entertainment I have a wealth of options open to me and watching poorly implemented, pointless, infuriating and banal graphics figures not highly on that list.

When visiting a Manufacturers’ site, I am looking to find quickly their product and size range along with contact details. If I cannot find that in a very short time I move on to look elsewhere, am I alone in that?

A plea to webmasters of Manufacturing Sites

Do not try to compete with Disney Studios at animation; I am not going to buy your next DVD

Do not disable the back browser button, I know how to get round it and it just “pisses me off”

Do provide links on your front page to your products, it’s what I came to your site for

Do enable me to contact you with ease, and then I can send you a sales enquiry

Simple aint it, skip the flash and provide some useful content. Oh and the out of work flash animators can go and programme for Jamster!