How to really annoy people with your website
Not something to be recommended obviously. But sometimes websites can be so annoying people simply click off and go somewhere else. Not the outcome you?ve hoped for.
Of course you probably haven?t done it deliberately. But if you?re guilty of any of the following you could be driving people to distraction without even realising it.
Misleading them with your title.
Naturally you want people to visit your site. But they?ll only do that if it?s something they?re interested in. As your title has directed them to you it should deliver what you?ve promised. Key words should be relevant to both you and them, not simply a way to deceive. Tricking them with false claims to be something you?re not will annoy them no end.
Turning your copy into a lecture.
That?s not your place in the scheme of things. No one likes to be preached at or made to feel lacking in some way. It?s not for you to decide how they should think, feel, or act.
Simply give them the facts and let them make up their own minds one way or another. Getting their backs up won?t do you any favours.
Refusing to get straight to the point.
Basically all customers or visitors to your site want to know is if you have what they want. They?ll expect to be able to find out straight away if you are. Or not as the case may be.
Leading them on a wild goose chase through your site isn?t the best way to win them over. Most will probably give up half way, and the rest will be too suspicious to seal the deal. Not the best way to avoid irritating them.
Making your website too complicated.
Ok so some of your potential audience might be idiots. The majority probably won?t be. Even so they?ll be opting for the easiest and most simple way of doing things. For one thing they won?t want to waste so much time and effort doing anything else.
For another who wants to be led round in circles only to end up back where you started. And still have no idea how to proceed. How maddening is that?
These examples are just the tip of the iceberg of course. If you really want to annoy someone there?re many more ways to do it. Maybe your website is not the best place to start.
