Does background music increase Conversion Rates?

I cannot say personally, as I am not a webmaster trying to sell graphic design. What I CAN say is that when I hear music on a webpage I think of angelfire and geocities websites that fourteen year olds make.

That's not to say it won't work. However personally, I would likely go to your competitor if I were in the market and your site started playing music at me.

Mild music might not scare anyone away, however I get startled when I suddenly hear music where I don't expect it. It might distract clients simply because they're not used to it.

Of course you'll have to test it for yourself, but as for me - if I hit a website and music starts playing that I wasn't expecting and was prepared for, I click the X button...

Works with a video that has background music, which can sometimes boost conversion. Just music out of nowhere? That's just irritating.

I concur.

Usually, when someone is using music at a commercial webpage, I usually have low impression unless I am visiting some restaurant websites (thats the only exeception).

Maybe this is due more to the fact that I am a battle hardened commercial IMer raised to believe that having music on site is bad and not to normal conversion standards.

BUT I say: give them a try for a week, and see for yourself how it is. You never know as your target market is different, and your crowd might be receptive to it.
If things dont work out, remove them. It's not so hard.

I do know of a person who included the Little Mermaid (Ariel and the crab) theme song on a IM website once- which while I find it cheesy, I think it went well with their target market who wanted to go on a mastermind vacation. Sold, quite well too i believe.

So, test em out- but skip the little mermaid song please

Not if I don't have my headphones on.

Not really. If anything, you will want to do an audio introducing yourself to each reader that visits your webpage.

Depends? Who's playing. I personally would buy to the Doobie Brothers. but not Captain & Tennille

I would leave all background audio off your page. Many people surf sites in places where it may be good idea for them to be able to choose whether the site makes noise or not. If the music just starts when the page loads, I think you may find less conversion due to people just immediately clicking off the page to stop the sound.

Have yah ever opened a website and they have a video that autoplays and you have your headphones on listening to music, Man that can make you jump sometimes.

I don't know, you would have to test it out to be certain.

I always find it annoying when I go to pages and videos start playing. It scares the crap out of me. Half the time I don't know if my speakers are on or off. I get so focused, I forget. If they are on, it's usually loud and it scares me.

I personally wouldn't do it, regardless of the conservation rate. I don't want to annoy my visitors and have them leave.

I realize you asked a results-based marketing question. I don't have an answer for you there because I've never tested it. However, I've never tested it because I, personally, loathe automatic sound on a website. I tend to leave if sound comes on that I didn't start. It almost feels like an invasion of sorts.

While studies have shown music can increase sales, I'm not so sure it correlates to online sales, as far as autoplay is concerned. It may correlate if the consumer consciously activates the music.

My instinct generally is to leave the site when music starts playing. But, that's just me. Music naturally, is also very powerful when used in just the right way.

I have not tested the effect of music on websites either, although speaking from personal experience, I tend to close whatever tabs begin playing music on my browser. It is most frustrating when music suddenly and randomly goes on, as soft as it may be.

It seems a lot of people here also seem to detest the idea of background music on webpages. Although we are probably far from a representative sample, I would definitely refrain from doing it.

While studies have shown that certain tunes encourage buyers to make purchases they may not make otherwise, I don't believe this holds on the internet, where this music serves as an annoyance more so than anything else.

Maybe sing to yourself the next time you read a sales page to see if it's helping you want to buy more.



But I can only say personally, I will find a way to stop the music or click out as soon as possible if I land on a page like that. Just like I hate video ads on a site that play automatically. Annoying.

I'd be interested if anyone has any actual metrics on this, though.

It's my computer and I control what music comes out of it. If your music starts playing without any intervention on my part without notice and interrupts my silence, or my Van Halen, or whatever then guess which has priority?

I'm basically going to do a CTRL+W unless you can quickly give me a reason why I should have to endure YOUR choice of music.

I don't think it's necessary for you to put background music within your website, because it's not really pleasant and might not help you increase conversion rates. But for your video, it's fine.

Personally I don't like any sound on offers. Usually I'm sitting in the lounge working on my laptop with the family in the room, and if something has sound I either have to mute it quickly, or plug in the headphones. Hate it.

Can't speak for everyone in the world but I personally find background music annoying as hell!

You should try it though, a week with music and a week without and see what the conversions are like. You never know it could be the next big thing.

Do you like pop up ads?
Exit pages?
Pop-unders?

Unexpected music or sound is the same kind of intrusion and just about anyone I know hits the X quicker than lightning, myself included. And I'm a musician...

If your site is a MUSIC site - that might be a bit different. I might EXPECT that. But even then, it's better to give the visitor a clear option to press play.

my 2 cents paul

I instantly close any website playing music. It's an incredibly annoying practice.

why dont you just test.

1) page A with the music

2) page B with longer music

3) page C with no music.

Marketing is all about testing, and tracking. Sometimes the exact thing, or little quirky thing you want to try either works or it doesnt. If it does, use it, if it doesnt go back to your control.

No.. I never expect to visit a site with a music.. I click the "X" button instantly..
different stories with video though,

You can know your answer only by testing it for yourself. But what I read on this subject, overall, seems to suggest quite strongly that what background music increases pretty significantly is actually bounce rates.

The whole subject of music and how it affects people is a fascinating discussion. For example, where I live some of the subway stations blast classical music because the theory is that it calms the kids down and prevents confrontations. I believe the reason this works is because the gang bangers are too distracted shooting at the speakers to fire at each other.

A local strip mall was having a problem with kids hanging around and so they started blaring light classics too. Did it work? Actually, yes it seemed to. I guess when you and the lads are hanging around drinking JD out of a paper bag, you don't want to hear Debussy.

The imfamous Muzak corporation had it down to a fine science. As I recall they used to run in 15 minute cycles/sets which went from calming music to uptempo. I don't know about you, but being trapped in an elevator listening to "Girl from Ipanema" played on a Moog, has me searching for the roof hatch.

How this works for you will depend on what your market is. If a visitor has their speakers turned up at the office and hits your site and you start blaring "The Maid With the Flaxen Hair" (as lovely as that melody is), I would think they might be a bit put off. It's kind of a big red flag that someone is perhaps surfing someplace they should not be when in the office .

Regards,
jim

YES in my experience background music in sales videos can increase conversions.

It depends on how you use the music, it has to set the right emotional tone and pace to match the story you're telling.

Dropping in any old bit of royalty free music isn't going to help you much unless you get very lucky, and to do it properly you should be using parts of the tune as an emotional trigger.

i wouldnt use background music unless its a club/party/music site

Don't do it! I have no facts or figures to back it up, but I know that I, and everyone I know, will instantly close a website that starts singing, no matter what the content is. It's incredibly annoying, especially when you've just opened several new tabs at once and you don't know which one is the one that's singing.

Hey man, some people will give opinions on why they would not add autostart to audio of their website. The thing you have to do is know your audience. I can recall one comment where someone said "Personally I would not do it... when I go to a website I hit the x button". Words like those can be discouraging. So don't listen to them. You have to know your audience and test to see what works.

When you come to grips that you can't and won't please everyone. You will do fine in your future endeavors. The key is to test, refine, test, refine and then test again. That is the sure way to know. Because no one knows your audience the way you do

I had a very successful herb shop site that used background music at the intro and warrior Jill did an article to video for me and I used the audio on it as the music faded.

The keywords we were targeting were all Native American themed and the selection of music and Jill and her extraordinary talents set the tone for the entire visit.

Traffic tripled and bounce rate lowered after the music was added. Now the traffic was due to multiple traffic funnels kicking in but I attribute the lower bounce rates to the background audio.

I hate background music. That's so 80s.

Yeah I love retro, I may buy with this, how bout some Boy George or Madonna.

Nope, as a matter of fact, it usually decreases conversion rates. At least for most product launches it does (unless it's within the relaxing/sleeping niche). Remember that people might be listening to other music, or something else in general and your music can concur with their personal desire which might want to make them exit your page.

Music on websites always gets me to click the back button, reminds me of a website a 9th grade girl made or something... mildly annoying!

I don't like music on a webpage, I find it unprofessional

I agree with most of the posters here. I will either turn off the music or click off the site if I hear music. But like someone said, if it is a video then subtle background music is OK.

I suggest you test it out but I find that if the music is very loud or obnoxious than it might scare away some people, which is counterproductive in terms of conversions