How an audio message can improve your website

Adding an audio message to your website helps your site visitors gain a better understanding of your products or services. Plus audio creates a bond and rapport with your website visitor, which makes them feel more at ease with you and your offering.

Also, it makes a great point of difference. No longer are you just another website amongst the hundreds or thousands that a prospective client may visit, but your website has a human dimension - a voice - and this assists in making your website visitor feel comfortable and your website appear more professional and trustworthy.

So here are some examples of how audio can be used to enhance your website;

Personal messages

Adding a personal greeting, introduction or welcome audio message to your website is a great way to introduce yourself, your business, products or services. Website visitors may not read all of your text content or remember what they have read so a personal message increases the chances of them remembering the information about your products or services and your website.

Audio testimonials

Let your website visitors hear what your customers think about your business. Testimonials are always a terrific way to add credibility to your business but by adding them as audio content, your website visitors can hear enthusiastic voices talk about you and your business.

Instructions

When giving instructions, a lot of people respond better to the spoken word and audio is a valuable tool.

So if you have a need to give instructions on your website, audio can help. You may want to simply guide website visitors through a task such as ordering products or offer short tips or tutorials.

Providing instructions as an audio file can make even the most complex written instructions easier to follow. It also prevents you from excluding those people who are auditory not visual learners.

By having the instructions in text on your website you are catering for visual learners, once you add audio you then make it easier for auditory learners to understand and relate to your message.

Reinforce your sales message

Using audio on your website gives you the ability to guide your visitor through your site to featured products or services.

Audio is a powerful motivator, your voice can influence and persuade visitors to explore your website and therefore stay for longer. Audio improves the “stickiness” of your website.

What's your view on websites with audio? Would it enhance your site or would you prefer to not have it? Add your comment to let us know.

Melissa Norfolk is an Internet expert who speaks to business, school and community groups about online marketing, email newsletters, effective use of the Internet, finding what you need online and Internet safety.

Published 16 February 07
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12 comments | Add your own 1 2 | Next» View all»

Yes Melissa I agree. I am keen to do this, as I am using the concept in another area of my work, but my aspirations are often restricted by my technological know-how and budget! Ah well, getting there! (Love your articles BTW.) Karen Dempster - Creating Change from Victoria
Yes Melissa, I agree as well. We have audio clips on our website and we know people listen to them. For us it helps to introduce someone to our client base. Works wonders! Kerri-Ann Sheppard - Kassan Events from Port Macquarie, NSW,
Hi Karen, thanks for you feedback on my articles. I will try to work on a How-to article to follow up this one - to give you some help with the technology! Melissa Norfolk from Melbourne | Read my articles
I know the value of audio because I am a video producer, yet I did not consider putting a voiceover on my website!
You are right on the money Melissa. A voiceover greatly improves the experience for the viewer. It builds the relationship.
Because I have not produced voiceover type video for a long time now, I would have overlooked a narration for the new web site I am building.
Thanks for a timely reminder! Kevin Berkefeld from Melbourne
Hi Melissa - I have video on my testimonials page and it is very well received - also, have seen a site linking to their own youtube video - cheaper than my professional videos but still effective! Grant Hyman from Sydney | Read my articles
I have noticed an interesting observation, that there is a big difference between the three generation groups.. I am considered a generation "X" and it is amazing when dealing with ppl from the babyboomers and generation "Y", I find it more effective that in most cases the baby boomers and my generation will say call me at such and such and leave a message.. and the Generation "Y" have embraced phone video messaging , txting and instant messaging ect... as for me i still write things down on paper.. and although babyboomers use the technology available they are more likely to call voice messaging, or answering back because Generation"Y" are not as use to returning voice messages.. it is more likely to be automated or it would be a very brief message. darrell_dower from Brisbane

12 comments | Add your own 1 2 | Next» View all»

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