Last month I’d included an online radio widget in my blog’s sidebar, which would play bollywood tracks while readers read my blog content. This was a paid service wherein I was paid a monthly amount to promote the online radio. I was required to keep it on auto-play (player would start playing as soon as blog is opened)
The music was nice and it was nice to make some money playing it. However, soon I realized that auto play option is creating some annoyance to few users (music playing all of a sudden when a reader wasn’t expecting any)
I published this post earlier asking my readers to give their feedback on this online radio player. About one fourth declared outright that they don’t like it, another one fourth preferred it not to be on auto play, rest said they can manage or they actually like it as it is.
With that split verdict, I’d almost decided on continuing the player in auto play, until I made another discovery.
I’ve a few valuable readers who are visually challenged. They read my blog using text to speech softwares, which read out the content of the post. The auto play music caused huge inconveniences for them- they were unable to figure out where the music was coming from or how to stop it. They can’t listen to text to speech reader when music is being played. Only way to get rid of music was to close my blog, which meant I ran a risk of losing such readers.
Such readers might be very few in number, but I do value them for their readership. One such person whom I had the chance to meet in Bangalore, was very excited to meet me and know more about the blog. Deciding to put the readers first, I took a decision to remove the online radio player, though it meant saying goodbye to some monthly revenue. I might include it later in an opt-in mode, which may not be paid but will play only if users click play button.
Making money has never been an objective of this blog, hence I’d always put readers first. Thanks again.
Afternoon update: I've now included the player in an opt-in mode. It will play only if you click play button.
Also read: Most frequent commentors at this blog * Best of 2009 * Blog survey results (Jan 2010)
Really good decision Shrinidhi. All the best. (Made my first comment in your blog finally :)
ReplyDeleteGood decision! music playing suddenly is rather distracting... and i can just imagine how it would be for the visually challenged! i hadnt even noticed the music, though, because these days, there are lots of people who have such widgets on their blog, so i have now got used to turning the speaker off when i read blogs :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Praveen and Anu
ReplyDeleteGood, I read the blog and clicked the play button for revenue as well...!
ReplyDeletemy two cents :)
KK, I don't get paid because you click on PLay.. so you can enjoy the music without feeling J that you're making me a millionaire..
ReplyDelete:)
Very considerate decision nidhi, all the best:)
ReplyDeleteoh God! good .. i would have so many windows open and when i open ur blog, i wud wonder from whr the song is coming and would hit the mute button and start closing the wrong windows ! :D
ReplyDeleteThanks Prasanna and Envywin.
ReplyDeleteI've an opt-in player now
that was nice
ReplyDeleteThat is a good decision indeed!
ReplyDeleteRam
Thanks Deepak and Ram
ReplyDeleteTrue Shrinidhi. I keep my macbook speakers in mute all the times when I am not listening to music. Probably that is how I didn't get to feel the distractions that an auto play music player might cause. Good decision.
ReplyDeleteMohan,
ReplyDeletethnx