This week’s installment of the biggest website mistakes of the week takes me back to 1997.

It’s background music.

Yes, there are still sites with background music.   The designers of these websites probably thought it would be a nice affect to add music for our viewing pleasure.

What they did not take into consideration is that most internet surfing takes place between the hours of 9am – 6pm.  Most people are at work during this time.

You are in your cubicle or office, spending company time planning your wedding, reading the latest on the London Olympics,  planning your next vacation, or whatever is taking you away from your current work and…

when you pull up the website for the Cruise Travel agent, or Caribbean Island Visitor Bureau….  loud music starts blasting through your computer speakers, it’s quite obvious to everyone at your workplace that you are not working.

It’s 2012, no one wants background music on a website.

Even if you are band or musician, let people visiting your website decide if they want to click and listen.   Don’t automatically assume that they want to hear your music.

The future bride planning her wedding, while at work, will know the website that got her in trouble with her boss.

Have your web master take the background music off your site.  Your web visitors will thank you and the amount of time people stay on your website will greatly improve.