Visual Assault

I’m not broken, James.I happen to have more taste than what is in my mouth. Most of the sales websites that scream at me go against every graphic rule in the book. These sites use oversized text, mixed fonts, and too many colors that clash, for more flash and bling than found on the Las Vegas strip.

Perhaps I’m numb to sensory overload because I’m American. I have lived outside of the United States (Wales and Quebec), and only when removed from my own culture for a period did I realize how tacky and obnoxious some Americans are.

Las Vegas has to be the epitome of tackiness. If Las Vegas were a website, it would be the kind James dislikes. From the moment you step off the plane, you’re bombarded with sound and flashy images. The constant buzz of slot machines is in the background everywhere you go. Huge animated LED billboards are constantly begging for your attention. People are handing out flyers on every corner for all kinds of entertainment imaginable.

So yeah, I’m numb to it all. I think it’s more of a survival tactic than anything else. If I were to succumb to this constant barrage of stimulation, I’d be a quivering mass of jelly on the pavement.

This leads me to another thought regarding websites. With all the bells and whistles available these days, it’s easy to overload sites and confuse or repulse visitors. Sure, you might think that little pop-up is fun and will grab attention, but for people like James and me, we’re immune. We see a pop-up and pay it no mind. I block all pop-ups. James doesn’t even bother. If there is a pop-up, he leaves the site and simply doesn’t bother with reading anything.

Most people these days have pop-up blockers on their browsers for a reason. They never see your nifty little gadget. Too much info is just as bad as not enough. Keep it simple and keep it calm. Don’t create a visual assault on every visitor to your site, or else they won’t want to come back to visit.