Pet peeves. We all have them.
People who blow their noses at the kitchen table while you’re still eating–and then have the audacity to open up the tissue and look at their snot. People who yell at you from their cars while you’re walking your dog. When the lady at Wendy’s fills your diet coke with mostly ice, so you get like three sips of actual diet coke. The lady with the baby carriage who acts like she owns the ENTIRE sidewalk. When your husband uses the last of the toilet paper on the roll and doesn’t replace it {Yes, Kris, I’m talking to you!}.
Today I’m sharing one of mine. It’s not just a pet peeve, because I don’t like it. It’s also a pet peeve, because it can hurt your business.
Watch today’s video to find out more.
Now, I’d love to hear from you. Do you have advertising on your business blog or website? Why or why not? And, if you want to have fun playing this game, throw in one of your pet peeves!
Yes, I have wondered about hosting sponsors for revenue…but I don’t like how messy that looks. Now you have given me a true legitimate reason to NOT do that…
BTW – I like the background, but always appreciate your handmade ones as well!
Thanks Cindy! Using fabric backgrounds gives me an excuse to order really pretty fabric 🙂 to use for other projects. I think that’s what I like most about using fabric!
hello April
Thank you for the tip!
and yes, I do LOVE too the background!!!!
=)
No problem! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
One of my pet peeves is MUSIC! I automatically leave a site if it has music playing.
Oh yes! That’s one of mine, too.
April,
I so totally get annoyed with the music too! Billy Bob’s tractors…hmmmm…Tommy’s Tacos….Karen’s Butterfly Nets hehehe! The shirt is adorable + the message is loud & clear. Blinking banners for ads are DISTRACTING! I say put your own banners over there + promote the heck out of your own glittery goodness!!!
Yes, promote the heck out of your own stuff! Exactly!
I have no ads on my site. I started it to advertise my work, not someone else’s!
My pet peeve? people who make exactly the same mistakes over and over and then act victimized. Ugh, makes me so angry. That and mini-blinds 😛
Awesome!
Oh yeah…that’s a good one. Mini-blinds…hahahahahaha!
amen amen amen. i completely agree! thanks for speaking out and for being “our” voice! from our ancestors of course 😉
Hahahahaha….of course 😉
My personal pet peeve is a black (or other dark background) with bright white text. It literally hurts and puts strain on my eyes — even in the daylight. And if I absolutely must stay on the website for some reason, I will do a “select all” command on my PC or Mac, so that the text is now highlighted with a light blue background. It’s an instant relief to my eyes.
Love the pup, by the way! Adorable. 🙂
YES!!!!!
He says thanks 🙂
Yes! That’s mine too. Bad text in general is a deal breaker for me – really tiny text, or fancy fonts, and what you mentioned – light text on dark background.
Great post, April!
Aw 🙂 Maxwell is soooo cute 🙂 Remember how my puppy Javu interrupted our interview a few weeks ago? haha I just love how your hubby joins in too. Makes your videos so personal and…well…human. You know, unposed. Thank you for being so inspiring.
Thanks Michelle! You’re so sweet!
Love Maxwell. We have a Maxwell too, except he is a teenage boy. :)) But we have 4 dogs, so that’s a whole ‘nother story. Sorry. Seem to be rambling here. :))
Thanks! We usually call him Max unless he’s being naughty 🙂
I love the name Max…once we named our dog Max I realized that it was no longer an option if we had a little boy.
4 dogs?!?! You’ve got one more than me! My husband constantly tries to talk me into another one but when you already have 300 pounds of dogs, another one is not an option. At least, not right now!
I second or is it third the music! I will leave right away, especially if there is not a way to mute the music! Very annoying. Unless of course, it is a blog about your OWN music :o) I have thought about doing ads for the extra revenue, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. I feel like it cheapens your blog. I figure if I am on someone’s blog to read what they have been up to, I don’t want to have to skip over ads after every post.
I had ads on a previous blog and it was NOT worth the monthly revenue. It just wasn’t worth the hassle of constantly having to think about the advertising–because if it’s tied to your site, it’s something you do have to consider when putting out content.
I HATE those blinking ads too, specially red or yellow ones. Blinking red or yellow gives me an instant, massive migraine. I also don’t like being forced to listen to someone else’s music. The only other pet peeve I can think of is typos. We all make them occasionally, but it makes me crazy when they are in an important area like a title or product description.
Yes, yes, and yes!
I agree whole heartedly with the blinking ads, hate them . . . and with the music too. So distracting and even if you have a fast line it still takes for ever to open everything ~ I will not even wait for it.
I do, however, confess to monetizing my blog . . . I will put a stop to that NOW.
Thanks for such great advice.
Cheers, Doodles
Tell me more. Are you monetizing with ads–but not blinking ads?
I haven’t done any ads on my site as of yet. I will definitely be careful if and when I do decide to use them
Thanks for adding to the condo Brandi! Just curious: What would make you decide to use them?
The blinking ads are very annoying, but I actually like the ones with music (lol no tomato throwing please) If it is a selection of music I hate I’ll just turn off my speakers, but if it is stuff I like it will occasionally keep me looking at the blog longer than I would have been otherwise.
Okay…we’ve got one for music! No throwing tomatoes…I promise. 🙂
I love when people share their honest opinions even when it goes against the grain.
This is soooooo interesting to me, because I’ve never heard this from anyone else.
Anybody else enjoy music?!?!
totally agree – the flashing ads, and music – yuck! Music on sites my major peeve ..didn’t that go out with myspace pages? also odd pictures that do not have anything to do with your site/brand…I was on a jewelry group discussion board once and someone was posting about how she was selling to all these galleries and I like to see what styles people have/etc as she had some good info on teh forum BUT…da da dun (cue horror movie music)..I clicked thru to find her web info and almost fell out of my chair screaming when her site loaded…a flashing scary-looking baby/small child pic – seriously, oh the horror!…I could not believe that is how she used a front/main page to bring people in to sell her line….haha…now I am going to drive myself crazy trying find that again so I can show you (via private email, of course, if I ever do come across it again)
It can definitely be REALLY confusing when you go to someone’s site and it looks like it has nothing to do with their business. When you think, “What the heck is this?” it’s never a good sign.
You’re so right. They are the worst!
The first pet peeve sounds like someone I know very well and I would have to say its very annoying. And the last one, everyone has left an empty toilet paper holder, only if it’s just to get even with our lazy counter part. Got to keep that passion going some how.
Love that back ground. I wonder what you will make with that material. Can’t wait to see it somewhere in you home.
Love ya
Moma
Hahahahahaha 🙂
I’m making a skirt!
*nods* Good advice. It’s a pet peeve of mine too, and I didn’t even “know it” until now!!
Awe… Maxwell should be a regular guest on the videos. 😉 *grins*.
Hahahahahaha…Max would like to be a regular guest. Sometimes, we have to put the dogs in another room, but they usually just lay down and relax while we film
Totally agree!! Lovely background and cutie doggie! 😉
Thanks Alicia!
You know I am one of those people who leaves a website if it has too much going on .. I am a visual person, visual stimulation plays a huge part in my life and thats what my biz is all about ! But even I can’t handle the blinking flashing in your face ads… I have left some really GOOD websites because they simply hurt my poor eyes !
Yes, clutter is NOT good!
Great point!
I always want to follow the advice of making one page be about one thing only as well. The whole “point” of what your content is trying to achieve – the call to action.
It’s definitely difficult to do, when I fall into the ADD nature of wanting to offer all the options, quicklinks. It’s easy to keep adding things to that sidebar!
It is easy to keep adding. Ask yourself, “Do I want to distract people with this? Is it THAT important?” If not, leave it off.
Absolutely agree with you on blinking ads and intro’s with music (something that all French web designers love) are terrible as well.
Love that material you’ve used as your backdrop .
Thank you Rebecca.
Thanks Rebecca!
I completely agree! Blinking ads are so annoying. But the thing I hate most of all are popups–arrg! They’re like gnats that won’t go away.
I think Maxwell should be in all of your videos. Such a cutie. 🙂
Not a fan of popups either!
Max is getting a big head with all of these compliments 😉
Thanks again April. I’m always so amazed at how your videos are in sync with what I am doing or feeling at the time.
Just a few days ago I put up my free 21 tips for a kick-ass website on my freebies page. And 1 tip I share says exactly what you do!! 🙂 So it’s good to know I’m on the right track.
PS: I also use your site as an example of what DOES work 🙂
I’m gonna have to check out that freebies page 🙂
Thanks for using my site as an example!
Hi April,
I love reading everything you have to say.:)
Pet peeves, you and your comments have very good ones that I agree to also.
I am so jealous of you and Sara for having multiple dogs. 🙁 My Rosie went to doggie heaven when she was almost 16 and that was December 7th. I still miss her very much.:(
Your Max looks like a sweetheart, and I would love to see your other dogs too.
I have the saddest looking blog that I monetize and wonder how to get followers? I guess I should start by getting rid of all the ads that are on it. (dah)
I deal with depression and it gets in my way of completing projects and keeping my blog up to date, but I am working on it. Sorry for such a long reply.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone makes something that I’ve seen for years and then they put a copy write on it as if they actually made the first one ever.
I too love how your husband gets involved verbally because it does make it real and make me laugh the way you both interact.
Keep up the great work.
Thank you!