A recent survey of 2432 web users described the most annoying web site characteristics. Of course most of the respondents said they hated pop-up advertisements with a passion (I personally hate it more when one gets through my pop-up blocker). The best findings of the survey were the other top annoyances that could be easily solved by just applying good design techniques and actually thinking about what you would want in a web site. If the site isn't an artsy fartsy site then navagation should be simple and not in a hard to find spot. Put you links near one side of the page and make then easy to read and find. If you like using plug-ins for dynamic content make sure you have a non-plug-in version of the page too. Contact information should always be available. There is no reason a site can't plaster an email address somewhere. Businesses that allows web form contact only don't last long. Audio should always have a mute button and should be appropriate to your expected users. No hip-hop for that nursing home. Even better start with very little music if any and avoid that horrid 10 second loop that you thought was so cool when you heard it online. Sure its cool for a second, but if a user is navigating you site for more than a minute it will get really annoying. Two last things from their list: unneeded intro and link opens new window. First off your intro should always have a skip button. ALWAYS! If not you insult your users and people will not want to return to your site ever. Second if you are opening a link to a page within the site there is no reason that link should open a new window. Any users like be can't stand not being able to open links in tabs instead of windows. For the full survey check out eMarketer.com till the end of next week or click the read link for an article on the eCommerce times.

via John Dowdell