Animation isn’t just the realm of Pixar, Warner Bros., and the like anymore. It’s more than goofy cartoons or crazy anime, more than Disney’s take on fairy tales or Adult Swim’s latest insanity …
Animation is quickly becoming an important component of modern web design, and not just the Flash-made, embedded cartoon “videos” and games we once knew, but an emerging trend of advanced CSS and JavaScript animation that makes websites more interactive, more eye-catching, and all around more fun to use!Where animation was once used as an afterthought – as decoration on an otherwise finished design – it’s now being used as a functional part of navigation. It is being placed front and center, with everything from basic “two-state” animation (like a menu opening or collapsing) to full-blown dynamic animations that respond to variables and transform based on user actions.
This presents a whole new challenge for designers, but the ultimate goal – the user experience – remains the real purpose of any design elements, animated or not.
Adding elements of interactivity to any website design is going to increase user engagement, as well as the sheer amount of a time a user spends on a given page. From a marketing standpoint, that’s more time for users to begin forming opinions and associations with a brand, and more energy they will put into reading details or getting to know your company.
From simple to complex, animation adds life to the design of a website. The little details that add an extra layer of entertainment and interactivity are what separate a good user experience and a great one!
A dynamic interface changes a website from a static, fairly boring hunk of information to something a site visitor can explore (instead of just reading top to bottom). It offers chances to build in surprises, little “Easter eggs” for repeat visitors to discover, and perhaps most importantly, a chance to combine relevant information and gorgeous artwork to enhance the overall impact of both.
All of these reasons for animation point in one pretty clear direction: if your site doesn’t include any animated elements, you’re overlooking a big part of the user experience! You can start small, but strongly consider investing in dynamic, animated design to make your site more informative and more enjoyable to use.
For some ideas, check out the Animation category on the Awwwards site. As you can see there, your options are quite broad, and even a small amount of movement on the page can make all the difference – simply making a site more pleasing to the eye or drawing the cursor to a certain part of the page.
If your site isn’t making the most of animation, your users (and with it, your company) are missing out!
