Website design has come a long way from pitch black screens and monochrome pixels to minimalistic and flat layouts. Designers these days are capable of producing impressive feats using interactive elements like animation. The only problem is that some people tend to abuse the power a good animation has to the point that users no longer find it entertaining or practical. As with anything related to design, animation has to be done in moderation. Here are some animation tips for businesses in Lloydminster to use on their web design.

Make It Useful

It looks like minimal web layouts are in it for the long haul. With such a flat and bland environment, users need something to tell them what to do or where to click. That’s where animation comes in. Make it eye-catching and entertaining, but make it useful as well so that users don’t think of it as a nuisance. Add animation with the intention of improving the user’s experience rather than just for decoration. If your animation is just there for pure aesthetic appeal, then you are missing out on some of its many benefits.

Choose When to Animate

Lloydminster web design companies like Hotline Web Design say that it’s not enough to just make your animations serve more than one purpose. You also have to know the right time to animate. It should never get in the way of what you are trying to convey on your website. Rather, it should serve as a transition, seamlessly guiding the user through your website. No animation at all is better than a poorly executed one. It’s not for each and every page on the website.

Keep Design Simple

It’s good to be creative especially when it comes to design. Too much creativity, however, would only confuse your users. When using animation on websites, it’s important to just keep it simple enough for everybody to understand. In animation, aesthetic appeal should only be second to usability. This goes for both large and small animations.

Simplicity of design also factors in the animation’s running time. You may not realise it, but the animation you think only lasts for a few seconds lasts even longer and irritatingly slow on the users’ standpoint. Animations should run fast, even four times faster than you intended. If you intend to go overboard with the running time, at least include a way to turn off animations for users in a hurry or have slow connections.

Sources:

Five Ways to Animate Responsibly, 24 Ways

An Introduction to Animation in Web Design, Design Shack