{"id":7482,"date":"2020-02-29T19:48:59","date_gmt":"2020-02-29T19:48:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/?p=7482"},"modified":"2021-09-01T16:43:29","modified_gmt":"2021-09-01T16:43:29","slug":"website-wow-factor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/website-wow-factor\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t be Fooled by the Website “Wow” Factor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

So you want a website with the so-called “Wow” factor. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The home page must open with stunning visuals that catch the eye right away. Your goal is to impress well-to-do clients with your striking, colorful design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

You figure that a carousel image slider<\/strong> or full-screen background image<\/strong> would give you that massive visual impact you’re looking for. You already have incredible, high-quality product images, so it seems like a no-brainer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A business owner once remarked about a competitor’s site: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat website has that \u201cWow\u201d factor we’re looking for. You can tell. They obviously know what they\u2019re doing.\u201d <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The website they were referring to had a full-screen image slider greeting users the moment they reached the home page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The slider, was without a doubt, attention-grabbing. But it was also visible on page load, contained large images and probably some hefty JavaScript files to make it work, three factors affecting page load time.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Carousel Image Sliders affect Page Load Time and SEO.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Page Load Time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, focusing too much on visuals can create an initial “wow”<\/strong> reaction that ends up crippling user experience in the end. A website must, first and foremost, be user-friendly<\/a>, mobile-friendly<\/a> and accessible to impress well-to-do clients, mobile users and any other visitors that stop by. The pages must load quickly and provide a seamless experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shiny Objects, Sliders & Seashells<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Large, gorgeous images in a slider are dazzling\u2026 just like seashells and other \u201cshiny objects\u201d<\/strong> that wash up on a beach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But for how long?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Does your “Shiny Object” hurt or help User Experience?<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Think about how you use the web.<\/strong> You\u2019re probably searching for information, not looking to be dazzled. If you can’t find it on one website… or if you\u2019re waiting those few extra agonizing seconds for a page to load, you click away and go elsewhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If that shiny slider is hurting your page speed, it\u2019s also increasing your bounce rate and hurting your search engine rankings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Online Site Optimization Tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, there are online tools you can use to better judge a website, instead of drawing conclusions from your initial impression alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can check to see if a page has speed issues by visiting GTmetrix<\/a> or Google’s PageSpeed Insights<\/a>. Enter any URL to see if a page has speed issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At GTmetrix, you can analyze the waterfall chart <\/strong>to see how long each page element takes to load.<\/strong> (This includes image sliders.) Waterfall charts<\/a> visualize page-loading behavior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responsible Image Sliders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re still considering a carousel slider<\/strong>, add it responsibly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n