If you have a lot of high quality images to share on your website, particularly of your products or services, you could opt for an image carousel. So what is this? And what should you consider when using an image carousel in web design? Well, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester, we are Manchester’s leading web design professionals. From Wigan to Southport, we work with companies across Manchester and the North West to deliver stunning web design solutions that can help to transform businesses. As a result, we have produced this guide to everything you should know about image carousels for websites.
What is an image carousel?
So, first of all, what exactly is an image carousel? Well, this is a gallery or slideshow of images. This can be automatic scrolling through images at a set time rate, or it can be user controlled with buttons to determine the movement flow through the images. Some companies use this type of feature as their above the fold content, but this is a trend that has faded in recent years. Instead, you should use an image carousel where it can make the best possible impact.
What are the important considerations when using a website image carousel?
So, what should consider before opting for an image carousel? And how can you be sure that your carousel will be effective? Well, there is plenty to think about, including:
- The purpose of the carousel- the carousel needs to have a specific purpose. There is no point in showing off hundreds of images if these are all the similar, just to add content to your website. Instead, your carousel should have a specific aim, such as showing a product or service from multiple different angles, and adding technical information where necessary. This can add excellent content to your product or service page.
- The user experience- the carousel also needs to provide the best possible user experience. This is because if your carousel doesn’t work, is distracting, or cannot be controlled, it will not meet the demands of your potential customers or clients, who will simply leave your website and look elsewhere. As a result, you should always aim for your website to create the best possible user experience. This means you will need to think carefully about the amount of time your images are shown for if using automatic scrolling, as well as the interactive buttons and controls you use.
- Responsive design- another area to consider is responsive web design. Your carousel needs to be able to play and work properly across all devices so that your customers or clients all have equal access to the content. A carousel that doesnt work on a mobile device can be a make or break point for your users, resulting in loss of sales or sign ups.
For more information or for professional web design and web marketing solutions, get in touch with the experts today, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester.