Content sliders are everywhere these days! They can also be very polarizing. Tons of people love them, while others despise them. But it’s important to realize that sliders aren’t a cure, they are merely a tool. This means that they need to be used appropriately and populated with great content in order for you to realize their main benefits.
Don’t confuse the potential of the tool with poor results from lacklustre implementations. When used properly, content sliders are effective interaction elements that can increase visitor engagement, comprehension and retention of information.
This post covers the major reasons why you should consider using a content slider, and at which points they can be most effective in improving your visitors’ experiences when they visit. Let’s jump in!
The Benefits of Content Sliders
The benefits of content sliders range from saving space to allowing the website visitor more control. Let’s have a look at some specific benefits below.
Save Space
Content sliders consolidate multiple pieces of content into a small space on your site, allowing you to fit more on-screen at any given time.
Promote User Engagement
Well-implemented and designed content sliders are engaging for website visitors, and encourage them to stay on the page longer. They can also act like a pit-stop on a long journey, allowing the user to take a break before continuing to scroll.
Boost Usability on Media-rich Pages
By consolidating media into one place, you give the user the ability to focus. Images distract from text, so by placing your visual content in a slider, you allow the user to choose when they focus their attention on image/rich content, instead of breaking their reading flow. It lets users focus on discrete pieces of content.
User Directed (mostly)
The majority of content sliders can be controlled by the user. This means they can progress through the content at their own pace, aiding their comprehension and retention of the information you’re providing.
So – can your website improve with any of the benefits above?
When to Use Content Sliders
There are a number of ways to use content sliders. Like with most things, it is best to have a goal in mind of where you want to get to before embarking on your journey. With that said, have a look at some of the options below on when it’s best to use a content slider. If one or two of the points stand out, it might be time to consider adding a slider plugin to your website.
Introducing Your Website
When users first arrive at your website, they need to know why they’re there, and what they can do. Content sliders are popular homepage elements for the simple fact that they’re great at conveying a concise overview of a website’s purpose, and enabling them to click through for more information.
Updating Content Dynamically
If you’re frequently posting updates, you’ll often want to highlight them on your website
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This article was written by Tom Ewer and originally published on WPExplorer.