It’s now more important than ever to deliver an online experience that authentically delivers the perspective of the brand it represents. Leveraging a combination of visual, contextual, graphic and textual elements – a brand has the ability to make stronger connections. From initial perceptions to emotions and behavioral responses – the more connective the experience is, the deeper the loyalty between brand and user will be.
By approaching a strategy inclusive of immersive web design – users are greeted with new developments in interactivity, design technique and integrated engagement. These implementations create an experience that is both memorable, useful and provides an ease of use to the user. Immersive web experiences are truly the next level of engagement, creating an environment that is seamless and entertaining to the user but is actually quite complex.
Though immersion can be any number of implementations inclusive of animation, transitions, web graphics or micro-interactions – one of the most widely used is movement. With the addition of movement – any form of interactivity allows users to immediately feel they have ‘jumped into’ the content. Analytics show that the presence of video, animation or interactivity as opposed to static image or text alone can increase engagement by at least 200 percent. Moving visuals are retained by the long term memory because of connection. If that connection is made with the user, they are more likely to retain and engage on a long term basis.
It’s essential to know when an immersive experience works, and when it won’t. For sites that are mainly transactional, providing a level of interactivity is important to the journey, but going further into immersion can be more of a hindrance to the user. Conducting a journey mapping phase is essential to lay the groundwork for the ideal interaction with the site.