Is Parallax Web Design The Next “Big“ Thing?
One of the hottest web design trends right now is parallax design. Companies are using this design method on the websites to showcase the products, display engaging content, and tell a visual story. And there are plenty of reasons why. This type of design is boosting engagement to unprecedented levels and increasing sales/conversions tremendously.
So what is parallax design? Parallax design is a design that utilizes background images in a way that creates a visual effect. It is most commonly used in long pages where the content unfolds. As the user scrolls down the page, images change as if it’s an interactive visual presentation or almost like a comic book. The best comparison would be a flip book animation where static pictures seem to come alive while you flip through the pages.
So why use parallax web design in the first place? This design can really wow users and get them committed to your content. It is incredibly engaging because of the simple fact that a commitment device (the scrolling) is used to unfold the content. Since it also uses long pages, many companies have used this design with a storytelling angle with great success.
Aside from the appealing visuals, it is a great way to present products. Apple is a great example of a company that has used this design with great success. They used it for their iPhone product page. As users scrolled through the pages, they learned about its features and benefits. This worked far better than the typical product fact/spec sheet.
With that said, parallax design isn’t ideal for every situation. It works best if you’re trying to introduce complex ideas by breaking them down into a presentation, trying to selling a flagship product, or trying to tell a visual story. It probably wouldn’t make sense for you to use this design for a regular article or blog post. It is mostly used in long form format.
The downside to the design is that it hurts the SEO of the page and doesn’t work well on mobile formats. That doesn’t really matter since most companies are using it for pages that are trying to sell an idea or product. There are, however, a few companies that have used it as a content marketing strategy. The visual content format makes it very similar in concept to infographics. In fact, you can even say it’s an infographic 2.0.
So should you use parallax web design? The answer is a resounding yes. If you have a flagship product you want to showcase to your target audience, this is one of the best ways to do it. To get a better idea of how the design works, use the search engines to find some examples. That should get you excited about its possibilities.