Make your website move: simple animation techniques for designers

Moving elements, like bouncing buttons or shifting backgrounds, really catch the eye. But what should you animate, and how can you do it easily, without code? This article shows the way, making it simple to bring your site to life.

Objectives of animation in user experience

When we add animations to a website, we’re not just doing it for the sake of aesthetics. According to the Nielsen Norman Group, there are clear objectives behind these choices:

1. Highlighting changes: animations are perfect for guiding users' attention to changes on a page, like when content appears or shifts. This helps to make transitions smooth.
2. Adding fun: who said websites have to be boring? Motion can add a layer of fun, making your design pop.

Staying modern: using the latest animation techniques shows that you’re up-to-date with current trends. It's a signal to visitors that your brand is contemporary and in the know.

How to boost your web design with motion

Let's explore how motion makes your web design better, with websites made with Readymag.

Make your hero section pop. Your hero section is the first thing visitors see, so the animations here really set the stage for your site, making it instantly engaging. 

Take the candle shop “Faum”, for example. When you hover over a photo, it changes, allowing users to start interacting with the product right from the get-go.

Another example is “Tiny Studio”. Visit their site, and you'll be greeted by huge letters filling the screen that, after a moment, slide apart. It's a simple yet impressive way to grab your attention and make a memorable first impression.

Keep things moving with scroll animation. Scrolling down your site should feel like unfolding a story, with each scroll revealing something new. 

Take “Forest Stories”, a film about how forests influence our lives. The website feels like you're in a movie, especially when you scroll down and see the creators' names roll like end credits. It ties you more closely to the film's vibe.

Then there's the “Oya Festivalen” website. It's full of life, with tiny animations that make the page sparkle. But the real magic lies in how scrolling through the site feels like leafing through a fun book. Each scroll invites you to see more, making the whole experience inviting and exciting.

Make your buttons wiggle. CTA buttons are crucial—they guide users on what to do next. A soft wiggle or a bit of growth can catch the eye and spur people into action, like on this site that's all about saving the Monarch butterfly, where the buttons gently move to grab your attention.

Bring icons to life. Animated icons stand out—they add a layer of interaction that boosts the user experience. It's a way to sprinkle in some joy and playfulness, adding emotion to your site. Take the “Evrone” website, for instance. It showcases animated stickers that not only grab your attention but also make the whole experience more enjoyable and memorable. 

Play around with interactive stuff. Engagement goes beyond just viewing. Introduce elements that users can interact with, like 3D rotations or puzzles. They can transform your site into an interactive space where every click and scroll offers a new discovery.

For example, on the “Post 1945 design” site, you can twist and turn objects around to see them from all angles.

And on this special Readymag project, you can piece together bits of a broken heart to see a secret message.

How to create motion without coding 

You don't need to know any coding to make your designs come alive. Here's how Readymag helps any designer create animations with ease.

Bring any widget to life. In Readymag, animating widgets—like text, pictures, or buttons—is a breeze. You can animate any widget with four triggers: on load, on scroll, on hover, and on click. Use these alone or mix them to create сomplex effects. 

Use lottie animations. Lottie animations can make your web designs snappier and more fun. They're super light, so they load fast, and they stay crisp no matter how big or small you go. You can whip up anything from cool animated buttons to lively icons, and even story-like animations without the heavy load or fuzziness of videos and GIFs. All you need to do is add Lottie as a widget in your Readymag project.

Customize movements with Bézier curves. Imagine making objects on your site move just like they would in the real world, or breaking the grid with paths that draw the eye. With Readymag you can customize how things move and create paths that feel natural and smooth, all by simply adjusting curves.

Utilize presets. Beyond just animations, Readymag offers a variety of presets. These are combinations of motions, headers, footers, and more that are designed to improve your workflow. They serve as both shortcuts to key website elements and sources of visual inspiration.

Animation can turn a simple design into something special. With Readymag, it's easy to get creative and add fun, interactive touches without getting tangled up in code. Curious to play around with it? Give Readymag a whirl and see what you can create.