The impact of animated UI on charity website engagement

Introduction

As website users, our behaviour evolves rapidly and the demand for websites to feel functional but also enjoyable to interact with has grown. Creating engaging experiences is essential for capturing and maintaining user attention: this is where animated user interface – or UI – elements come into play. 

By strategically incorporating animations, designers can not only unleash their creativity by designing visually appealing website experiences (we do get excited by the small, happy details!), but also flex the user’s own creative muscle by immersing them in an interactive digital setting.

In this blog, we’ll explore how specific types of animated UI can significantly impact website engagement for charity websites.  Additionally, we’ll delve into some best practices for using animations effectively and avoiding common pitfalls.

Animated Icons: Enhancing Micro-Interactions

Icons are a cornerstone of digital communication. These underrated small graphical representations serve as visual cues that convey meaning or suggest actions at a glance. However, adding subtle animations to these icons can make interactions more intuitive, enjoyable and add a lot of personality to them.

When used in moderation, they add an element of liveliness without overwhelming the user. Here are some benefits of adding animated icons to your web design:

– Drawing attention to key actions: a subtle icon animation can highlight important features or functionalities that users might overlook. For example, animating a “download” or “submit” button icon can direct users’ attention toward critical actions.

– Reinforcing brand identity: custom animated icons provide an opportunity to align your website with your charity’s brand. Through the use of colour, style, and motion, brands can make interactions feel more personal and recognisable.

– Creating a sense of play: animation introduces an element of surprise and fun, which can make a website feel more engaging. Users are more likely to enjoy interacting with a site that feels playful and keeps them engaged for longer.

– Improving accessibility: for users with certain visual impairments, movement in an icon can be more effective than colour changes. For instance, an animated icon can help visually highlight important actions for users with colour blindness or other vision-related challenges. This can help make your charity website more accessible and inclusive to a wider demographic of users.

However, incorporating animated icons requires balance. While they can enhance the overall user experience, overusing them can lead to cognitive overload. The key is to use them sparingly and purposefully, ensuring that animations enhance the interaction rather than distract from it.

Animated statistics: making data engaging

Let’s face it: raw numbers, charts, and data visualisations can often feel dry and uninspiring! However, animating statistics can transform the way users perceive and interact with data on your website. Whether you’re displaying donation data, survey results, data-driven insights, or project impact numbers, animated stats can breathe new life into otherwise static information.

There are two key ways animated stats can engage users: through hover interactions and timed animations. Let’s look at what this means.

Hover Interactions

When users hover over a chart or number, introducing an animation can offer an interactive and enjoyable experience. For instance, you can add a subtle animation that reveals additional information or further details. By giving users control over when to trigger these animations, the interaction becomes more personal and intuitive. Some benefits of including hover interactions include:

– Adding playfulness: hover-triggered animations inject a sense of play into the data, turning mundane stats into something visually intriguing.

– Revealing additional information: hover animations can help remove clutter on the page by revealing secondary layers of information only when the user engages with a specific element.

Timed Animations

Using animations that play at specific intervals can guide users through a narrative, presenting information in a way that’s easy to digest. Instead of overwhelming users with a large chunk of data at once, timed animations can pace the information for better comprehension. Here are some benefits of using timed animations:

– Guiding attention: timed animations ensure users see only the most relevant content at the right time. This avoids cognitive overload and helps users focus on each piece of information individually.

– Creating a flow: when done correctly, timed animations can introduce a smooth flow of information that feels almost like a story, helping users better absorb and retain what they’re seeing.

Animated CTA Buttons: Guiding User Action

Call-to-action (CTA) buttons are one of the most critical elements of a charity website. They prompt users to engage with a specific action, whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, making a donation, or downloading a file. Because CTAs serve such an important function, it’s vital that they stand out and are easy to interact with to encourage new and ongoing support.

Adding animations to CTA buttons not only makes them visually appealing but also improves their effectiveness. Here’s how animated CTA buttons can influence user engagement:

– Drawing focus to key actions: animation can help guide the user’s eye to the most important actions on the page. A CTA button with a subtle animation —such as a colour change, bounce, or scale effect on hover— immediately stands out, making it more likely to be clicked.

– Providing visual feedback: when users hover over or click a CTA button, an animation can confirm that the interaction has been received. This visual confirmation improves accessibility, especially for users who rely on non-verbal cues to understand the interface.

– Reinforcing brand identity: animated CTAs can be an extension of your brand’s visual identity. By using colours, shapes, and motion that align with your brand, you can create a cohesive and memorable user experience that boosts recognition.

– Adding personalisation: a well-designed animation can positively surprise users and add a more personalised touch to the interaction. This unexpected functionality makes the user experience feel more engaging and less transactional.

Just like with animated icons, it’s essential to use animated CTAs conservatively. Too much movement can distract users or make the page feel cluttered and confusing. However, when used effectively, they can elevate the overall experience and encourage users to complete the desired action.

Best Practices: the dos and don’ts of animated UI

While animated UI elements can significantly enhance a charity website, it’s important to implement them with care. Overloading a page with too many animated elements can cause visual noise, frustrating users rather than engaging them. So, here’s some key tips on making sure your animation is as effective as possible on your website:

Do:

– Balance animations with design: make sure your animations complement the overall design of the page rather than overpower it. Each animation should have a clear purpose that enhances the user experience.

– Use appropriate triggers: triggers like hover states and click interactions are a great way to introduce animations without overwhelming the user. Use delays and prompt an animation only when necessary to create a smooth interaction flow.

– Pace animations correctly: the speed of your animations should align with the user’s pace when interacting with your site. Too fast, and the animation might be missed. Too slow, and the user might become impatient.

– Opt for smooth and realistic animations: avoid abrupt or jarring movements. Smooth and subtle animations are more pleasing to the eye and feel more natural.

Don’t:

– Overuse animations:  resist the temptation to animate every element on the page. Too many animations can make the site feel chaotic and reduce accessibility.

– Loop animations unnecessarily: looping animations can be distracting and even annoying! Only use loops where necessary, such as for loading indicators or specific decorative purposes.

– Use unrealistic animations: avoid flashing lights, erratic movements, or animations that are difficult to interpret. These can create accessibility issues and detract from the user experience.

Conclusion

Animated UI elements, when used thoughtfully, can transform a website’s user experience  by making interactions more engaging, intuitive, and enjoyable. From adding personality and drawing attention to turning data into digestible narratives, reinforcing charity brand identity and improving functionality, the possibilities are vast.

By following best practices and considering user behaviour and accessibility, designers can craft an experience that balances functional benefits with emotional ones by stimulating our often-forgotten drive for wonder and play, making us notice new things, making new and surprising connections and engaging our curiosity.