Website design does not simply depend on creatively designed pages and information, but people are incorporating more elements every day and this is fast starting to include the moving image and sound. People want to see vivid, attention grabbing effects and pay more attention to your message if it is portrayed in an original way. The use of multimedia elements, such as animation, sound effects and video are helpful in creating a leading edge site. It makes your site stand out from sites with less innovative elements.
Animation is very often used to explain a product or to illustrate how to use a product. It is easier to understand the transition between to states when it is animated – it becomes easier for users to track mapping among various parts of a product or illustration of a product. Animation is also the best option when showing transitions over periods of time, because it is a time varying display. For example, a change in weight or the movement of a car is clearer when the viewer sees it happening. Animation also helps the viewer to visualize 3-D structures, whereas in other instance, all 3-D objects would also seem two-dimensional.
Using videos on a website can create much more traffic to a site and popularise a site immensely. People do not always enjoy reading pages and pages about a product and rather appreciate a short, concise video explaining what the product or service is about and why they should buy it. If one looks at the most successful websites, like Facebook and YouTube, one finds websites that make use of mostly pictures and videos. Websites that use video interface and even interactive games are statistically more appealing and are able to gain immense audience bases. When you look at the success of movies and television today, you will realize how effective the visual image is. Adverts rely on pictures, colour and movement to grab attention and it is the same when it comes to websites and marketing on the Internet.
The element that completes the “multimedia” experience is, of course, audio. It makes the picture realistic and can be used to verbally communicate your idea to the viewer or Internet user. It also allows you to give music or audio examples related to your product so you will be able to sell more products. It has been proven that many people remember certain messages and ideas when someone has told them about it and this way you can make sure viewers remember you.
Many designers incorporate multimedia in the menus and tabs of a website, which makes it more exciting and draws the viewer into the website. When you want to create a professional section on the site for investors, you can even create an interactive presentation to market your business.
Using multimedia in the form of videos, audio and animation can thus enhance a website if it is done in a professional way. Multimedia should, however, not be too large as it can cause a website to be slow and ultimately make users exit the site entirely.