More than 6 months into 2016, we’re talking about braving the next phase of web designing. What exactly is the “next phase” of web designing all about? It is all about transcending mere “convenience” as far as user experience on the web is concerned. If we were talking about the need for dynamic websites all this time, today we have gone up a notch higher to focus on “unique” web experience. If yesterday, it was all about creating layouts, suitable for desktop, mobile and tablet-viewing, today it’s time to offer your digital audience a richer – more engaging experience through visual storytelling.
All about storytelling in websites
Yes, visual storytelling is quickly emerging into prominence in the web designing landscape. Though it’s not an entirely new phenomenon (you can come across write-ups focused on improved story-telling techniques on the web that were written 4-5 years back), it definitely didn’t enjoy the kind of attention as it does today. Visual storytelling is well poised to lead the pack of web designing trends in 2017.
Now, implementing visual storytelling in web design can turn out to be a daunting prospect, but acquainting yourself with a few tricks can always do wonders for you. Here are a few things that web designers can try out while telling a story through their works.
Storytelling does not necessarily have to be about complex visuals
Designers do not necessarily have to stuff their layouts with heavy images. If you can say your story in one or two images then you do not have to use ten or fifteen. However, if you do need more than ten images to weave a story, then don’t try to reduce it to 7 or 8 images.
Make your audience a part of your story
There are several ways to do it. One oft-discussed way is to “gamify” your site. It means you’re rewarding your user for fulfilling a task. They’re sites that even reward users for filling up registration forms. The Swarm App, for instance, rewards you for becoming a “mayor” of a place (where you have checked in quite a few times).
Another way to make your users feel like they’re characters in your story is by including a guided questionnaire for users where they can tell you about themselves and you can offer personalized experience to them based on the information procured.
Know which sites are best suited to accommodate storytelling techniques
Visual storytelling is a means to bolster interactive storytelling on the web. There are some sites that just don’t benefit from interactive stories. If you’re running a website which is primarily accessed to receive fast and continuous information, you wouldn’t really want to incorporate interactive content thereby slowing down the user experience. For instance, an interactive image will definitely not work well for a news site as it will do for gaming or e-commerce site.
So, the next Web Designing Company you’re hiring should be well aware of the significance of storytelling as far as interactive user experience is concerned. Do not hire them before asking them about the techniques they would adopt to make your website a visually compelling unit.
