Moving Backgrounds: When, Why, and How to Use Them

This content originally appeared on SitePoint and was authored by Irwin Hau

In this article, we’ll take a close look at the whats and whys of moving backgrounds. We’ll consider the impact they have on conversions, examine when they should and shouldn’t be used, and then offer practical tips for doing them the right way.

Moving Images are Powerful

There’s no denying people love video content. TikTok is shooting up the app charts, and short clips are surpassing pictures for shares on Facebook. Things that move are eye-catching, engaging, and more memorable.

The appeal of video isn’t limited to social media. Moving elements on your landing pages give users a way to instantly connect with your brand. Here are some more web design statistics worth knowing:

• Various studies show videos can increase landing page conversions by around 80%.
• A shopper who watches a video is nearly two times more likely to convert than a shopper who doesn’t.
• Two thirds of people would rather read something beautifully designed than something plain.

Video can do good things for your site. But that doesn’t mean you should turn your home page into a mini cinema. As with all things web design, it’s all about finding that sweet spot between what feels playful and exciting and what works.

When to Use Moving Backgrounds

Moving backgrounds can be incredibly effective, but they’re not always appropriate. They slow your site down, they can be distracting, and they’re creatively bold — three things that aren’t suitable in certain situations.

For example, if you’re offering something complex, a video is more likely to distract that aid comprehension. If you’re offering something serious — like financial advice, government information, or anything to do with healthcare — a video just feels … wrong. Similarly, if you’re a practical site — like a grocery store or tool hire site — then speed is probably more important that giving off a certain vibe.

On the other hand, if your business is all about exuding a certain mood, then moving backgrounds can be perfect.

We use one at Chromatix because we’re a creative design agency, and playfulness and beauty are hugely attractive to our customers.

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Luxury lifestyle brands often use moving backgrounds to good effect, because people buy into an experience rather than a product. The same goes for conferences and events, spas, retreats, vacation rentals, and so on.

Here are three reasons to use moving backgrounds:

• to set a tone
• to exude a lifestyle
• to elicit an emotional reaction

Here are three reasons not to use a moving background:

• because everyone else is doing it
• because conversion statistics tell me it’ll get good results
• because it looks pretty

Continue reading Moving Backgrounds: When, Why, and How to Use Them on SitePoint.

This content originally appeared on SitePoint and was authored by Irwin Hau