Are Motion Graphics Useful to B2B Web Designs?
Adding moving elements to web design isn’t really anything new, but more designers are turning to animation to grab user attention in a crowded marketplace. Although motion graphics are most often seen in portfolio websites, they also work well for business to business (B2B) web designs.
About 90% of B2B management feels customer experience (CX) is a crucial component and should be a company priority. However, many don’t have a clear plan for creating a website that stands out from the millions of others out there. With motion graphics, you have an opportunity to improve CX and stand out from your competitors.
There are some clear advantages to motion graphics for a B2B site, but also a couple of disadvantages. We’ll look at what you should consider before you delve into the world of animation. Read: 7 Ways to Productively Use Media on Your Website
1. Increase Visual Power
Most people are visual learners. The human brain processes images much more quickly than words. Adding motion graphics highlights the concepts you want site visitors to learn and does so rapidly without detracting too much from other elements on the page. Users watch a short video, for example, and then scroll on down. The first impression of your page grabs the user and keeps them on your page rather than them bouncing away.
2. Prove Your Value
If you sell a service to business owners, then showing them the value of your product is a bit harder. However, using motion graphics is one way of highlighting what your software can do and how it solves a pain point for the user. For example, you can run a short video that shows how it works in a real-life setting.
Grammarly is a good example of a B2B site using motion graphics. While it also serves consumers, a portion of its business is publishing companies, bloggers and educational institutions. Professionals such as writers and journalists also invest in the software. Note how it uses motion graphics to highlight how the software works and how simple it is to use.
3. Reduce Bounce Rate
When you engage site visitors, they are much more likely to stay on your site than bounce away to a competitor’s page. Motion graphics offer moving parts, so the eye is drawn to that section of the page and the user’s attention is caught. Think of it as your opening hook. You could even use animated typography in your headline to drive home the words you’d like the user to remember.
4. Convince the User
The potential lead may wonder if your product is the best choice to fit their needs. Since a lot of business owners search online before contacting a company for more details, your website must capture them and show that you offer solutions to their needs. Short videos show the ways your product might be used and can answer a business owner’s basic questions.
One Point Partitions offers an animated clip showing how easy it is to put its partitions together. Small-business owners can learn how the panels attach to the floor and each other. It also shows how secure and safe they are with animated illustrations of where the bolts go.
SEE ALSO – Why Are Interactive Landing Pages Boosting CX?
5. Boost Brand Recall
There are more than 1.7 billion websites on the World Wide Web, and the number grows all the time. If you want people to remember you, stand out from your competitors. Motion graphics are an easy way of showing the uniqueness of what you offer while grabbing attention. If your design incorporates animated elements in a unique way, the user is much more likely to remember your brand later.
6. Convert Visitors Into Customers
Videos influence people to buy products. About 76 percent of consumers state they’ve been influenced to buy after watching a video. Even though you’re trying to reach business owners, the psychology is similar. They are influenced by the same factors consumers are, such as emotion and attention-grabbing efforts.
Pipefy offers customized workflow systems. It uses motion graphics on its developers’ page to show how the system works and gives the user a snapshot of what they can expect by choosing them over their competitors. The motion graphics are displayed as a streaming video to the left of the headline and call to action (CTA).
Con No. 1: You Lose Accessibility
People with vision impairments may not be able to access your site as easily, and the motion graphics have zero impact on their experience. Also, those with slower internet speeds — such as smaller communities — may have trouble navigating your site and find the experience negative because of how slow your page loads. There are a few things you can do to alleviate these issues, such as ensuring you have strong alt tags for visually impaired users and offering options for turning off videos.
Con No. 2: Your Costs Are Higher
A plain website is usually more cheaply built than one with all the bells and whistles. You’ll either need to learn how to create your own motion graphics or invest in an expert. This takes a chunk out of your design budget and may even eat into other cash within your company. Always measure your return on investment (ROI) and track how well motion graphics convert site visitors.
Trends of the Future
As internet speeds grow ever faster and more people access sites via their mobile devices, expect designs to get even more creative. High-definition screens and the ability to stream moving parts creates an opportunity for businesses to engage their target audiences like never before. If you haven’t already added motion graphics to your site, experiment with a few bits of video and see what works best with your users.
Author Bio
Lexie Lu is a designer and writer. She constantly researches trends in the web and graphic design industry. She writes weekly on Design Roast and can be followed on Twitter @lexieludesigner.
