The Virtue of Parallax Design in Websites

What is Parallax Design?

Parallax design is considered to be originated from 2D scrolling video games that used several moving backgrounds in order to create an illusionary depth during the gameplay. This technique usually made the background move slower than the foreground to make an illusionary distance on the screen. The same illusionary effect is used in parallax scrolling where the background of the website moves differently than the rest of the page creating an impressive visual appeal. Parallax scrolling is considered ideal for online storytelling where brands use this technique to weave a creative brand story. Additionally, parallax scrolling provides websites with opportunities to

1. Startle the customers with page depth and intuitive animation
2. Use storytelling approach to guide users through the website
3. Increase visiting time by compelling visitors to keep scrolling for more
4. Promote curiosity of the visitors
5. Smoothly guide visitors to calls to action
6. Boost website credibility with interactive viewing

The Drawbacks of Parallax Scrolling

With all these user-friendly perks comes several drawbacks to adopting a parallax website. One of the major drawbacks of integrating parallax scrolling into websites is that it can only have a single long page that often influences SEO and load speed. Parallax scrolling can hamper the prominence of a website though:-

1. Slow loading time leading to inefficiency and loss of online traffic
2. Stunted SEO that further limits the meta information due to the elongated page
3. Incompatibility with mobile due to to less mobile friendly interface
4. Distractive appeal that often makes content look irrelevant and incomprehensible

Use of Parallax Scrolling

When this intriguing scrolling pattern was first introduced to web design, it was welcomed wholeheartedly and soon gained popularity among several top multinational companies. Parallax design was just like disco lights, it’s fun and exciting to watch but it doesn’t have the required longevity to sustain in the market.

Parallax scrolling is undoubtedly an intriguing element for website design and it’s quite amusing to see images and content unfolding in front of your eyes, but it is important to understand the trend and prioritize the website performance.

More than its perks, parallax scrolling has plenty of significant drawbacks that hamper the overall performance of the website. Having said that, parallax scrolling can be wisely integrated into the website if used in the appropriate way without affecting the website performance.