By Vakeesan Rajadurai, Senior Project Manager
What is Parallax Scrolling?
Parallax Scrolling is a special effect used in computer graphics, where background images move by the camera more slowly than foreground images. The technique first gained widespread use in the gaming industry more than 10-15 years ago. Recently, Parallax Scrolling has begun to appear in trendy web sites, as designers and developers explore new ways to make their sites through engaging visuals and functionality.
Parallax Scrolling does not require complex technology to develop and will work properly on most modern web browsers. Effects on most sites are implemented by combinations of HTML5, CSS3, graphics design, jQuery, and JavaScript.
What are some effects that Parallax Scrolling can achieve?
Web designers can use Parallax Scrolling to
- Give the illusion of 3D. By independently moving different parts of an image, Parallax Scrolling effects can simulate a 3D effect that adds a brilliant illusion of depth. The Madwell website makes great use of this technique. The hypnotic effects are sure to invite more visitors.
- Direct visitors to calls to action. Parallax Scrolling effects can can direct users toward a desired action on the page. Tinke fitness gadget website lures visitors towards its ‘next button’ call with images of the gadget interacting with the parallax scrolling. The website also perfectly guides the visitor to the ‘Shop Now’ call to action at the bottom of the page.
- Make the site more interactive. Parallax Scrolling can provide means to engage the audience with clever use of animations for scene changes. Land een job website achieves this effect by assigning control speeds and directions to the moving parallax elements.
- Take a story-telling approach and guide visitors through the site. Head2Heart website takes a story telling approach to explain to the visitors the ill effects of human trafficking. The site is interactive allows the visitor to witness data as navigable and dramatic at the same time. The visitors are able to control the pace of the story by clicking next/previous buttons and additional animations are created by the clicking/scrolling of mouse buttons and Parallax Scrolling enables the animation.
How can Parallax Scrolling improve a site’s page ranking?
The process of Search Engine Optimzation (SEO) is 40% on-page optimization and 60% off-page optimization. Parallax Scrolling websites present a challenge for SEO, because each has only one url, one title, one header, one meta description. However, it is possible to combine scrolling effects and SEO elegantly. Parallax Scrolling provides web designers a way to lengthen the page visit time and reduce the bounce rate by
- Encouraging visitors to scroll through the entire page
- Allowing images to move around the website at different perspectives and speeds
- Forcing a single page format
The sampling of Parallax Scrolling websites below demonstrate the range of options available. Â The example below was created by Dextrys and it uses both on-page and off-page SEO.
Parallax web designing with Dextrys
Dextrys is a US-based software outsourcing company providing Web, Mobile, Desktop, and Testing solutions to clients worldwide. We can help you develop a faster, more efficient and all-around improved Parallax Scrolling website experience for your users.
To know more about Dextrys and the services we offer please visit http://www.dextrys.com
