One-page sites are a major trend. There are certain details that should be taken into account such as indicating the specific section in which the users are present. However, there are resources and techniques you can use to do this. That’s why it’s important to evaluate how useful the trend will be on your site. Another trend that seems to go hand in hand with the design of a single page is the infinite scrolling.
Infinite scrolling can be an excellent resource that can highlight your content. If you do not use it properly, you could end up affecting the entire design of your site. Before deciding to use the infinite scrolling on your site, you must take into account both its advantages and its disadvantages in order to make a better decision. Here we mention some of the main advantages of infinite scrolling.
What is the infinite scrolling?
Before we can talk about the advantages and disadvantages of this trend, we must make sure that this concept is quite clear. By the name, you may already have an idea of what it means and in fact, it is likely that you have already had contact with various sites that implement infinite scrolling as a form of interaction.
The infinite scrolling is an interaction technique in which new content is loaded as the user moves down. In this way, the content becomes “infinite” and increases according to the time the user decides to spend on the website.
It is a very popular technique in social networks where the volume of content is immense and, therefore, infinite scrolling can be applied without major difficulties: there will always be new content to show. You probably already have some examples in mind like Facebook or Pinterest. This type of technique is perfect for sites that have a large volume of content.
Advantages of infinite scrolling
Now that we have defined what the infinite scrolling is and we have a clearer idea of what it means, we will review the main benefits of implementing this interaction technique on your site.
Keeps users up to date
One of the main reasons why social networks use infinite scrolling is not only related to the volume of content but also because it is an excellent strategy to make users stay longer while browsing a site. Because the contents load as users go down, they often continue to browse without realizing the time. For this reason, browsing time is extended especially in social networks with exciting contents.
With the use of the infinite scrolling, you can not only retain your users for a long time but also show contents that your users could not have reached without the use of this technique. For your web development project, you should meet with top web development companies.
Perfect for touch screens
With the popularization of mobile devices as a means to surf the Internet, the user becomes accustomed to certain interactions typical of these devices. The touch screens are more sensitive to any gesture we make with our fingers, whether we want to go through the screen taking care of each piece of content or we can make a quick movement with our index to quickly go through content that we already saw.
Now that mobile devices have become such a common medium, it is natural to think about how to optimize the experience for these devices, which is why many current trends also take the experience in mobile devices into consideration.
Ideal for visual content
Infinite scrolling and visual content are the ultimate combinations. That’s why it’s used in social networks like Pinterest, where users can post photographs of any subject or thing that inspires them. It is also popular on social networks such as Tumblr, where much of the content is animated GIFs and images. However, it is not only ideal for social networks, but also for virtual stores with large and impressive photographs of the products. It could also be interesting to implement it in a portfolio or site dedicated to photography.
It is a more attractive way to present information
Infinite scrolling is definitely a different way of presenting information and in your particular case, it could be perfect. You should only evaluate how this interaction technique would work with your content as well as other graphics parts of your design. Is it a single page to which you want to apply the infinite scrolling? Do you use it to make an impact in telling a story? How does infinite scrolling complement other interaction techniques on your site? In-depth evaluation of the use of infinite scrolling on your site will help you create a better user experience.
In certain cases, the user is usually given an option by placing a button that indicates “Show more”. This could be a really attractive touch for your users because you give them the power and they feel in control.
In conclusion
The infinite scrolling can be a great resource for your site if it is used properly. When using any trend, it is important to evaluate how it will help to achieve the objective of the site. It can be tempting to use trends simply because they are fashionable and look good but should complement well with your content. Otherwise, the infinite scrolling would not be a resource but simply an additional element that adds nothing to your site. For your web development project, you should meet with top web development companies.
Author Bio:
Harnil Oza is a CEO of Hyperlink InfoSystem, a mobile app development company based in USA & India having a team of best app developers who deliver best mobile solutions mainly on Android and iOS platform and also listed as one of the top app development companies by leading research platform. He regularly contributes his knowledge on the leading blogging sites.