How do animations boost web engagement?

Insights

Struggling to keep your audience engaged? Discover how animated illustrations can transform your website into an interactive, unforgettable experience that drives retention and boosts conversions.

25th March 2025

4 mins read

Ying Xuan Ling

Feeling like your website’s struggling to hold anyone’s attention?You’re not alone. With attention spans getting shorter and distractions only a click away, keeping visitors engaged has become a challenge many brands face.

Now, picture this: instead of static pages that visitors skim through and leave, your website comes to life. Movement catches their eye, stories unfold, and the page feels alive. That’s the magic of animations. They don’t just grab attention—they hold it. Let’s explore how animations can transform your website and why they’re worth the hype.

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Why animations matter

Animations are more than just a visual upgrade—they’re a storytelling tool that breathes life into your brand. Unlike static images, animations create energy and motion, making your narrative not just compelling but unforgettable.

In today’s content-saturated world, animations stand out by offering the interactive, visually rich experiences that modern audiences crave. Take 11th Hour Racing’s The Race Below site, for example. By pairing animated scrolls with underwater visuals, they immerse visitors in an entirely new world. Every detail—from the loading page to hover states—was purposefully designed to guide users through a seamless and engaging journey.

Animations do more than enhance aesthetics; they help users focus on key elements of your site, making your message clearer and your brand experience more memorable.

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Boosting Interactions and Engagement

Here’s where animations really shine: they invite users to interact. Movement naturally grabs attention and encourages exploration, which can lead to:

Longer dwell times: Sites with interactive elements keep users hooked for longer. For example, the animated scroll on Quanta Magazine’s The Unraveling of Space-Time site achieved an average dwell time of 2.4 minutes—a 440% increase compared to standard pages.
Better retention: Memorable animations like those on Wired x HSBC UK Trailblazers hub make your website stick in users’ minds, increasing the chances they’ll return.
Higher conversions: Engaging visuals encourage users to take action, whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, exploring a product, or completing a purchase. Some examples include WWF-CA's Underwater Noise and 11th Hour Racing's The Race Below

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With animations, your website transforms from a passive experience to an active journey—turning casual visitors into invested participants.

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Customisable and On-Brand Designs

Unlike stock images or cookie-cutter templates, animated illustrations can be tailored to reflect your brand’s unique personality and values. From color palettes and logos to custom character designs, animations give you the power to create something truly distinctive.

Brands like Wired and The Economist are masters of this. Their digital articles often incorporate animated illustrations that not only elevate the storytelling but also stay true to their brand identity.

This level of customisation allows you to visually communicate complex ideas in an easy-to-understand, relatable way. Think of it as a chance to connect with your audience on a deeper, more meaningful level—leaving a lasting impression they won’t forget.

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Should you implement animations and animated illustrations?

If you’re looking to:

Elevate your website’s user experience,
Drive higher engagement, and
Stand out in an increasingly crowded market,

...animations are an investment worth considering. They combine creativity and functionality, offering a fresh way to connect with your audience while delivering measurable results.

Whether you’re launching a new product, revamping your website, or simply aiming to build a more interactive digital presence, animations can set your brand apart.

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What’s a Rich Text element?

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.