6 Tips for Awesome Rotator Slides

Everyone using Global Reach’s powerful SiteViz content management solution has access to a versatile homepage rotator module. The SiteViz administrative portal makes it easy to add, remove and edit slides from any browser. Our web designers have set you off on the right foot by designing aesthetically pleasing rotators which are easy to navigate. However, now the control is in your hands! What will you do?

Rotators are an effective tool when used correctly, but it isn’t always easy to know what "correctly" means. Have no fear! Take advantage of these six tips to stay ahead of the curve, keep your users interested, and make sure your most important messages are seen!

1. Keep it simple: Consider limiting the number of slides to no more than four. Remember, most users will not scroll all the way through your entire rotator, so it’s important to be choosy about what you include. If you’ve considered your content carefully, users will be eager to explore, or they’ll be on their way to finding exactly what they’re looking for. If your slides are simple and to-the-point, they’ll make the most impact on your busy visitors.
    
2. All slides should be related: Think of your entire rotator as one main idea with each slide being one example of that main idea. Rotators are ideal for showcasing items in a product line, your organization’s core values, or steps in a process. However, if each slide is a completely new idea, the impact of the rotator and each individual slide diminishes.
    
3. Tell a story: People love a good story. You can motivate your users to explore your rotator if you are able to get them interested in the next leg of the narrative. Maybe you want to walk them through the benefits of your top product or show them the reasons to join your organization. Each slide should hint at what’s to come and lead the user onward. The rotator becomes an experience.
    
4. Match your website’s design: “Banner blindness” is an idea in the User Experience (UX) field to describe how website users have learned to ignore things that look like advertisements. Things like too-bright colors, crazy fonts and busy backgrounds could be working against you! Avoid banner blindness by making sure your slides look like they’re right at home. Use fonts and colors already on your website and give each slide a similar design. The consistency will leave users no doubt that the messages in the slider are unmistakably yours.
    
5. Give users control: Avoid auto-rotate. You may want to make sure your users see all the slides in your rotator, but users want control! If your rotator automatically changes slides after a few seconds, users can become frustrated when they don’t have enough time to read. The last thing you want is for users to get annoyed and leave. Instead, disable auto-rotate and make sure it’s easy for users to change slides on their own.
    
6. Stay ahead of the curve: It’s well-supported that rotators are not the best way to get users to interact with very important content like 'Sign Up,' 'Buy Now,' or 'Login' calls to action.  Most UX studies have shown that users rarely interact with slides beyond the first one.