Carousels, also known as sliders, have long been a popular feature in web design, allowing multiple images or pieces of content to be displayed in one section. They offer a dynamic, rotating visual element that can showcase various products, promotions, or information. However, in recent years, the effectiveness of carousels has been questioned, leading many to wonder if they are still relevant in modern web design.

This article explores whether people still use carousels, the reasons for their declining popularity, and whether they are still worth using on your website.

The Evolution of Image Carousels

Carousels gained popularity in the early 2010s as an easy way to display multiple pieces of content in a limited space, such as hero images, product promotions, or news updates. Users could interact with these sliders by clicking through the images, offering a visually appealing and interactive experience.

However, as user experience (UX) research and web design trends have evolved, the drawbacks of carousels have become more apparent. While some websites still use them, many designers and developers are moving away from carousels in favor of more effective alternatives.

Why People Are Moving Away from Carousels?

Several factors have contributed to the decline in carousel usage, particularly as user experience and SEO concerns have come to the forefront:

1. Low Engagement Rates

Despite their visual appeal, carousels often suffer from low engagement rates. Studies have shown that only a small percentage of users click beyond the first image or slide. In fact, research from Nielsen Norman Group found that only about 1% of users click on any slide beyond the first.

This low engagement is often attributed to “banner blindness,” where users subconsciously ignore content that resembles ads or moving banners. Additionally, carousels can overwhelm users with too much information, making them less likely to interact with the content.

2. Slower Page Load Times

Carousels often require multiple high-quality images, which can significantly slow down a website’s load time. Since page speed is a critical factor in user experience and SEO rankings, carousels can negatively impact a site’s performance.

Slower load times can result in higher bounce rates, meaning users leave your site before engaging with the content, further reducing the effectiveness of carousels.

3. Mobile Responsiveness Issues

Mobile-friendliness is essential in today’s web design, with more users browsing websites from their smartphones than ever before. Unfortunately, many carousels do not scale well on mobile devices, leading to a poor user experience. Buttons and navigation arrows can be difficult to tap on smaller screens, and images may not resize correctly, causing layout issues.

4. Poor Accessibility

Accessibility is becoming a crucial aspect of modern web design, and carousels often fall short in this area. Many carousels are not optimized for screen readers or keyboard navigation, making them difficult for users with disabilities to interact with. This lack of accessibility can alienate a significant portion of your audience and negatively affect your website’s usability.

Are Carousels Still Being Used Today?

Despite these drawbacks, some websites continue to use carousels, particularly in industries where showcasing multiple images or promotions is important, such as e-commerce or portfolio sites. However, their usage has become less common as better alternatives have emerged.

When used correctly, carousels can still be effective, but this requires careful attention to details such as image quality, load speed, and user interaction. In most cases, though, designers are opting for other methods that offer improved performance and engagement.

Alternatives to Carousels

As websites evolve, many designers and developers are turning to alternatives that provide a better user experience, faster load times, and improved mobile performance. Some popular alternatives to carousels include:

1. Hero Images with a Call-to-Action

Instead of rotating images, many websites now feature a single, large hero image with a strong call-to-action (CTA). This approach allows for a clear message and eliminates the need for users to click through multiple slides.

2. Grid Layouts or Content Cards

Grid-based layouts and content cards are becoming increasingly popular for displaying multiple pieces of content or images. This layout allows users to see all the available content at once without the need for scrolling or clicking through slides.

3. Video Backgrounds

Video backgrounds are another modern alternative to carousels, offering a dynamic and engaging visual element that can capture users’ attention without the need for manual interaction.

4. Interactive Infographics

For websites that need to display data or multiple pieces of information, interactive infographics can be a more user-friendly option. These visuals are engaging and informative, offering users a better way to interact with the content.

When Should You Still Use a Carousel?

In some situations, carousels may still be a viable option, particularly if you:

• Need to showcase multiple products, images, or promotions in a limited space.
• Ensure that the carousel loads quickly and is optimized for mobile devices.
• Implement clear navigation controls and avoid autoplay, allowing users to manually click through the slides.
• Use high-quality, relevant images with compelling CTAs to encourage engagement.

That said, if your carousel does not meet these criteria, you may want to consider one of the alternatives mentioned earlier.

Conclusion

While carousels were once a staple of web design, their popularity has waned due to low engagement rates, slow load times, and accessibility issues. Many designers and developers are moving towards alternatives such as hero images, grid layouts, or interactive elements that offer a better user experience and improved SEO performance.

If you’re considering using a carousel on your website, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons carefully. In most cases, modern alternatives will provide better results, but in certain situations, a well-implemented carousel can still be effective.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do carousels still work on websites?

Carousels can still work on some websites, particularly for showcasing multiple images or promotions. However, they often suffer from low engagement rates and slow page speeds, which can harm user experience and SEO.

2. Why are carousels becoming less popular?

Carousels are becoming less popular due to their low click-through rates, negative impact on page speed, poor mobile responsiveness, and accessibility issues. Many designers now prefer alternatives like hero images or grid layouts.

3. Are carousels bad for SEO?

Carousels can negatively impact SEO if they slow down your page load speed or fail to provide meaningful content that search engines can crawl. Alternatives such as single hero images with optimized content can improve SEO performance.

4. What can I use instead of a carousel?

Some popular alternatives to carousels include hero images with a CTA, grid-based layouts, content cards, video backgrounds, and interactive infographics. These options offer a more engaging and user-friendly experience.

5. Should I use autoplay in my carousel?

Autoplay is generally discouraged because it can frustrate users and contribute to banner blindness. Allowing users to manually navigate through the carousel typically leads to better engagement.