Website animations: when they help and when they hurt

Tasteful animation can guide attention and make a site feel polished. Overdone, it distracts, slows things down, and even makes some people feel unwell. The trick is using motion with purpose.

When animation helps

• •Subtle cues that draw the eye to what matters.
• •Feedback that confirms an action worked.
• •Gentle transitions that make navigation feel smooth.

When it hurts

Heavy, constant, or slow animations frustrate people and hurt performance. And always respect the 'reduce motion' setting — some users get motion sickness from excessive movement. Purposeful and restrained beats flashy every time.