15 Interactive Website Designs That Are Inspirational

User experience has become a huge focus in the digital world. Online competition continues to increase, and no longer is it sufficient to just have some basic company overview without any engaging elements in hopes of generating lots of new business. If a visitor comes to your website and they are underwhelmed or bored, they most likely will leave and go to the next search result of a competitor or similar organization in your industry. 

Your website can function as your own personal salesperson, and if done correctly, will help you increase visitor traffic, improve online conversion rates, and close more deals. How is this most effectively accomplished? Through an interactive website design. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of an interactive website, as well as provide some good examples of interactive websites to give you inspiration.

What is an interactive website design?

An interactive website is one that effectively communicates with and engages its visitors online. Put simply, an interactive website uses content as a way to catch a visitor’s attention, and thoroughly engage them in a way that also provides a desirable outcome for the business. There are a number of different elements that help make an interactive website more successful, which we will discuss further as well.

The opposite of an interactive website design is a static website. These types of websites simply display basic content and general information about the business, with little to no engaging elements. These types of websites are often abandoned, as they leave visitors feeling uninspired about the business as a whole, with little to no incentive for further communication. 

Why do I need an interactive website design?

As mentioned above, competition online is much larger than it used to be. Therefore, you need a website design that not only looks great, but functions in a way that effectively attracts, engages, and converts visitors online.

The initial attraction is an important part of the process, this is done by having an engaging online homepage with thoughtful content. Don’t just tell your visitors what your business is, inform them of your core values, competitive advantages, and industry experience. Highlight new and exciting products, or recent news features or posts to your blog. Giving your visitors a reason to want to further explore your website is one of the most important first steps in any sales process, which is where an interactive website comes into play. 

Once a visitor is engaged with your content, your likelihood of growing conversions will increase. What is a conversion? A conversion is when a visitor performs some sort of interaction with your website, which gives you an opportunity to qualify them as a lead and continue communication with them. For example, maybe you were able to engage a visitor with your content and they signed up for your online newsletter. Great! Now you have their email address, and can continue sharing relevant content with them, which helps build trust in your brand.

Benefits of Interactive Websites

• Increases time spent on a website through improved engagement with your content, and lessens your overall bounce rate from visitor abandonment
• Helps increase online conversions through longer periods of time spent on a website
• Helps build trust in your brand through further exploration of your website’s content and company
• Helps deliver a better user experience
• Helps improve your brand’s awareness through a more memorable online experience
• Helps improve your search engine rankings through more relevant content

Features of Interactive Websites

• Interactive page elements: Interactive websites will often include interesting page elements that catch a visitor’s attention. Rather than just including text on a page for example, an interactive website might also include an online video, some professional imagery, or some real-time statistics to really capture a visitor’s attention online.
• Call to action areas: Call to action areas help visitors communicate or express interest in your business, and serve as an easy way to guide them through the first part of a sales process. Calls to action can be incorporated into a website design as a button or website page for a visitor to click on. For example, a call to action on your website might be to “request a demo,” “chat with a representative,” or “get a free sample or discount.” Call to action areas are usually designed with the intention of helping improve online conversion rates for a website.
• Online forms: Inclusion of online forms are another easy way to increase visitor engagement, and are frequently included in interactive websites. Online forms allow you to collect valuable information about your visitors, which you can then use for further communication and as part of your sales follow ups.
• User-generated content: Another feature commonly used on interactive websites is user-generated content. Some examples of user-generated content include the ability to leave comments or reviews on a website. By allowing users to interact with your content online, you will create memorable impressions for visitors by allowing them to converse and ask questions about your products and services.
• Social media integrations: Social media has become more frequently used as part of interactive website designs as well. Social media is another easy way for a business to generate conversation and create an online community, which can help build trust in your brand. Social media also serves as a great way to promote direct interaction with a business and potential customer in a more informal and conversational way.
• Live chat functionalities: Live chat functionalities are a great way for brands to connect directly with online visitors and help answer any immediate questions or concerns in real time.
• FAQ sections: Another feature that many interactive websites include is an FAQ section. Visitors most likely will have questions and concerns after reviewing your businesses products and services, and FAQs can help address these immediately instead of having to request help.
• Personalized product recommendations: Some interactive websites might also include personalized product and service recommendations. These recommendations might be based on a visitor’s browsing history and pageviews to determine their likes and interests. By recommending additional products and services, a business can keep visitors engaged for longer periods of time online, as well as increase the chances of larger online purchase orders.
• Surveys and polls: Surveys and polls are a great way for a business to gather information about visitors currently accessing their website. A survey might include feedback regarding their browsing experience, or customer service if they used a live chat service or connected with a representative.
• Ratings and reviews: Ratings and reviews are a great way to help engage visitors on previous experiences with your products and services. You may also want to consider adding a rating and review submission form directly on your website to help increase submissions, which you can then integrate as part of your design to help increase trust in your brand.
• Search functionality: Search functionalities should almost always be included on an interactive website. Search functionalities help visitors find information they need relatively quickly by filtering content related to their search terms.