What are micro-interactions and how do they influence UX?

Micro-interactions are small animations or visual feedbacks that occur in response to a user action. They are often subtle details, but they play a fundamental role in the usability and perception of the website. Here are some of the most common examples:

Interactive Buttons - by changing colour or shape when you hover the mouse, they indicate that there is an associated action.

Highlighting on forms - focus animations help identify which field is being filled in.

Visual feedback on icons - a ‘like’ button that expands and changes colour when pressed, creating a pleasant and intuitive visual effect.

Visual notifications - indicate loading or success of an action, increasing user confidence.

These interactions not only make the website more appealing, but also provide immediate feedback, making navigation more intuitive.

The impact of animations on UX

Animations, when used correctly, can significantly improve the user experience with positive reinforcement.

Guiding attention with small movements that can direct the user's gaze to where it really matters, whether it's a call-to-action button or a new feature.

Provide instant feedback to make the user feel more secure with a visual response when clicking a button or submitting a form.

Create an engaging experience with fluid and lively navigation, keeping the user interested and increasing their time on the site.

Reinforce the brand's identity with well thought-out micro-interactions that help convey the brand's values and personality, making the experience more memorable.

How to implement micro-interactions and animations effectively

To ensure that animations and micro-interactions add value to the design, it's important to follow some good practices:

Avoid exaggeration because too many animations can make the site heavy and distract the user from the main objective.

Ensure fluidity and naturalness so that transitions are smooth and don't feel artificial or abrupt.

Focus on usefulness so that each animation has a clear purpose, such as guiding, informing or entertaining, without ever compromising usability.

Optimise performance using techniques that ensure light animations without negatively impacting the speed of the site.

Micro-interactions and short animations are powerful tools for improving the user experience and making a website more dynamic, intuitive and memorable. When applied well, these techniques have the potential to create a stronger connection between the user and the brand, making browsing more engaging and effective.