How 3D models can help with user interaction and engagement on your site.
Websites have seen a substantial amount of changes in the past year. And while there have been some consistencies in the templates and the layouts, one has to admit that the transition from the static 2D pages to the more engaging 3D content has been overwhelming.
If you have a website, regardless of whether it is a personal blog, a business, a splash page, or an e-commerce site, there must be a level of depth and engagement in order to retain the attention of the browser. 3D modeling and assets on your site is a great way to accent your website and keep the viewer interested.
3D for Personal Sites
Personal sites typically fall into the category of blogs or information pages. As such there are millions of pages circulating the web, and because of this redundancy is a big issue. You see, most people when they build a blog or a personal site do not want to commit to paying for that site. This means that WordPress, Blogger, Weebly, and other such free web page building sites get most of the traffic. And where there is nothing wrong with these sites, users of the software need to go a bit beyond the templates and the plug and play aps in order to give the viewers something unique. Here is where the 3D model comes into play.
With an abundance of 3D models available, you can add accents to your site, regardless of the content. For example, if your site caters to movie reviews, you could put a 3D bucket of Popcorn as the header (like flixster) or a movie reel. Even something as simple as the logo being in 3D adds to the visuals of the site. Be careful in your selection process and your template set up. You do not want your site to look just like another cliché one.
Using our example: if your site looks like IMDB then people will just go to IMDB instead of to your site. Make it unique and add 3D to highlight those unique points.
3D for Businesses and E-commerce
If your site is intended to bring profits to your business or person, then it is essential that you have the most modern design elements within the e-commerce or business page. This means that your products should be 3D models which allow the potential investor to view your products at a 360-degree angle. If you have a complex product the 3D model should be animated to show the basic functionality or application of the product or service that you are offering.
Vehicle 3D models are a prime example of how 3D models can accent a business’s website. On most major automotive websites, some of the vehicles portrayed, especially on the newer models are 3D. The reason is not to deceive the client, but to present a version of the vehicle without bumps, dings, scratches, and defects.
Other 3D model applications for your site
There are a ton of ways that you can add 3D to your website. Adding 3D adds dimension to the page and causes the viewer’s eye to look around. The eye naturally wants to explore perspective and depth, so the more you add to your site the more the eye will roam. Remember not to make the site too chaotic or you will risk overwhelming the viewer. However, you can add some 3d elements by adding:
- 3D images to a slideshow
- 3D call to action buttons
- 3D backgrounds
- A 3D logo or banner
- Pop up banners that have 3D elements to them
- Interactive phase buttons for your social media
- Multi-layered images for products and services
Make your site your own
If you want to see the SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages) have your site in the top 10 then you need to have something that goes beyond keywords on the page. You have to have something that encourages user comments, viewing, search ability, and aesthetics.
Templates are a great way to start. However, they are just the foundation stones in which to build your site upon. When picking a template for a site ensure that you are able to customize elements. If you are building your site from scratch try to stay away from having too static of a page.
By making your site unique and adding the 3D model elements to accent the elements of your site which are the most important you are sure to see an increase in your visitors, the duration that viewers stay on your page (if you are using Google Analytics or such program to keep track of such data), and higher positions on the major search engines once you submit your URLs.
Don’t miss Inspirational Showcase of Three-Dimensional (3D) Movie Posters
This post was written by Douglas Siclari, CEO of the Siclari Studio of Art and Design. With over 15 years in the 3D arts and multimedia world, he has worked with some of the top 3D websites and blogs. He serves as Digital Marketing Consultant for CGTrader, a 3D model marketplace for computer graphics, 3D printing and virtual reality.
